Principal Investigator

Zuzana.png

Zuzana Burivalova

Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology, and The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

burivalova(at)wisc.edu

I am an Assistant Professor and the Principal Investigator of the Sound Forest Lab. I am a tropical forest ecologist and conservation scientist, based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I am affiliated with the department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology, The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE). Previously, I was a NatureNet post-doctoral research fellow at Princeton University and The Nature Conservancy.

I look for ways to protect biodiversity in tropical forests, both forests that are used by people, for example for logging, and forests set aside for conservation, from national parks to small community protected areas. I try to answer tricky questions in tropical forest ecology using new technologies, such as through recording soundscapes, where traditional field methods aren’t enough. I also collaborate with the environmental news platform Mongabay on understanding which conservation strategies succeed and fail in tropical forests. I feel privileged to have worked in the tropical forests of Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Borneo, and Gabon.

I am the 2021 winner of the nature award for driving global impact. In 2023, I received the Bassam Z. Shakhashiri Public Science Engagement Award. I am honored to receive the 2023 WINGS Women of Discovery Award.

 

EDUCATION

  • ETH Zürich – PhD in Tropical Forest Conservation and Ecology (2015)

  • Université de Genève – MSc in Environmental Science (2011)

  • Oxford University – BA in Biological Sciences (2008)

PUBLICATIONS
You can see a list of my publications also on Google Scholar. Please email me if you require a pdf of an article. Lab members are in bold.

  • Müller, J., Mitesser, O., Schaefer, H.M., Seibold, S., Busse, A., Kriegel, P., Rabl, D., Gelis,R., Arteaga, A., Freile, J., Leite, G.A., Nascimento de Melo, T., LeBien, J.G., Campos-Cerqueira, M., Blüthgen, N., Tremlett, C.S., Böttger, D., Feldhaar, H., Grella, N., Falconí-López, A., Donoso, D.A., Moriniere, J., Burivalova, Z. 2023. Soundscapes and deep learning enable tracking biodiversity recovery in tropical forests. Nature Communications, 6191.

  • Choksi, P., Kotian, M., Burivalova, Z., DeFries, R. 2023. Social and ecological outcomes of tropical dry forest restoration through invasive species removal in central India. Ecological Indicators 155, 111054.

  • Burivalova, Z., Yoh, N., Butler, R.A., Sagar HSSC, Game, E.T. 2023. Broadening the focus of forest conservation beyond carbon. Current Biology 33 (11), R621-R635.

  • Samuel RP‐J Ross, Darren P O’Connell, Jessica L Deichmann, Camille Desjonquères, Amandine Gasc, Jennifer N Phillips, Sarab S Sethi, Connor M Wood, Zuzana Burivalova, 2023. Passive Acoustic Monitoring provides a fresh perspective on fundamental ecological questions. Functional Ecology, 37 (4), 959-975.

  • HS Sathya Chandra Sagar, James J Gilroy, Tom Swinfield, Zuzana Burivalova, Ding Li Yong, Elva Gemita, Novriyanti Novriyanti, David C Lee, Muhammad Nazri Janra, Andrew Balmford, Fangyuan Hua, 2023. Avifauna recovers faster in areas less accessible to trapping in regenerating tropical forests. Biological Conservation, 279.

  • Burivalova, Z., Rosin, C., Buchner, J., Radeloff, V.C., Ocampo‐Peñuela, N. 2022. Conservation responsibility for bird species in tropical logged forests. Conservation Letters, e12903.

  • Z Burivalova, TM Maeda, Y Rayadin, T Boucher, P Choksi, P Roe, A Truskinger, ET Game, 2022. Loss of temporal structure of tropical soundscapes with intensifying land use in Borneo. Science of the Total Environment, 852.

  • Rayadin, Y. and Burivalova, Z. 2022. What does it take to have a mutually beneficial research collaboration across countries? Conservation Science and Practice, 4:5.

