Research topics
Food security, hydrology, agro-ecosystem modelling, modelling of SDG indicators, irrigation water requirements under climate change, consequences of climate change on agriculture, virtual water and water footprints, resilience of the global food trade system, global land-use change and its water-related effects.
Current projects:
- Water-Food-Energy Nexus: we are trying to move this concept towards quantitative, large-scale analyses and methodologies that help decision-makers to assess synergies and trade-offs when evaluating decisions. See our recent publication for more details “Toward an Understanding of Synergies and Trade-Offs Between Water, Energy, and Food SDG Targets”
- Climate and environmental change in the Mediterranean area: this is part of the MedECC initiative aiming at compiling an assessment report. This report was published online in November 2020. In this context, we coordinated the chapter on climate change consequences for water resources and potential adaptation options. See also our publication “Climate change and interconnected risks to sustainable development in the Mediterranean”.
- Modelling of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators with land use, DGVMs, hydrology and land surface models. This is an agenda within the scope of phase VII of IHP-UNESCO, in collaboration with 32 scientists from different countries, and in cooperation with the Sustainable Water Future Programme. Currently, we are working on a publication showing how global modelling can help to reach the SDGs.
- How to combine grey infrastructure and protection of natural ecosystems?: We are part of an international group trying to explore how Sub-Saharan Africa can avoid the mistakes of developed countries by combining nature conservation and management of ecosystem services and still reach the Sustainable Development Goals in terms of water supply, water-ecosystem conservation and access to water for human use. This project is funded by SESYNC.
- Irrigation water requirements under climate change in the Mediterranean and MENA areas and the possibility of supplying the energy needed by irrigation systems with photovoltaic panels. This is an assessment in cooperation with the FAO Regional Office for Near East and North Africa and the Laboratory of Excellence OT-Med. Currently, we are working on quantifying the area of solar panels needed to provide future irrigation in the Mediterranean area. For more details, see also our publication “Mediterranean irrigation under climate change: More efficient irrigation needed to compensate for increases in irrigation water requirements”
Past projects:
- Resilience of the global food trade systems, potential disruptive shocks in the system and the relation to biophysical capacities of countries (yield gap closure, water and land availability and the intensity of their use). This was part of a project funded by SESYNC. See our publications for more details: “Past and present biophysical redundancy of countries as a buffer to changes in food supply”, “Resilience in the global food system”, “Reserves and trade jointly determine exposure to food supply shocks”
- Global land-use change, land use transitions, agricultural systems, agricultural practices and their relation to climate change, the carbon cycle and food security. These topics were assessed in my PhD work and part of several studies within the scope of an EU-financed project (LUC4C). See our publications for more details “Reconciling global-model estimates and country reporting of anthropogenic forest CO2 sinks”, “Bringing it all together: linking measures to secure nations’ food supply”, “Historical carbon dioxide emissions caused by land-use changes are possibly larger than assumed”, “Green and blue water demand from large-scale land acquisitions in Africa”
- Consequences of climate change on the agriculture of the MENA region. This is a recent consultancy project funded by the World Bank and published as the report «Turn Down the Heat» and the paper “Climate change impacts in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region and their implications for vulnerable population groups”.
- Spatial decoupling of production and consumption areas, virtual water and water footprints. These topics were assessed in my PhD work (see main article here and power point presentation of the project here).
