Keyword: biodiversity of nature

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The largest biodiversity time-series database on the planet gives unprecedented insight in to global change

18.06.2025

The largest biodiversity time-series database on the planet – created by the University of St Andrews - has had a major new release. The BioTIME database offers unprecedented insight into how biodiversity is changing through time across the globe, spanning nearly 150 years of ecological records from 1874–2023.

Extreme polar light environment of the North and South Poles sustains biodiversity

23.09.2024

Researchers working in Finland propose that the unique light environment of the Earth’s Polar regions creates conditions that result in circumpolar hybrid zones around the North and the South Poles. These extreme conditions increase the synchrony of reproductive phenology among species, i.e., force all species into a smaller window for reproduction. This will sustain biodiversity in the long term.

University of Turku calculated its biodiversity footprint – establishing a baseline important in development work

06.09.2024

Calculating the biodiversity footprint provides a new way of looking at the impact of an organisation's activities on biodiversity, both locally and globally. The calculation combines the biodiversity and carbon footprints and highlights which of the University's activities leave the largest footprint. 

Tarantulas have surprising partnerships with other species and their hairiness may be a defence mechanism

22.08.2024

A recently published article studies the mutually beneficial ecological relationships and evolutionary adaptations of tarantulas. The study reveals that the infamous spiders are actually often on friendly terms with amphibians, reptiles, and even army ants, which are known to feed on spiders. The researchers suggest that the dense hair covering tarantulas may have in fact evolved as a defence mechanism against these predatory ants. 

University of Turku leads new doctoral training project focused on green and digital transition with €7.4 million in EU funding

19.10.2023

The University of Turku has received €3.3 million in EU funding for a doctoral training project that responds to the current need for experts by training 25 doctoral researchers from fields related to green and digital transition.

New insect genus discovered in one of the most biodiverse rain forest regions in the world

26.09.2023

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.