  • Burivalova, Z., Hart, S.J., Radeloff, V.C., Srinivasan, U. 2021. Early warning sign of forest loss in protected areas. Current Biology.

  • Sun, Y., Maeda, T.M., Solis-Lemus, C., Pimentel-Alarcon, D., Burivalova, Z. 2021. Classification of animal sounds in a hyperdiverse rainforest using Convolutional Neural Networks. arXiv preprint arXiv:2111.14971

  • Burivalova, Z., Purnomo, Orndorff, S., Truskinger, A., Roe, T., Game, E.T. 2021. The sound of logging: Tropical forest soundscapes before, during, and after selective timber extraction. Biological Conservation: 254.

  • Downey, H, et al. 2021. Training future generations to deliver evidence-based conservation and ecosystem management. Ecological Solutions and Evidence: 2 (1).

  • Burivalova, Z., Game, E.T., Wahyudi, B., Rifqi, M., MacDonald, E., Cushman, S., Voigt, M., Wich, S., Wilcove, D.S. 2020. Does biodiversity benefit when the logging stops? An analysis of conservation risks and opportunities in active versus inactive logging concessions in Borneo. Biological Conservation: 241.

  • Bagwyn, R., Bao, K., Burivalova, Z., Wilcove, D.S. 2020. Using citizen-science data to identify declining or recently extinct populations of Bahamian birds. Journal of Caribbean Ornithology 33.

  • Burivalova, Z.,Miteva, D., Salafsky, N., Butler, R.A., Wilcove, D.S. 2020. Reply to Mupepele and Dormann’Evidence Ranking Needs to Reflect Causality’. Trends in Ecology & Evolution: 35,2.

  • Droge, S., Martin, D.A., Andriafanomezantsoa, R., Burivalova, Z., Fulgence, T.R., Osen, K., Rakotomalala, E., Schwab, D., Wurz, A., Richter, T., Kreft, H. 2020. Listening to a changing landdscape: Acoustic indices reflect bird species richness and plot-scale vegetation structure across different land-use types in north-eastern Madagascar. Ecological Indicators: 120.

  • Burivalova, Z., Purnomo, Wahyudi, B., Boucher, T.M., Ellis, P., Truskinger, A., Towsey, M., Roe, P., Marthinus, D., Griscom, B., Game, E.T. 2019. Using soundscapes to investigate homogenization of tropical forest diversity in selectively logged forests. Journal of Applied Ecology: 56:11, 2493-2504.

  • Burivalova, Z., Butler, R., Wilcove, D.S. 2019. A response to Correia et al. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment: 17: 256.

  • Burivalova, Z., Game, E.T., Butler, R. 2019. The Sound of a tropical forest. Science, 363 (6422), 28-29.

  • Burivalova, Z.,Miteva, D., Salafsky, N., Butler, R.A., Wilcove, D.S. 2019. Evidence types and trends in tropical forest conservation literature. Trends in Ecology and Evolution: 34: 7.

  • Burivalova, Z., Alnutt, T.F., Rademacher, D., Schlemm, A., Wilcove, D.S., Butler, R.A. 2019. What works in tropical forest conservation, and what does not: Effectiveness of four strategies in terms of environmental, social, and economic outcomes. Conservation Science and Practice: e28.

  • Runting, R.K., Ruslandi, Griscom, B.W., Struebig, M.J., Satar, M., Meijaard, E., Burivalova, Z., Cheyne, S.M., Deere, N.J., Game, E.T., Putz, F.E., Wells, J.A., Wilting, A., Ancrenaz, M., Ellis, P.W., Khan, F.A.A., Leavitt, S.M., Marshall, A.J., Possingham, H.P., Watson, J.E.M., Venter, O. 2019. Larger gains from improved management over sparing–sharing for tropical forests. Nature Sustainability 2; 53–61.

