A5007139101- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Remote Sensing in Agriculture
- Entomological Studies and Ecology
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
University of Tartu
2016-2024
University of Eastern Finland
2021-2023
Finland University
2021-2023
Interactions between plants and herbivores are central in most ecosystems, but their strength is highly variable. The amount of variability within a system thought to influence aspects plant-herbivore biology, from ecological stability plant defense evolution. Our understanding what influences variability, however, limited by sparse data. We collected standardized surveys herbivory for 503 species at 790 sites across 116° latitude. With these data, we show that within-population increases...
Our study aims to investigate the relationships of major lineages within moth family Geometridae, with a focus on poorly studied Oenochrominae-Desmobathrinae complex, and translate some results into coherent subfamilial tribal level classification for family. We analyzed molecular dataset 1,206 Geometroidea terminal taxa from all biogeographical regions comprising up 11 markers that includes one mitochondrial (COI) 10 protein-coding nuclear gene (wingless, ArgK, MDH, RpS5, GAPDH, IDH,...
Abstract Both physiologically and ecologically based explanations have been proposed to account for among‐species differences in lifespan, but they remain poorly tested. Phylogenetically explicit comparative analyses are still scarce those that exist biased towards homoeothermic vertebrates. Insect studies can significantly contribute as lifespan feasibly be measured a high number of species, the selective forces shaped it may differ largely between species from acting on larger animals. We...
The effects of biotic and abiotic factors on insect life histories have been extensively studied. However, the impact some crucial aspects, such as larval density (crowding) environmental interactions, often overlooked. This study aims to determine temperature life-history traits in black soldier fly (BSF). Our results showed an increase prepupal mass, pupal prepupal-to-pupal mass loss, survival, fat content, adult longevity a reduction development time at low densities. Larval was...
Abstract Pathogen infection and conspecific density may considerably affect key life‐history traits of organisms. For naturally aggregating species, even low concentrations pathogens or high larval densities have detrimental effects. However, the detailed influence these factors, particularly their interaction effect, is often overlooked in ecological studies. To investigate effects pathogen on traits, we explored (1 5 larvae cm −2 , i.e., density, respectively) phenoloxidase (PO) activity,...
Organisms are expected to invest more in their immune function when the risk of disease infection is high. However, induction a robust response costly and may not be achievable suboptimal environments. High conspecific density could simultaneously imply high environment for many insect species. We focus on economically important dipteran species (black soldier fly, BSF) that represents order has been ignored previous research effects immunity. The experimental part study was carried out...
Ruspolia differens (Serville) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), also known as the 'edible grasshopper', 'African edible bush-cricket', and 'nsenene', is regarded one of most promising insect species that can be used for food, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, there insufficient information on suitable diets their effects survival, adult weight, fecundity, developmental time this species, which are preconditions large-scale production. In study, we experimentally evaluated 12 (wheat...
Specificity (= the degree of ecological specialisation) is one fundamental concepts science ecology. Ambiguities on how to define and measure specificity have however complicated respective research efforts. Here we propose that, in insects, a behavioural trait – adult oviposition latency captivity without favourable host plant correlates with species’ larval use. In absence suitable host, monophagous insects are expected wait for long time before commencing oviposition, waiting...
Abstract Dry body mass (DBM) is perhaps the most biologically informative variable describing size in invertebrates. Unfortunately, obtaining species-specific indices of DBM problematic because inevitably changes during course life an individual. Here, we present a phylogenetically informed analysis allometric relationships between and various linear measurements moth family Geometridae, which relies on recorded at fixed time point adult life. We demonstrate that all wing predict with...
Abstract Specificity is one of the fundamental concepts in ecology. Host specificity phytophagous insects has been particular interest because its crucial role diversification and life-history evolution. However, majority tropical remain insufficiently explored with respect to their host-plant relations. A lack respective data also hindering debate over whether higher levels prevail compared temperate ones. We investigated forest geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) equatorial Africa...
Abstract Restoration has now emerged as a global priority, with international initiatives such the “UN Decade on Ecosystem (2021–2030)”. To fulfill large‐scale restoration ambitions, an essential step is monitoring of vegetation recovery after interventions. This study aimed to evaluate utility remotely sensed indices, using normalized difference index (NDVI) and enhanced (EVI), monitor progress forest regeneration across tropical project area in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Using...
Understanding of how biodiversity can recover after anthropogenic disturbances, such as selective logging, is important for planning conservation strategies tropical forests and more sustainable timber harvest regimes. However, the knowledge insect community compositions in regenerating logged still limited, especially Afrotropics. Here, we evaluated recovery patterns fruit-feeding butterfly communities four different-aged secondary forest compartments one primary compartment Budongo Central...
Abstract Restoration of forests is now considered an essential tool to combat climate change and the global biodiversity decline. However, our understanding how animal communities recover after restoration interventions in tropical limited. Here, we aim reveal recovery patterns fruit‐feeding butterfly across a large‐scale rainforest area Kibale National Park, Uganda. Our study represents chronosequence resampling actively restored Afrotropical forest planted between 1995 2011 primary...
As insect farming is becoming more popular in Europe and the US, use of food industry by-products insects’ feed drawing attention. However, it still unclear how to maximise feeds while meeting nutritional requirements maintaining profitable rearing yields with current production technology. In this study, we conducted an experiment Finnish small-scale cricket laboratory conditions determine whether five diet treatments, including by-product diets barley mash turnip rape, modify overall fresh...
1. Comparative studies on insect life histories are facilitated by the increasing availability of reliable phylogenies but hampered scarcity comparable data. Fortunately, morphological proxies some life‐history traits can be measured preserved specimens. 2. This study compared values size‐related among a tropical (Ugandan) and temperate (Estonian) assemblage geometrid moths. 3. A comparative analysis based an originally derived phylogeny revealed that moths were, average, larger than ones....
Abstract Agricultural by-products can serve as an excellent food source for edible insects, but their high-fibre properties present challenges. One solution to this is fermentation, which enhance nutritional value by breaking down the fibre. However, little research has been conducted on how method interacts with other environmental factors in insect rearing. To address gap, our study aimed investigate impact of substrate fermentation and larval density black soldier fly (BSF) larvae. We...
Abstract The degree to which individuals within populations vary in whether, how far and what direction they disperse is central order understand many foundational questions ecological entomology, including factors determining population invasion dynamics, species' ability respond climate change or when designing conservation strategies for threatened species. This study combined stable hydrogen isotope analysis of nymphal adult wing chitin with genetic the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I...
Restoration has now emerged as a global priority, with international initiatives such the “UN Decade on Ecosystem (2021-2030)”. To fulfil large-scale restoration ambitions, an essential step is monitoring of vegetation recovery after interventions. The aim this study was to evaluate utility remotely-sensed indices, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced (EVI), monitor rate forest regeneration across tropical project area in Kibale National Park, Uganda. As result, we...