Publications
Cramer W., Guiot J., Marini K., Azzopardi B., Balzan M.V., Cherif S., Doblas-Miranda E., dos Santos M., Drobinski P., Fader M., El Rahman Hassoun A., Giupponi C., Koubi V., Lange M., Lionello L., Llasat M.C., Moncada S., Mrabet R., Shlomit S., Savé R., Snoussi M., Toreti A., Vafeidis A.T., Xoplaki E. (2020): Climate and Environmental Change in the Mediterranean Basin – Current Situation and Risks for the Future. Summary for Policy-makers. First Mediterranean Assessment Report (MAR1). Union for the Mediterranean, Plan Bleu, UNEP/MAP, Marseille, France, 34pp, in press. Download
Fader M., Giupponi C., Burak S., Dakhlaoui H., Koutroulis A., Lange M.A., Llasat M.C., Pulido-Velazquez D., Sanz-Cobeña A. (2020): Water. In: Climate and Environmental Change in the Mediterranean Basin – Current Situation and Risks for the Future.First Mediterranean Assessment Report [Cramer W, Guiot J, Marini K (eds.)] Union for the Mediterranean, Plan Bleu, UNEP/MAP, Marseille, France, 57pp, in press. Download
Flach R., Fader M., Folberth C., Skalský R., Jantke K. (2020): The effects of cropping intensity and cropland expansion of Brazilian soybean production on green water flows. Environmental Research Communications 2 (7): e071001. DOI:10.1088/2515-7620/ab9d04. Download
Albert C.H., Hervé M., Fader M., Bondeau A., Leriche A., Monnet A.C., Cramer W. (2020) What ecologists should know before using land-use/cover change projections for biodiversity and ecosystem service assessments, Regional Environmental Change 20, 106 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-020-01675-w. Download
Cramer W., Guiot J., Fader M., Garrabou J., Gattuso J.-P., Iglesias A., Lange M.A., Lionello P., Llasat M.C., Paz S., Peñuelas J., Snoussi M., Toreti A., Tsimplis M.N., Xoplaki E. (2018) Climate change and interconnected risks to sustainable development in the Mediterranean. Nature Climate Change 8:972-980, doi: 10.1038/s41558-018-0299-2. Download at nature.com
Grassi, G., House, J., Kurz, W. A., Cescatti, A., Houghton, R. A., Peters, G. P., Sanz, M. J., Viñas, R. A., Alkama, R., Arneth, A., Bondeau, A., Frank Dentener, F., Fader, M., Federici, S., Friedlingstein, P., Jain, A. K., Kato, E., Koven, C. D., Lee, D., Nabel, J. E. M. S., Nassikas, A. A., Perugini, L., Rossi, S., Sitch, S., Viovy, N., Wiltshire, A. & Zaehle, S. (2018): Reconciling global-model estimates and country reporting of anthropogenic forest CO2 sinks, Nature Climate Changevolume 8, pages 914–920. Download at nature.com
Fader M., Cranmer C., Lawford R., Engel-Cox J. (2018). Toward an Understanding of Synergies and Trade-Offs Between Water, Energy, and Food SDG Targets. Front. Environ. Sci., 12 November 2018 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00112. Download Download at frontiersin.org
Contreras, D.A., Bondeau, A., Guiot, J., Kirman, A., Hiriart, W., Bernard, L., Suarez, R., Fader, M. (2018): From paleoclimate variables to prehistoric agriculture: Using a process-based agro-ecosystem model to simulate the impacts of Holocene climate change on potential agricultural productivity in Provence, France. Quaternary International, in press. Available online Download at sciencedirect.com
Kummu, M., Fader, M., Gerten, D., Guillaume, JHA, Jalava, M., Jägermeyr, J., Pfister, S., Porkka, M., Siebert, S., Varis, O. (2017): Bringing it all together: linking measures to secure nations’ food supply. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 29: 98-117. Download
Waha, K., Krummenauer, L., Adams, S., Aich, V., Baarsch, F., Coumou, D., Fader, M., Hoff, H., Jobbins, G., Marcus, R., Mengel, M., Otto, I.M., Perrette, M., Rocha, M., Robinson, A., Schleussner, C.-F. (2017): Climate change impacts in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region and their implications for vulnerable population groups. Regional Environmental Change (published online) doi:10.1007/s10113-017-1144-2
Arneth, A.; Sitch, S.; Pongratz, J.; Stocker, B.D.; Ciais, P.; Poulter, B.; Bayer, A. D.; Bondeau, A.; Calle, L.; Chini, L. P.; Gasser, T.; Fader, M.; Friedlingstein, P.; Kato, E.; Li, W.; Lindeskog, M.; Nabel, J.E.M.S.; Pugh, T. A. M.; Robertson, E.; Viovy, N.; Yue, C. & S. Zaehle (2017): Historical carbon dioxide emissions caused by land-use changes are possibly larger than assumed. Nature Geoscience, doi:10.1038/ngeo2882, Download at Nature Geoscience
Seekell, D.; Carr, J.; Dell’Angelo, J.; D’Odorico, P.; Fader, M.; Gephart, J.; Kummu, K.; Magliocca, N. (2017): Resilience in the global food system, Environmental Research Letters 12(2017) 025010, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aa5730, Download
