Research fields
Our research aims at detecting and understanding global dynamics in human-environment systems, with a focus on human land use, its underlying societal drivers, and its ecological consequences. We rely on state-of-the-art statistical and computational tools to comprehensively capure these dynamics and to test and develop theory on their interrelationships. We develop application-ready tools and data for policy makers, resource managers, and other scientists. Our research is organized around the following five overarching research fields:
Interdisciplinary Science in the Digital Age
Focusing on global environmental change and human-environment relationships, we conceptualize and implement new approaches to tackle challenges of interdisciplinary research using modern digital technologies. This cross-cutting research field provides an organizing framework to projects in the other four fields. › more
Global Land-Use Dynamics
In this research field, we address a long-standing gap in Global Change and Sustainability-related sciences by developing consistent gridded data products on recent global dynamics in multiple land-use variables. To this end, we integrate and harmonize heterogeneous data sources through advanced statistical modelling techniques, while addressing various data-quality issues throughout the data life cycle. This work rests on the shoulders of LUCKINet, an international collaborative network that we coordinate at iDiv. › more
Effective Information on Dynamics in Ecological Systems
In this research field, we develop data, modelling frameworks and informatics solutions to address current limitations in global knowledge of biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics that hamper environmental research, monitoring, and other fields of application. › more
Causes of Land-Use and Biodiversity Change
Human land-use drives changes in species habitats and populations, and in turn responds to changes in economic activity, governance systems, and other societal drivers. In this research field, we study these direct and indirect causal relationships using continental to global spatiotemporal datasets and various statistical modelling tools. › more
Trade-Offs and Opportunities in Sustainable Development
Strategies to reach different Sustainable Development Goals typically require the use of globally scarce land resources. As such, actions towards reaching different goals, such as food security, climate protection, or biodiversity conservation, are oftentimes mutually exclusive. In this research field, we analyze trade-offs between competing sustainable development strategies and explore possible ways of reconciling them. › more
