Research professor
© Kai Widell
Contact information
email: firstname.surname@syke.fi
phone: +358 295 251 742
Finnish Environment Institute (Syke)
Nature solutions
Marine ecology
Latokartanonkaari 11
FI-00790 Helsinki
Skype: yha.syke.viitasalo.markku
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CV (pdf)
Current tasks
I work as a Research professor in the Marine Ecology group of the Nature Solutions unit. My research focuses specifically on the protection of marine biodiversity and the sustainable use of the sea. I lead national and international research projects and act as the coordinator for VELMU (Finnish Inventory Programme for Underwater Marine Diversity) and as SYKE’s principal investigator for the 8-year BIODIVERSEA LIFE IP EU project. BIODIVERSEA, coordinated by Metsähallitus, is Finland's largest research project aimed at protecting marine biodiversity.
Background
I am a marine biologist by education, and have acted as a professor in Marine Biology in University of Helsinki, and as Head of Biology Department in the Finnish Institute of Marine Research. My early work has focused on functioning of the marine ecosystem, and in the effects of climate change and eutrophication on plankton, benthos, and fish. After starting to work in the VELMU Programme, I have shifted to studying biodiversity of benthic ecosystems, and developing conservation and sustainable use of the marine ecosystem.
Current topics
- Effects of environmental factors on marine biodiversity
- Effects of climate change on the marine ecosystem
- Usage of marine inventory data in Marine Spatial Planning
- Improving the ecological effectiveness of marine conservation
- Biodiversity and marine spatial planning in Zanzibar
Research projects
Other tasks
National and international expert tasks, e.g., in the Convention on Biological Diversity, IPCC, and Helsinki Commission. National duties related to implementing the European Union’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Frequent presentations in national and international symposia and seminars, to both professional and non-professional audiences.
Publications
I have been an author in ca 90 refereed publications and reports. I have participated in writing 6 textbooks dealing with the marine ecosystem. The latest work is a 500-page book ”Treasures of the Sea”, which is based on the 12 years of inventories of the VELMU Programme.
Publications (pdf, 12.10.2023)
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