Diogo Alagador

Assistant Researcher

Biodiversity Research Chair

Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development (MED)

University of Évora

Portugal

Research Interests

I am interested in developing conceptual and analytical frameworks to support problem-solving in biodiversity conservation. My research is focused around the integration of Operations Research, Graph Theory, Algorithmic Science and Spatial Statistics techniques in the identification of the 'wheres', 'whens' and 'how' to conserve, taking the highest benefit per dollar spent. I develop such analyses under scenarios of climate change and socio-economic conflicts, at regional to biogeographical scales and for multiple biodiversity units (habitat, species, genetic lines), under protective or restaurative frameworks.

Latest Publications

Toward climate-smart rewilding: an integrated framework for biodiversity, climate change, and society

We propose a climate-smart rewilding framework that explicitly integrates biodiversity recovery with climate mitigation, climate adaptation, and socio-economic considerations. Using Europe as a case study, we map potential synergies and trade-offs among carbon sequestration, ecosystem resilience to climate change, wildlife-based tourism opportunities, and the risk of livestock predator conflict. We argue that this integrative framework provides a practical basis for identifying and assessing restoration strategies that deliver multiple benefits across regional and continental scales.