J.-M. Barbier, C. Baury, P. Bertuzzi, A. Bondeau, V. Couderc, F. Courbet, T. Curt, L. Dalstein-Richier, H. Davi, S. Delmotte, L. Dobremez, J.-L. Dupuy, M. Fader, A.-M. Farnet Da Silva et al. (2016): Les effets du changement climatique sur l’agriculture et la forêt en Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Les cahiers du GREC-PACA, Association pour l’innovation et la recherche au service du climat (AIR), décembre 2016, 40 pages, ISBN : 978-2-9560060-2-2. Download
Johansson, E.; Fader, M., Seaquist, J.W.; Nicholas, K.A. (2016): Green and blue water demand from large-scale land acquisitions in Africa. PNAS, doi : 10.1073/pnas.1524741113. Download
Marchand, P.; Carr, J.; Dell’Angelo, J.; Fader, M. et al. (2016): Reserves and trade jointly determine exposure to food supply shocks. Environ. Res. Lett., Volume 11, Number 9, doi:10.1088/1748-9326/11/9/095009, Download
Fader, M.; Rulli, MC.; Carr, J.; Dell’Angelo, J.; D’Odorico, P.; Gephart, J.; Kummu, M.; Magliocca, N. et al. (2016): Past and present biophysical redundancy of countries as a buffer to changes in food supply. Environ. Res.Lett.11 (2016)055008. Download
Fader, M., Shi, S., von Bloh, W., Bondeau, A., Cramer, W. (2016): Mediterranean irrigation under climate change: More efficient irrigation needed to compensate for increases in irrigation water requirements. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 953-973 Download
Le Quéré, C., Moriarty, R., Andrew, R. M., Canadell, J. G., Sitch, S., Korsbakken, J. I., Friedlingstein, P., Peters, G. P., Andres, R. J., Boden, T. A., Houghton, R. A., House, J. I., Keeling, R. F., Tans, P., Arneth, A., Bakker, D. C. E., Barbero, L., Bopp, L., Chang, J., Chevallier, F., Chini, L. P., Ciais, P., Fader, M., Feely, R. A., et al. (2015): Global Carbon Budget 2015, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 7, 349-396, doi:10.5194/essd-7-349-2015. Download
Fader, M., von Bloh, W., Shi, S., Bondeau, A., Cramer, W. (2015): Modelling Mediterranean agro-ecosystems by including agricultural trees in the LPJmL model. Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3545-3561, 2015 Download
Djamali, M., Jones, M. D., Migliore, J., Balatti, S., Fader, M., et al. (2015): Olive cultivation in the heart of the Persian Achaemenid Empire: new insights to agricultural practices and environmental changes reflected in a late Holocene pollen record from Lake Parishan, SW Iran. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. DOI 10.1007/s00334-015-0545-8. Download
Schellnhuber, H.J., […], Fader, M., et al. (2014): Turn Down The Heat III – LAC, MENA, and ECA: Confronting the New Climate Normal. World Bank Development Report 2014. Download
Hoff, H., Döll, P., Fader, M., Gerten, D., Hauser, S., Siebert, S. (2014): Water footprints of cities ? indicators for sustainable consumption and production. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 213-226. Download
Fader, M., Gerten, D., Krause, M., Lucht, W., Cramer, W. (2013): Spatial decoupling of agricultural production and consumption: quantifying dependence of countries on food imports due to domestic land and water constraints. Env Res Lett 8 014046, doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/014046. One of the 25 « Highlights of 2013 of ERL » Download
Fader, M., Böhner, J., Gerold, G. (2012): Precipitation variability and landscape degradation in Río Negro (Argentina). GEOÖKO XXXIII: 05-33. Download abstract
Dietrich, J.P., Schmitz, C., Müller, C., Fader, M., Lotze-Campen, H., Popp, A. (2012): Measuring agricultural land-use intensity – A global analysis using a model-assisted approach, Ecological Modelling, Volume 232, 10 May 2012, Pages 109-118, ISSN 0304-3800, 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2012.03.002.
Gerten, D., Heinke, J., Hoff, H., Biemans, H., Fader, M., Waha, K. (2011): Global water availability and requirements for future food production. Journal of Hydrometeorology 12: 885-899. Download
Fader, M., Gerten, D., Thammer, M., Heinke, J., Lotze-Campen, H., Lucht, W., and Cramer, W. (2011): Internal and external green-blue agricultural water footprints of nations, and related water and land savings through trade, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 1641-1660. Download
Kummu, M., Fader, M., Gerten, D., Guillaume, JHA, Jalava, M., Jägermeyr, J., Pfister, S., Porkka, M., Siebert, S., Varis, O. (2017): Bringing it all together: linking measures to secure nations’ food supply. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 29: 98-117. Download
Fader, M., Rost, S., Müller, C., Bondeau, A., Gerten, D. (2010): Virtual water content of temperate cereals and maize: Present and potential future patterns. Journal of Hydrology 384 (3-4): 218-231.
