Eric Lambin

Dr. Lambin's research is in the area of human-environment interactions in land systems. He develops integrated approaches to study land use change by linking remote sensing and socio-economic data. This includes research to better detect subtle land changes based on time series of Earth observation satellites at multiple scales. He aims at better modeling causes and impacts of deforestation, dryland degradation, agricultural intensification, and conflicts between wildlife and agriculture around natural reserves. He also studies responses by rural communities to environmental changes. He focuses on land use transitions - i.e., the shift from deforestation (or land degradation) to reforestation (or land sparing for nature) that is taking place in some forest countries or drylands. This research identifies the conditions for a sustainable land use by rural communities. He also conducts projects on the impact of land change on vector-borne disease, through integrated analyzes of interactions between people, vectors, animal hosts and land. His research is mostly focused on tropical regions.