Past projects
Funding: University of Neuchâtel (2021-2025)
The wooded pastures of the Swiss Jura Mountains, a traditional agroforestry system, support a particular biodiversity thanks to their irregular tree cover. However, agricultural intensification and climate change threaten this fragile balance. Our study aims to understand how environmental heterogeneity affects biodiversity and agriculture. We use remote sensing data and field observations to characterize the environment and then link it to wildlife and farming. Our results will help guide appropriate conservation measures.
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Funding: Climate Change AI (07.2023 – 07.2024)
Illegal logging is severely damaging community forests in Kenya, affecting carbon retention and local livelihoods. We propose sound detection devices to detect chainsaws and axes, commonly used tools. The signals are transmitted to a cloud platform for analysis via AI. Drones intervene when detected to capture images. The validity of this solution is verified by carbon measurements before, during and after implementation, assessing the extent of illegal logging and its impact on the climate. This research will directly benefit community forest associations, strengthening environmental conservation and livelihood stability.
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Funding: Neuchâtel Botanical Garden Foundation (2023)
In Switzerland, there are 37 species of small terrestrial mammals that inhabit diverse environments, from lowland wetlands to alpine ecosystems, and use a a range of microhabitats due to their small size and specific ecological needs. The project aims at monitoring small terrestrial mammals in the botanical garden of Neuchâtel. This project is expected to provide methodological advancements of the monitoring of small terrestrial mammals based on novel direct methods (thermal camera) and traditional indirect methods (footprint tunnels, camera traps and nests). Second, the project is expected to advance knowledge on preferential habitats of small terrestrial mammals, especially of endangered species, which is needed for their conservation.
Contact : Lara Krummenacher
