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
Russian Forests and Forestry Database
Wildfire climate impacts and adaptation model (FLAM)
Global Forest Model (G4M)
The Environmental Policy Integrated Climate-based global gridded crop model (EPIC-IIASA)
Projects
Land Management for Sustainability (LAMASUS)
Integrated Future Wildfire Hot Spot Mapping for Austria (Austria Fire Futures )
The Human-Tech Nexus - Building a Safe Haven to Cope with Climate Extremes (HuT)
RESTORE+: Addressing Landscape Restoration on Degraded Land in Indonesia and Brazil
Staff
Shilei Wang
Guest Research Scholar (AFE)
Yoshiki Yamagata
Guest Senior Research Scholar (AFE)
Pavel Kiparisov
Researcher (AFE)
Hyun-Woo Jo
Postdoctoral Researcher (AFE, CDAT)
News
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.
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.
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
Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Ignaz-Seipel-Platz 2, 1010 Vienna
IIASA-OeAW lecture: research and prevention of forest fires
Rotorua, New Zealand
AFE at ForestSAT 2024
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.
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
Yuwono, B., Kranzl, L., Haas, R., Dewi, R.G., Siagian, U.W.R., Kraxner, F., & Yowargana, P. (2025). Incorporating grid development in capacity expansion optimisation - a case study for Indonesia. Applied Energy 378 e124837. 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124837. Hong, M., Song, C., Kim, M., Kraxner, F., Ko, Y., Son, J., & Lee, W.-K. (2025). Realizing climate resilient development pathways in forestry: A focus on carbon management in Republic of Korea. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 110 e107665. 10.1016/j.eiar.2024.107665. Gustafson, E.J., Lucash, M.S., Shvidenko, A., Sturtevant, B.R., Miranda, B.R., Shchepashchenko, D. , & Matsumoto, H. (2024). Climate change and disturbance interact to alter landscape reflectivity (albedo) in boreal forests across a large latitudinal gradient in Siberia. Science of the Total Environment 956 e177043. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177043. Jandl, R., Hager, H., Kraxner, F., Ledermann, T., & Weiss, P. (2024). Carbon dioxide neutrality of sustainably managed forests of Austria. Ecological Engineering 209 e107417. 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107417. Santoro, M., Cartus, O., Quegan, S., Kay, H., Lucas, R.M., Araza, A., Herold, M., Labrière, N., Chave, J., Rosenqvist, Å., Tadono, T., Kobayashi, K., Kellndorfer, J., Avitabile, V., Brown, H., Carreiras, J., Campbell, M.J., Cavlovic, J., Bispo, P.d.C., Gilani, H., Khan, M.L., Kumar, A., Lewis, S.L., Liang, J., Mitchard, E.T.A., Pacheco-Pascagaza, A.M., Phillips, O.L., Ryan, C.M., Saikia, P., Shchepashchenko, D. , Sukhdeo, H., Verbeeck, H., Vieilledent, G., Wijaya, A., Willcock, S., & Seifert, F.M. (2024). Design and performance of the Climate Change Initiative Biomass global retrieval algorithm. Science of Remote Sensing 10 e100169. 10.1016/j.srs.2024.100169. Schaap, K.J., Fuchslueger, L., Hofhansl, F. , Valverde‐Barrantes, O., Quesada, C.A., & Hoosbeek, M.R. (2024). Intra‐annual dynamics of soil and microbial C, N, and P pools in a Central Amazon Terra Firme forest. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 187 (6) 725-736. 10.1002/jpln.202300107.