Our research is primarily focused on marine biology, ecology, behavioural and evolutionary ecology and environmental topics. Within behavioural and evolutionary ecology we are primarily interested in reproductive behaviour and the evolution of signals and cryptic coloration.

During the last decades the environmental problems caused by human activities in the Baltic Sea have escalated. Signs of radically changing marine ecosystems are becoming more and more obvious, even to the public, trough e.g. cyanobacterial blooms. The research on the department of Environmental and Marine Biology is mainly focused on coastal waters and environmental problems in the Baltic Sea, where many projects are carried out on the Åland Islands and in the Arcipelago Sea. Major reserach themes are among other things eutrophication, biodiversity, biogeography of plants and birds in archipelagos, algae and shallow bays.

Research personnel

Katri Aarnio, Amanuens
Research profile and publications

• meiofauna ecology, biotic interactions in shallow archipelago areas
• food webs: meiofauna -> higher trophic levels, eutrophication

Christoffer Boström, Associate Professor
Research profile and publications

• benthic ecology, in particular structure and function of seagrass ecosystems
• factors that regulate growth and dynamics of submerged aquatic vegetation

Tony Cederberg, amanuens, Husö Biological Station

Kai Lindström, professor of Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Research profile and publications

• the interaction between life history and sexual selection using fish as model organisms

Marie Nordström, Senior Research Associate in Marine Biology, Docent in marine food web ecology
Research profile and publications

• marine food webs and benthic communities: trophic interactions, particularly relating to the coupling between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. See also personal website.

Mikael von Numers, Univesity Lecturer
Research profile and publications

• Long term changes in the flora and bird fauna of the Archipelago Sea and causes to these.
• Modeling of distribution patterns of birds and vascular plants.

Christian Pansch-Hattich, Professor in Marine Ecology, Head of Subject
Research profile and publications

• the impacts of environmental variability and extreme climatic events on benthic marine communities

Sonja Salovius-Lauren, Senior Research Associate
Research profile and publications

• nature types and species diversity in the marine underwater nature

Martin Snickars, Senior University Lecturer, Head of Husö Biological Station
Research profile and publications

• Ecology and function of shallow coastal waters, interaction among juvenile fish and between fish, zoobenthos and abiotic factors,
• eutrophication and climate effects on predator-prey interactions,
• Marine Spatial Planning, including habitat mapping and distribution of sea uses

Anna Törnroos-Remes, Associate professor (tenure track) within the profile project The Sea
Research profile and publications

• the functioning of coastal areas and particularly the seafloor

Markus Öst, Senior University Lecturer in Environmental Biology
Research profile and publications

• environmental stress pressure on eider (we use a long-studied (> 25 yrs) population from Tvärminne, SW Finland), please see Coping with stressful environments

Researchers

Giannina Hattich, PhD, Research Technician
Heidi Herlevi, Project Researcher
Roxana Preston, Project Researcher
Riikka Puntila-Dodd, Postdoctoral Researcher
Irma Puttonen, Project Researcher
Tiina Salo, Project Researcher
Conny Sjöqvist, Post-doctoral Researcher, Research Associate within The Sea
Henri Sumelius, PhD

Maïté Jacquot, PhD
Bertille Mohring, PhD
Anu Vehmaa

Doctoral Students

Phoebe Armitage
Jean-Francois Blanc
Floriaan Eveleens Maarse
Viktor Finnäs
Ida Hermansson
Mikael Himberg
Anna Ikonen
Marie Järnström, Doctoral Network Functional Marine Biodiversity
Lucinda Kraufvelin, Doctoral Network Functional Marine Biodiversity
Jolanda Linsén
Linus Lähteenmäki
Henna Raitanen
Sarah Rühmkorff
Johanna Yliportimo