  • Salafsky, N., Boshoven, J., Burivalova, Z., Dubois, N.S., Gomez, A., Johnson, A., Lee, A., Margoulis, R., Morrison, J., Muir, M., Pratt, A.S., Pullin, A.S., Salzer, D., Stewards, A., Sutherland, W.J., Wordley, C.F.R. 2019. Defining and using evidence in conservation practice. Conservation Science and Practice, e27.

  • Griscom, B.W., Ellis, P.W., Burivalova, Z., Halperin, J., Marthinus, D., Runting, R.K., Ruslandi, Shoch, D., Putz, F.E. 2019. Reduced-impact logging in Borneo to minimize carbon emissions and impacts on sensitive habitats while maintaining timber yields. Forest Ecology and Management. Vol 438, Pages 176-185.

  • Burivalova, Z., Butler, R., Wilcove, D.S. 2018. Analyzing Google search data to debunk myths about the public’s interest in conservation. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Vol 16 Issue 9.

  • Deichmann, J.L., Acevedo-Charry, O., Barclay, L., Burivalova, Z., Campos-Cerqueira, M.,  d’Horta, F., Game, E.T., Gottesman, B.L., Hart, P.J., Kalan, A.K., Linke, S., Do Nascimento, L., Pijanowski, B., Staaterman, E., Aide. T.M., 2018. It’s time to listen: there is much to be learned from the sounds of tropical ecosystems. Biotropica Vol 50 Issue 5.

  • Burivalova, Z., Towsey, M., Boucher, T., Truskinger, A., Apelis, C., Roe, P. 2017. Using soundscapes to detect variable degrees of human influence on tropical forests in Papua New Guinea. Conservation Biology Vol 31 Issue 1.

  • Burivalova, Z., Lee, T.M., Hua, F., Lee, J.T., Wilcove, D. 2017. Understanding consumer preferences and demography in order to reduce the domestic trade in wild-caught birds. Biological Conservation: 209: 423-431.

  • Griscom, B.W.*, Goodman, R.C.*, Burivalova, Z.*, Putz, F.E. 2017. Carbon and biodiversity impacts of intensive versus extensive tropical forestry. Conservation Letters Vol 11 Issue 1 *equal contributions

  • Burivalova, Z., Hua, F., Koh, L.P., Garcia, C., and Putz, F.E. 2017. A Critical Comparison of Conventional, Certified, and Community Management of Tropical Forests in Terms of Environmental, Economic, and Social Variables. Conservation Letters, 10(1): 4-14.

  • Chaudhary, A., Burivalova, Z., Koh, L.P., and Hellweg, S. 2015. Impact of Forest Management on Species Richness: Global Meta-Analysis and Economic Trade-Offs. Nature Scientific Reports, 6.

  • Burivalova, Z., Lee, T.M., Giam, X., Sekercioglu, Ç.H., Wilcove, D.S., and Koh, L.P. 2015. Avian responses to selective logging shaped by species traits and logging practices. Proc. R. Soc. B 282: 20150164.

  • Ghazoul, J., Burivalova, Z., Garcia-Ulloa, J., and King, Lisa A. 2015. Conceptualizing Forest Degradation. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 30 (10), 622-632.

  • Burivalova, Z., Bauert, M., Hassold, S., Fatroandrianjafinonjasolomiovazo, N.T.L, and Koh, L.P. 2015. Relevance of global forest change data set to local conservation: Case study of forest degradation in Masoala National Park, Madagascar. Biotropica 47(2), 267-274.

  • Burivalova, Z., Sekercioglu, Ç., and Koh, L.P. 2014. Thresholds of logging intensity to maintain tropical forest biodiversity. Current Biology 24, 1-6.

  • Abood, S.A., Ser Huay Lee, J., Burivalova, Z., Garcia-Ulloa, J., and Koh, L.P. 2014. Relative contributions of the logging, fiber, oil palm, and mining industries to forest loss in Indonesia. Conservation Letters 8:1 58-67.