Piero Visconti

Piero Visconti is the Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation (BEC) Research Group Leader at IIASA.

He holds a doctoral degree in Conservation Planning jointly awarded by James Cook University, Australia and Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. After his PhD Visconti held postdoctoral positions at the University of Rome, the Microsoft Research Cambridge Computational Ecology Group, and the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). His research during this period focused on understanding species' responses to land use and climate change and projecting these responses under future global change scenarios. For this research, he developed analytical methods that integrate statistical models of distribution and abundance of species that use presence data and species' life-history traits, with expert-based information on species habitat preferences. While at Microsoft, he also developed methods to enable planning of conservation interventions under severe uncertainty, and methods to survey species in a cost-efficient way by borrowing sampling techniques from computer science.

Prior to joining IIASA, Visconti was a joint Research Fellow at University College London's Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research (UCL-CBER) and the Zoological Society of London's Institute of Zoology (ZSL-IoZ), where he worked on normative scenarios for biodiversity and integrated spatial planning for biodiversity conservation, restoration, and food production.

At IIASA, BEC's as well as Visconti's own research span a broad set of topics within applied ecology and conservation. BEC research combines methods from systems analyses, global change biology, conservation biogeography, spatial planning for biodiversity conservation, and restoration, to answer scientific questions and provide policy support.

Alongside his research and supervision activities, Visconti engages at the science-policy interface, for instance, through his past role of coordinating lead author of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Regional Assessment of status, trends, and future scenarios of biodiversity and ecosystem services for Europe and Central Asia.


Last update: 21 MAY 2021

Pressey, R.L., Visconti, P., McKinnon, M.C., Gurney, G.G., Barnes, M.D., Glew, L., & Maron, M. (2021). The mismeasure of conservation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 36 (9), 808-821. 10.1016/j.tree.2021.06.008.

Harfoot, M.B.J., Johnston, A., Balmford, A., Burgess, N.D., Butchart, S.H.M., Dias, M.P., Hazin, C., Hilton-Taylor, C., et al. (2021). Using the IUCN Red List to map threats to terrestrial vertebrates at global scale. Nature Ecology & Evolution 10.1038/s41559-021-01542-9. (In Press)

Jung, M., Arnell, A., de Lamo, X., García-Rangel, S., Lewis, M. , Mark, J., Merow, C., Miles, L., et al. (2021). Areas of global importance for conserving terrestrial biodiversity, carbon and water. Nature Ecology & Evolution 10.1038/s41559-021-01528-7. (In Press)

Adams, V.M., Visconti, P., Graham, V., & Possingham, H.P. (2021). Indicators keep progress honest: A call to track both the quantity and quality of protected areas. One Earth 4 (7), 901-906. 10.1016/j.oneear.2021.06.014.

Shennan Farpon, Y., Visconti, P., & Norris, K. (2021). Detecting ecological thresholds for biodiversity in tropical forests: Knowledge gaps and future directions. Biotropica 10.1111/btp.12999. (In Press)

Wang, Y.X.G., Matson, K.D., Santini, L., Visconti, P., Hilbers, J.P., Huijbregts, M.A.J., Xu, Y., Prins, H.H.T., et al. (2021). Mammal assemblage composition predicts global patterns in emerging infectious disease risk. Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.15784. (In Press)

Jonas, H. D., Ahmadia, G. N., Bingham, H. C., Briggs, J., Butchart, D. H. M., Cariño, J., Chassot, O., Chaudhary, S., et al. (2021). Equitable and effective area‐based conservation: towards the conserved areas paradigm. PARKS: The International Journal of Protected Areas and Conservation 27 10.2305/IUCN.CH.2021.PARKS‐27‐1HJ.en.

Bolam, F.C., Mair, L., Angelico, M., Brooks, T.M., Burgman, M., Hermes, C., Hoffmann, M., Martin, R.W., et al. (2021). How many bird and mammal extinctions has recent conservation action prevented? Conservation Letters, e12762. 10.1111/conl.12762.

Tang, D.H.Y. & Visconti, P. (2021). Biases of Odonata in Habitats Directive: Trends, trend drivers, and conservation status of European threatened Odonata. Insect Conservation and Diversity 14 (1), 1-14. 10.1111/icad.12450.

Jellesmark, S., Ausden, M., Blackburn, T.M., Gregory, R.D., Hoffmann, M., Massimino, D., McRae, L., & Visconti, P. (2021). A counterfactual approach to measure the impact of wet grassland conservation on UK breeding bird populations. Conservation Biology 10.1111/cobi.13692. (In Press)

Grantham, H. S., Duncan, A., Evans, T. D., Jones, K. R., Beyer, H. L., Schuster, R., Walston, J., Ray, J. C., et al. (2021). Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity. Nature Communications 11 (1) 10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3.

Sperling, F., Havlik, P. , Denis, M., Valin, H. , Palazzo, A. , Gaupp, F., & Visconti, P. (2020). Transformations within reach: Pathways to a sustainable and resilient world - Resilient Food Systems. IIASA Report. IIASA-ISC

Díaz, S., Zafra-Calvo, N., Purvis, A., Verburg, P.H., Obura, D., Leadley, Paul, Chaplin-Kramer, R., De Meester, L., et al. (2020). Set ambitious goals for biodiversity and sustainability. Science 370 (6515), 411-413. 10.1126/science.abe1530.

