Prof. Dr. Miguel Mahecha
Leipzig University

Title of the Impulse lecture | 13:00 PM – 13:20 PM
Understanding Earth system processes in a data-rich time

Abstract
Human activities have triggered a series of changes in our planet’s system, with climate change being the most prominent one. Climate change is also characterized by a rise in extreme weather events, which intersects with the ongoing transformation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and their biodiversity. In an era where these shifts are becoming more pronounced, our ability to understand their interplay is crucial. Satellite technology enables us to constantly monitor the Earth, yielding vital insights into ecosystem health. To harness this wealth of data, we must first create interactive visual tools that allow us to navigate and make sense of these complex information streams. Beyond visualization, there is a pressing need to develop models that can forecast ecosystem responses to varying climate scenarios and extreme conditions. In my presentation, I will outline our latest research endeavors in this domain and discuss the significant challenges we face in predicting and managing the future of Earth’s ecosyst

Bio
Miguel Mahecha is Professor of Environmental Data Science and Remote Sensing at the Remote Sensing Centre for Earth System Research. He focuses on the study of ecosystem responses to climate extremes and the human-environment nexus during these extreme events. He is also interested in new methods for biodiversity research. A cornerstone of his work is the use of high-dimensional Earth observations. He is a member of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig and the Centre for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. He is also co-spokesperson of the National Research Data Infrastructure for Earth System Sciences (NFDI4Earth).