Dr. Univ.-Prof. MUNTEANU Catalina-Mihaela
University of Innsbruck
Department of Ecology
Head of the Research Group: Landscape Ecology
Sternwartestraße 15, Room 103
A-6020 Innsbruck
T: +43 512 507-51629
Catalina-Mihaela.Munteanu@uibk.ac.at
Research profile:
My work focuses on understanding long-term landscape changes and their relationship to contemporary ecological responses, while considering the changing role of humans in modulating such patterns. A defining feature of my research is its integrative landscape-scale, and data-driven character. I combine spatial ecological, geographic, and socio- economic data across broad temporal scales to investigate century-long drivers and impacts of landscape change. In doing so, I often make use of unconventional historical data sources combined with most recent advancements in data mining and processing. I pay particular attention to often-overlooked processes such as ecological legacies and time-delayed responses and analyze the ways in which they may modulate future sustainability decisions.
Publications:
Please see my Google Scholar and ORCID profiles.
Research foci:
- Extending baselines of ecological research further with novel data and computational techniques to reveal overlooked patterns and processes
- Quantifying time delayed effects and ecological legacies of long-term landscape change
- Assessing human-environment interactions and the role of perception in driving of landscape and species change
Teaching and student supervision:
My teaching and supervision covers all three research foci of the group at Bachelor; Masters and PhD. My teaching and supervision goal is to support young researchers in understanding long term landscape change and the interacting role of social and ecological processes in shaping future landscapes. I strive to support young researcher in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills towards sustainability.
I welcome student projects involving landscape pattern and process analyses, human environment interactions and remote sensing.
Education:
2012 - 2016 Ph.D. in Forestry ● Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin-Madison.
2005 - 2008 Magistra rerum naturalium in Geography ● University of Innsbruck, Austria, Institute of Geography
2002 - 2008 Diploma in Geography and Foreign Languages ● Babeş-Bolyai- University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
Personal interests:
Changing landscapes fascinate me – autumn is my favorite season. I enjoy being outdoors and exploring new places – especially together with others who see the world from different perspectives. Having lived in several countries, I value the diversity of cultures, languages, and ways of life. Everyday discoveries and laughter shared with husband and our two boys make me happy and constantly remind me to see the world with curiosity and wonder.
Featured research:
Spy Satellites for Ecology, with Catalina Munteanu and Volker Radeloff
It spied on Soviet Atomic Bombs, now its solving ecological mysteries
Farming Associated with Long-Term Decline in Marmot Populations