Strassburg, B.B.N., Iribarrem, A, Beyer, H.L., Cordeiro, C.L., Crouzeilles, R., Jakovac, C.C., Braga Junqueira, A., Lacerda, E., et al. (2020). Global priority areas for ecosystem restoration. Nature, 1-6. 10.1038/s41586-020-2784-9.

Maxwell, S.L., Cazalis, V., Dudley, N., Hoffmann, M., Rodrigues, A.S.L., Stolton, S., Visconti, P., Woodley, S., et al. (2020). Area-based conservation in the twenty-first century. Nature 586 (7828), 217-227. 10.1038/s41586-020-2773-z.

Leclere, D., Obersteiner, M. , Barrett, M., Butchart, S.H.M., Chaudhary, A., De Palma, A., DeClerck, F.A.J., Di Marco, M., et al. (2020). Bending the curve of terrestrial biodiversity needs an integrated strategy. Nature 585, 551-556. 10.1038/s41586-020-2705-y.

Jung, M., Dahal, P.R., Butchart, S.H.M., Donald, P.F., De Lamo, X., Lesiv, M. , Kapos, V., Rondinini, C., et al. (2020). A global map of terrestrial habitat types. Scientific Data 7 (1), e256. 10.1038/s41597-020-00599-8.

Sperling, F., Havlik, P. , Denis, M., Gaupp, F., Palazzo, A. , Valin, H. , & Visconti, P. (2020). Report on Second Consultative Science Platform. Bouncing Forward Sustainably: Pathways to a post-COVID World. Resilient Food Systems. IIASA-ISC

Sperling, F., Havlik, P. , Denis, M., Valin, H. , Palazzo, A. , Visconti, P., & Gaupp, F. (2020). Report on First Consultative Science Platform. Bouncing Forward Sustainably: Pathways to a post-COVID World. Resilient Food Systems. IIASA-ISC

Baisero, D., Visconti, P., Pacifici, M., Cimatti, M., & Rondinini, C. (2020). Projected Global Loss of Mammal Habitat Due to Land-Use and Climate Change. One Earth 2 (6), 578-585. 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.05.015.

Sperling, F., Havlik, P. , Denis, M., Gaupp, F., Krisztin, T. , Palazzo, A. , Valin, H. , & Visconti, P. (2020). Bouncing Forward Sustainably: Pathways to a post-COVID World. Resilient Food Systems. IIASA-ISC

Folberth, C. , Khabarov, N. , Balkovic, J. , Skalsky, R. , Visconti, P., Ciais, P., Janssens, I., Peñuelas, J., et al. (2020). The global cropland sparing potential of high-yield farming. Nature Sustainability 3, 281-289. 10.1038/s41893-020-0505-x.

Jung, M., Dahal, P.R., Butchart, S.H.M., Donald, P.F., Rondini, C., & Visconti, P. (2020). A Global Map Of Species Terrestrial Habitat Types. In: World Biodiversity Forum, 23-28 February 2020, Davos, Switzerland.

Almond, R.E.A., Grooten, M. & Peterson, T., eds. (2020). Living Planet Report 2020 - Bending the curve of biodiversity loss. Gland, Switzerland: World Wildlife Fund. ISBN 978-2-940529-99-5

Jung, M., Arnell, A., de Lamo, X., García-Rangel, S., Lewis, M., Mark, J., Merow, C., Miles, L., et al. (2020). Areas of global importance for terrestrial biodiversity, carbon, and water. bioRxiv 10.1101/2020.04.16.021444. (Submitted)

Pereira, H.M., Rosa, I.M.D., Martins, I.S., Kim, H., Leadley, P., Popp, A., van Vuuren, D.P., Hurtt, G., et al. (2020). Global trends in biodiversity and ecosystem services from 1900 to 2050. bioRxiv (Preprint) 10.1101/2020.04.14.031716.

Waldron, A., Adams, V., Allan, J., Arnell, A., Asner, G., Atkinson, S., Baccini, A., Baillie, J., et al. (2020). Protecting 30% of the planet for nature: costs, benefits and economic implications. Campaign for Nature

de Lamo, X., Jung, M., Visconti, P., Schmidt-Traub, G., Miles, L., & Kapos, V. (2020). Strengthening Synergies: How Action to Achieve Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Conservation Targets Can Contribute to Mitigating Climate Change. United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Schleicher, J., Zaehringer, J.G., Fastré, C., Vira, B., Visconti, P., & Sandbrook, C. (2019). Protecting half of the planet could directly affect over one billion people. Nature Sustainability 2, 1094-1096. 10.1038/s41893-019-0423-y.

Visconti, P., Butchart, S., Brooks, T., Langhammer, P., Marnewick, D., Vergara, S., Yanosky, A., Crowe, O., et al. (2019). A bold successor to Aichi Target 11—Response. Science 365 (6454), 650.1-651. 10.1126/science.aay2768.

Visconti, P., Butchart, S., Brooks, T., Langhammer, D., Marnewick, D., Vergara, S., Yanosky, A., & Watson, J. (2019). Protected area targets post-2020. Science 364 (6437), 239-241. 10.1126/science.aav6886.

Okayasu, S., Schoolenberg, M., Alkemade, R., den Belder, E., Pereira, H., Lundquist, C., Cheung, W., Rondinini, C., et al. (2019). Report on the workshop ‘Global Modelling of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’. PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency

Barrett, M., Belward, A., Bladen, S:, Breeze, T., Burgess, N., Butchart, S., Clewclow, H., Cornell, S., et al. (2018). Living Planet Report 2018: Aiming Higher. WWF