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Chair of Modelling of Social-Ecological Systems
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Research

We use and develop various modelling approaches to understand interactions between people and nature, especially in the context of forest and mountain landscapes. We are interested in understanding the dynamics of complex social-ecological systems and in developing practical tools that can support stakeholders in sustainable ecosystem management. We use a variety of tools, including empirical spatial models, Bayesian Networks, agent-based models and social-ecological networks to address current challenges, such as forest adaptation to global change, risk reduction, and coexistence.

Research Projects

Field of Research

Modelling the dynamics of forest social-ecological systems

We use a variety of models, including dynamic forest landscape models, agent-based models, and social-ecological networks to understand the interactions between forests and the people who manage them, and how these systems change over time.

Field of Research

Risk reduction and protective forests

In mountain regions, forests protect infrastructure and people from natural hazards, such as avalanches, rockfall, and landslides, thus providing an essential ecosystem service to mountain communities. We use spatial models to understand this ecosystem service and the risk of losing it under global change, especially increasing forest disturbances. We are also interested in the institutions that shape the management of protective forests, and how these institutions could adapt to increasing risks.

Field of Research

Human-wildlife interactions

We use spatial models to understand human-wildlife interactions and support locally-adapted conservation planning.

About

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Our Teaching

Information about our courses and available thesis topics.

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Our Team

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Recent Publications

  • Stritih, A., Senf, C., Marsoner, T., & Seidl, R. (2024). Mapping the natural disturbance risk to protective forests across the European Alps. Journal of Environmental Management, 366(July), 121659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121659
  • Stritih, A.,Senf, C., Kuemmerle, T., Munteanu, C., Dzadzamia, L., Stritih, J., Matijašić, D., Cortner, O., & Seidl, R. (2024). Same, but different: similar states of forest structure in temperate mountain regions of Europe despite different social-ecological forest disturbance regimes. Landscape Ecology, 39(6), 114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-024-01908-x
  • Mayer, P., Grêt-Regamey, A., Ciucci, P., Salliou, N., Stritih, A. 2023. Mapping human- and bear-centered perspectives on coexistence using a participatory Bayesian framework. Journal of Nature Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126387