Joana Cruz is an interdisciplinary ecologist, specialized in applied wildlife conservation and management and ecosystem functions and ecosystem services.

Joana's current research interests cover evidence review to establish causal links between the state of natural capital assets and the provision of ecosystem services and the identification of metrics to measure their change. She has previously worked on the conservation and habitat restoration for the predator community and their prey on the Mediterranean region; impact of intensive forestry on vertebrates, with special focus on amphibians, bats and carnivores.