The focus of the AFE Group is to generate knowledge and develop state-of-the-art modeling tools to advance the scientific community and support policies that enable better understanding and management of global and regional agriculture, forestry, and natural land ecosystems.

The basis for improved assessment and management of natural resources is a deep understanding of complex and interacting biophysical processes within terrestrial ecosystems. The AFE Group aims to achieve a leading position in addressing research questions requiring integrated analyses of agriculture, forestry, and natural land ecosystems at global and regional levels.

The group’s strategic ambition of biophysical tool integration for, among others, the assessment of nature-based/climate solutions, landscape restoration options, agro-forestry, or future cropland management, is at the core of the IIASA research domain on biodiversity and ecosystem services. With sustainability and biodiversity aspects as cross-cutting environmental safeguards, the group is closely aligned with the strategic direction of its host program on Biodiversity and Natural Resources. This structural and strategic setup will ensure that AFE becomes a valuable research pillar and contributor to the overarching IIASA strategy.

Models, tools, datasets

Pine tree forest

Russian Forests and Forestry Database

Forest burning

Wildfire climate impacts and adaptation model (FLAM)

Forestry and logging

Global Forest Model (G4M)

Fields

The Environmental Policy Integrated Climate-based global gridded crop model (EPIC-IIASA)

Projects

Lamasus

Land Management for Sustainability (LAMASUS)

Forest Fire in the summer season

Integrated Future Wildfire Hot Spot Mapping for Austria (Austria Fire Futures )

Extreme events

The Human-Tech Nexus - Building a Safe Haven to Cope with Climate Extremes (HuT)

Tropical Forest and deforested area

RESTORE+: Addressing Landscape Restoration on Degraded Land in Indonesia and Brazil

Staff

Shilei Wang profile picture

Shilei Wang

Guest Research Scholar (AFE)

Placeholder, because no staff image is available

Yoshiki Yamagata

Guest Senior Research Scholar (AFE)

Pavel Kiparisov profile picture

Pavel Kiparisov

Researcher (AFE)

Hyun-Woo Jo profile picture

Hyun-Woo Jo

Postdoctoral Researcher (AFE, CDAT)

News

Ecosystem restoration

05 November 2024

How ecosystem restoration benefits national policies

IIASA scientists show that preserving ecosystems and fostering socioeconomic development is not a trade-off. On the contrary, an integrated approach is beneficial to national policies. We share examples from India, Brazil, and Indonesia.
Branch dieback in the Austrian Alps

08 October 2024

New study by AFE Researchers reveals bias in Forest Carbon Accounting due to overlooked Branch Turnover

A new study reveals a widespread oversight in forest carbon dynamics measurement and modeling. Most forest carbon models and measurements neglect the carbon flux associated with the turnover of branch biomass, leading to inaccuracies in forest carbon accounting. The study, titled "Overlooked branch turnover creates a widespread bias in forest carbon accounting", was led by Hyungwoo Lim, conducted during his time as a Guest Researcher, in collaboration with his supervisor and co-author, Oskar Franklin, in the AFE group at IIASA.
AI generated aerial view of a vast boreal forest

17 July 2024

Forests endure as carbon sink despite regional pressures

Despite facing regional threats like deforestation and wildfires, the world's forests continue to be a powerful weapon in the fight against climate change. A new study reveals these vital ecosystems have consistently absorbed carbon dioxide for the past three decades, even as disruptions chip away at their capacity.

Events

Focus

09 April 2024

Forest science and education in Ukraine: Priorities for action

Ukraine’s forest sector is suffering unprecedented challenges. War has impacted both forests and forestry – devastating forest areas, infrastructure and industry, as well as causing ‘brain drain’ and capacity loss due to the disruption of research institutions and the displacement of students and scientists. These impacts are compounded by factors including climate change, unstable forest health dynamics, landscape fires, and an overall decrease in forest productivity.
Pine trees
Amazon forest

24 February 2022

The number of tree species on Earth

Since humans have walked this planet, we have loved categorizing things and ecology is no exception. One of the most basic ecological questions has always been the simple question of “how many?”

Publications