Istituto Oikos: 
a quarter century of scientific impact

Understanding how animals interact with their environment is the first step toward protecting them. For this reason, one of Oikos' longest-standing research areas focuses on the ecology and behaviour of wildlife, investigating how species respond to habitat characteristics, climate, food availability and interactions with other organisms.

Over the years our researchers have studied mammals, birds, amphibians and bats in Europe, Asia and Africa, exploring topics such as habitat selection, movement ecology, reproductive biology and population dynamics. These long-term studies have provided valuable ecological knowledge on species ranging from red squirrels and Alpine rock ptarmigan to elephants, brown bears, wild boar and bats.

Beyond expanding scientific understanding, this research supports practical conservation by providing evidence that helps guide wildlife management, protected area planning and biodiversity conservation.

Effective conservation relies on robust scientific evidence. Oikos develops and tests innovative approaches for monitoring biodiversity and assessing the conservation status of species and ecosystems.

Our work has contributed to improving wildlife survey techniques, including camera trapping, occupancy modelling and distance sampling, while supporting conservation planning for threatened species and ecosystems across Europe and Asia.

Research has also addressed invasive alien species, wildlife health, human impacts on biodiversity and the role of protected areas in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

By combining field monitoring with quantitative analyses, these studies provide the information needed to make conservation decisions more effective and evidence-based.

Protecting biodiversity begins with knowing it. Part of our research contributes to discovering, describing and classifying life, providing the taxonomic foundations on which conservation depends.

This work includes the revision of insect groups, the description of previously unknown species and life stages, phylogenetic studies and, more recently, the discovery of a new endemic tree species from Zanzibar. Although representing a smaller component of our research portfolio, these studies are essential for improving our understanding of Earth's biodiversity and identifying conservation priorities.

Nature conservation cannot be separated from people's well-being. Reflecting Oikos' mission, this research area explores the complex relationships between ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

Our researchers investigate topics including sustainable agriculture, ecosystem restoration, renewable energy, nutrition, flood risk management and participatory approaches to natural resource management. By integrating ecological, technological and socio-economic perspectives, these studies help develop practical solutions that strengthen both biodiversity conservation and local livelihoods.

Across Africa, the Mediterranean region and beyond, this work demonstrates how science can support sustainable development while addressing global environmental challenges.