GundxChange: Spatial Systems Modeling to Support Resilient Landscapes in Response to Climate Change

Eric Lonsdorf, Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences, Emory University; Affiliate, Gund Institute for Environment, UVM, Macmillian Scholar
September 5, 2025 from 12-1 p.m.
Farrell Hall, room 006

Climate change is disrupting not only environmental conditions but also the cultural and institutional factors that shape decision-making in agricultural landscapes. I will present ongoing work of a spatial systems modeling framework that seeks to simulates U.S. farmer-responses to climatic, economic, and policy drivers through their crop and land management choices. Additionally, the project models the external consequences of these decisions on biodiversity and ecosystem services. The project aims to explore how infrastructure, social values, and landscape-scale ecological dynamics interact to affect an agricultural landscape ability or lack thereof to respond flexibly. Ultimately, the project seeks to identify leverage points for transforming farming systems to support climate resilience, ecosystem stewardship, and more integrative planning.

Eric Lonsdorf is an associate professor of Environmental Sciences at Emory University. He was previously a lead scientist with the University of Minnesota-based Natural Capital Project team. Using structured decision-making, he develops ecological models as part of a process to inform decisions in conservation biology and natural resource management made under uncertainty and often with limited resources. Eric leads the model development and applications of the services wild bees provides to crops and co-leads the NatCap Livable Cities team. Eric earned a B.A. from Carleton College and a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior from the University of Minnesota.