Keyword: biodiversity

The Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve in Peru has often been described as the most biodiverse rainforest in the world. For example, in recent decades, scientist have discovered several new bird species from the region. The researchers of the University of Turku in Finland have studied the insect biodiversity in Allpahuayo-Mishana for over twenty years. In their latest study, the scientist described a new wasp genus, Capitojoppa, to science.

The Persian Gold Tarantula (Chaetopelma persianum) is a newly described species recently discovered in northwestern Iran. In fact, the “woolly, golden hairs” the scientists observed and examined on a single specimen, were one of the features so unique that it was not necessary for additional individuals to be collected and physically studied. It was clear enough that it was a species previously unknown to the scientific community. 

A recent analysis of what drives different scientific and societal interest in global species suggests we are missing knowledge on more than half of the world’s biodiversity. 

The University of Oxford and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced a new global initiative during the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal on 8 December 2022. The University of Turku is one of the founding universities of the Alliance. 

Researchers at the Universities of Turku and Oulu, Finland, found out how Roundup, a herbicide containing glyphosate, affects the learning and memory of bumblebees. Already a small dose affected their ability to learn and memorise connections between colours and taste. The weakened fine colour vision can severely impair bumblebees’ foraging and nesting success.

The University of Turku, together with the Universities of Eastern Finland, Oulu, Helsinki and Jyväskylä and Åbo Akademi University are collaborating in biodiversity education, and the course catalogue for this academic year has been published. Through the Biodiversity education network, students at the University of Turku have a possibility to take biodiversity-related courses from other universities.

Researchers from the University of Turku have described seven new fern species from the rainforests of tropical America. Many of the species were uncovered as the by-product of ecological research: the species diversity in tropical forests is still so poorly known that field trips and herbarium work keep discovering previously unknown species.

The Nature2100 fund (Luonto2100-rahasto) uses donated funds to acquire forest areas that will enhance positive development in biodiversity and the recreational use of forests. A particular aim is to expand and diversify existing conservation and hiking areas in southern Finland.

Finland's two-year term as the Chair of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) working group of the Arctic Council starts in May 2021. Docent in Environmental Ecology, PhD Mia Rönkä from the Biodiversity Unit at the University of Turku and Natural Resources Institute Finland will start as the Chair.

Doctoral Candidate Tapani Hopkins collected over 100,000 parasitoid wasps from the tropical forest of Uganda during his doctoral dissertation. Current results suggest that there is a diverse parasitoid wasp fauna still awaiting discovery in tropical Africa. His dissertation defence on rhyssine wasp species, their ecology, and how their diversity compares to Amazonia will be held online. Questions are welcome after the event.