Fabian is a geospatial analyst and ecologist who studies large-scale change in ecosystems with modern imaging and mapping techniques.
He uses remote sensing methods like thermal, multispectral imagery and LiDAR to map changes across landscapes. Fabian has a particular interest in the impacts of climate change on shifts in the boundaries of ecosystems.
Fabian has a PhD from Auckland University of Technology. For his thesis, he studied abrupt tree-line patterns in the Southern Alps using a combination of drone imagery, plant physiology and agent-based modelling. Before coming to New Zealand, Fabian was part of the EnvEuro masters programme. He majored in climate change and water resources, and studied the effects of coastal erosion on shoreline ecosystems in Sarawak, Malaysia for his thesis.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time but the effects are often gradual and hence difficult to communicate. Recent developments in remote sensing technologies enable us to visualise the effects in unprecedented detail and provide information to formulate better decisions.
Selected publications
Döweler, F. (2021). Causes of recruitment limitation at abrupt alpine treelines (PhD thesis). Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.