Müller, C., Bondeau, A., Popp, A., Waha, K., Fader, M. (2009): Climate Change Impacts on Agricultural Yields. Background note for the WDR 2010. Download
Meyer-Arnek, J., Valks, P., Fader, M., Erbertseder, T. (2006): Estimation of NO2 amounts emitted from the Portuguese wildfires in 2005: A synergistic use of observations by imaging and atmospheric instruments and chemistry-transport models. Proceedings of the Atmospheric Science Conference held 8-12 May, 2006 at ESRIN, Frascati Italy. Download
Teaching and mentoring
Since 2010: Supervision and mentoring of Master student theses in various universities (Aix-en-Provence, Potsdam, München, Torino, Paris)
2018: Class on “The educational activities of the UNESCO water centre and research on virtual water trade” (University Bonn)
2018: Class on “Water footprints and international water dependency” (Tech. Univ. Munich)
2017: Class on “Biophysical constraints for water and food security” (University Kassel, Witzenhausen site)
2017: Summer School group coordination and teaching “Provocative hypothesis on climate change and water resources” (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (German Academic Scholarship Foundation)
2010-2011: Semester Seminar “Physical Geography of South America” (Univ. Potsdam)
2010-2011: Semester Seminar “Global Water resources” (Univ. Potsdam)
2005-2006: Semester exercise class “Introduction to SPSS” (Univ. Göttingen)
2004-2005: Semester exercise class “Introduction to Geography” (Univ. Göttingen)
Short CV
Professional Experience
06/2016 – : Deputy director of the International Centre for Water Resources and Global Change, Koblenz. Topics: Global change impacts for surface hydrology and agriculture.
06/2015 – 05/2016: CNRS scientist at Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix-en-Provence, France. Agro-ecosystem and hydrology modelling.
07/2013 – 06/2015: OT-Med post-doctoral scientist at Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix-en-Provence, France. Agro-ecosystem and hydrology modelling.
2013 – 2014: Consultant, World Bank Group. Analysis of climate-change impacts on agricultural yields in the Middle East and North African region.
07/2011 – 02/2013: Scientist at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam, Germany. Agro-ecosystem and hydrology modelling.
2008 – 2009: Consultant, World Bank Group. Analysis of climate-change impacts on agricultural yields at the global scale.
10/2007 – 07/2011: PhD researcher at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam, Germany. Agro-ecosystem and hydrology modelling.
6 – 8/2007: Scientific assistant at University of Göttingen, Centre for Tropics and Subtropics.
3 – 4/2006: Practical training at German Aerospace Center (Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany). Remote sensing of NOx.
5 – 6/2006: Practical training at Max Planck Institute of Meteorology (Hamburg, Germany). Validation of remote-sensed oceanic and climatic variables.
7/2003 – 01/2006: Student assistant at University of Göttingen (Germany), Institute of Geography, Examination Office of the Agricultural Faculty, Institute for Rural Development, Institute of Agricultural Economy.
Education
Oct 2007 – Dec 2011: PhD candidate at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and International Max Planck Research School on Earth System Modelling. Topic: «Flows of virtual land and water through global trade of agricultural products»
Aug 2006 – Jan 2007: Master thesis: Precipitation variability and landscape degradation in Río Negro (Argentina).
Juli 2005: Scholarship of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes for academic excellence.
2002 – 2007: Master studies at the University of Göttingen.
Main subject: Geography, Secondary subjects: Economics of Natural Resources, Politics, Bioclimatology.
2001: Geography studies at the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (Argentina)
Awards
12 Awards and Scholarships for academic performance in research, at school or university.
Other responsabilities
Since 2018: Member of the working group “Institutional Strategy Development” of the German Federal Institute of Hydrology
Since 2016: Member of the Steering Committee of the MedECC Initiative
Since 2017: Co-chair of the Core Group “Sustainable Development Goals Assessment” in the Sustainable Water Future Programme
Since 2016: Co-Chair of the Water Working Group at the MedECC Initiative
2017-2019: Member of the Steering Committee of the Sustainable Water Future Programme
2016-2018: Member of the working group “Research Development” of the German Federal Institute of Hydrology
2014-2016: Member of Editorial Board of Regional Environmental Change (Springer Publishing House)
Since 2008: Reviews for international journals: Nature Climate Change; Nature Sustainability; Global Change Biology; PlosOne; Environmental Research Letters; Hydrology and Earth System Sciences; Water Resources Research; Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability; Agricultural Systems; Global Food Security; Regional Environmental Change; Environment, Development and Sustainability; Ecological Indicators; Environmental Science & Technology; Water
