Hila Segre Agroecology & Nature Conservation Lab

One of humanities greatest challenges nowadays is to maintain biodiversity and functioning ecosystems while supporting sustainable agricultural production for human wellbeing. About 80% of all threatened species globally are endangered due to agriculture, but the great paradox of agriculture is that it depends on biodiversity. For example, 75% of the crops worldwide depend on insect pollination, while other organisms function as natural enemies of crop pests or contribute to soil health. Finding ways to compromise food production and biodiversity is therefore of high interest for society, economy, and nature. 

This is a great challenge since agroecological systems are shaped by both natural and anthropogenic factors, and answering it calls for a holistic and interdisciplinary approach. The Segre Agroecology & Nature Conservation Lab focuses on the interface between biodiversity conservation and agricultural landscapes, and aims to resolve trade-offs and find synergies between the benefits to people and to biodiversity. To do that we use variety of observational, experimental and modelling approaches, and combine methods from applied and basic ecology, with methods and concepts from environmental sciences and economy, to explore agro-ecosystems as complex multi-functional systems. 

We are looking for MSc, PhD and postdocs for 2023-2024. If you’re interested in applied research that can contribute to the way we conserve biodiversity and help shape food systems and production contact us!