The BEC Group develops and applies state-of-the art ecological knowledge, methods, and tools to understand ecosystem functioning, biodiversity change, and feedbacks in coupled social-economic-ecological systems. We use this knowledge to develop management options to achieve biodiversity and sustainability goals  

The BEC group is the institute’s hub of applied ecology and conservation research. The group provides the needed ecological and conservation insights to help IIASA promote institutional, demographic, behavioral, technological, social, and economic changes that achieve development goals sustainably. 

The group’s key research areas include:

  • Ecological responses to natural and anthropogenic drivers of change, for example, land and water management and climate change.
  • How to prioritize conservation efforts to maximize positive impacts at scales from local to global (e.g., habitat restoration and conservation, and species management plans).
  • How species and ecosystems contribute to selected ecosystem services and human wellbeing.

Models, tools, datasets

ibis.iSDM

Integrated model for BiodIversity distribution projectionS (ibis.iSDM)

Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Plant Functional Acclimation and Trait Evolution (PlantFATE)

Projects

Chamois picture taken near the Rax

Designing a resilient and coherent Trans-European Network for Nature and People (NaturaConnect)

Wetland calm pond surrounded by golden vegetation and brilliant colors of fall foliage forest

European Union Biodiversity and Climate strategies Assessment (BIOCLIMA)

Upper Bhima basin

fairSTREAM

RESIST_banner

Resilience of Ecosystem Services provided by Intact and Sustainably managed Terrestrial ecosystems (RESIST)

Staff

Carla Freund profile picture

Carla Freund

Project Officer (BEC)

Gergana Daskalova profile picture

Gergana Daskalova

Schmidt Science Fellow (BEC)

Elisa Stefaniak profile picture

Elisa Stefaniak

Research Scholar (BEC)

Gemma Gerber profile picture

Gemma Gerber

Research Scholar (BEC)

News

Health Day

03 April 2025

Celebrating Research on Health at IIASA; World Health Day 2025

Researchers at IIASA are studying the direct and indirect effects of climate change on health, shedding light on healthy aging drivers and metrics and analyzing interconnections between the components of multi-dimensional national well-being.
Biodiversity in Europe

06 March 2025

Crafting narratives for a resilient and coherent Trans-European Nature Network

An international research team is pioneering a bold approach to European conservation, integrating biodiversity as a solution to environmental challenges. It explores three value perspectives – Nature for Nature, Nature for Society, and Nature as Culture – to shape positive future scenarios.
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.

Focus

COP16 - PLENARY 25OCT 18

29 October 2024

Biodiversity COP16 in Colombia: Time to deliver

Who lives up to the promises made two years ago? Not many. Only about 35 countries have a strategy on how to meet biodiversity targets, says Piero Visconti, Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation (BEC) Research Group Leader at IIASA. But in 2022, at COP15 in Montreal, the countries pledged to preserve 30 percent of the planet’s land and seas. At the same time, rich countries also don’t live up to their promise to help the poor with financing. This COP needs to show results.

Butterfly on a pink flower

17 July 2024

Biodiversity lessons from nature

IIASA researchers Silvia Artuso and Juliette Martin reflect on a recent workshop presented at the Institute as part of the IIASA School Engagement Initiative, during which they introduced students to systems analysis and took them on an adventure to explore the amazing biodiversity of Laxenburg park.

Publications