David Coomes

Biography

I’m interested in biodiversity conservation and informing conservation policy through research. My group uses large databases of remotely sensed data and modern computational approaches, alongside traditional field approaches to address fundamental ecological questions as well as the most pressing ecological and biodiversity loss issues. Spaceborne and airborne sensors such as LiDAR, hyperspectral and multispectral sensors collect large amounts of data which allow us to assess the impact of land-use change on carbon storage and biodiversity, and to evaluate the impact of climate change. The use of modern computational approaches such as machine learning algorithms allows us to map with evermore precision species distributions and estimate carbon storage in various landscapes, a key factor in determining the potential of forests as a nature-based solution to climate change.