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
Projects
Staff
News
05 November 2024
How ecosystem restoration benefits national policies
08 October 2024
New study by AFE Researchers reveals bias in Forest Carbon Accounting due to overlooked Branch Turnover
17 July 2024
Forests endure as carbon sink despite regional pressures
Events
Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Ignaz-Seipel-Platz 2, 1010 Vienna
IIASA-OeAW lecture: research and prevention of forest fires
Focus
09 April 2024
Forest science and education in Ukraine: Priorities for action
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.