IESc Seminar Series: “Tools and models to improve biological diversity in agriculture” By Dr Uğur Zeydanlı

Institute of Environmental Sciences Seminar Series

“Tools and models to improve biological diversity in agriculture”

By Dr Uğur Zeydanlı

Nature Conservation Center (DKM) & Middle East Technical University

-In Memory of Tansu Gürpınar-

We cordially invite you to our seminar “Tools and models to improve biological diversity in agriculture”, by Dr Uğur Zeydanlı, Nature Conservation Center (Doğa Koruma Merkezi, DKM) & Middle East Technical University.

When: 19 February 2024, Monday, 14:00-15:30

Where: Institute of Environmental Sciences Seminar Room (Hisar Campus E-Block)

Contact: pinar.ertor@bogazici.edu.tr for any questions.

Abstract:

The world is currently facing two major crises: the climate crisis and the crisis of biological diversity. Many of the problems we are experiencing stem from these two crises. Therefore, we need approaches that address both of these crises together. Several international organizations, such as the United Nations and the IUCN are relying on various new tools for this purpose, ecosystem services, nature-based solutions, and climate-friendly agriculture are among those new tools. One significant application area for these approaches is agriculture, as agricultural production plays a crucial role for both biodiversity loss and climate change, due to its impacts related with habitat loss, land degradation, and the pollution of soil and water resources. On the other hand, climate change and biological diversity loss pose a significant problem for food security. This talk will address the development of different models that can mitigate the impacts of agricultural production on biological diversity and climate and enhance its resilience.

Short bio:

Dr. Uğur Zeydanlı is among the founders of the Doğa Koruma Merkezi (Nature Conservation Center) and currently serves as its Chair. Dr. Zeydanlı teaches courses such as ecological principles in urban planning and nature conservation at the Department of City and Regional Planning and the Master's Program in Earth System Science at METU. He has been working in the fields of nature conservation, natural resource management, climate change adaptation, sustainable agriculture and forestry for nearly 30 years. He has prepared, implemented, or coordinated over 150 projects related to these themes. In 2016, he worked as a Fulbright scholar at the Yale University School of Forestry and Environment on the use of ecosystem services as a management tool.