PhD Student Norbertas Noreika

norbertas.noreika(at)helsinki.fi

I am an ecologist with a particular interest in ground beetles (Carabidae). I find this group fascinating not only because of a wide diversity of species or their value as model organisms, but what is more, I am very interested in their assemblages, which are of particular importance in indicating various processes taking place in ecological communities. I am also interested in habitats in their most natural state in urban, sub-urban and non-urban areas and this made me interested in joining the Urban Ecology Research Group at the University of Helsinki. My research I finished my BSc degree at Vilnius University, Lithuania. There I investigated carabid beetle assemblage differences in deciduous forest communities of different age and management levels. I also attempted in using a new kind of attractant to collect ground beetles.

In 2009 I started my MSc studies in Biology at Aarhus University, Denmark, and did some experimental work on Agonum dorsale as a model organism of generalist carnivores and its food choice habits to unbalanced artificial diets.

In the summer of 2010 I started to study the effects on ground beetle assemblages in urban forests in Helsinki in relation to differentially contrasting forest edges (low vs. medium vs. high contrasting edges). I also assisted in research on meadow-like landfill hills in Helsinki, investigating patterns in carabid assemblages on north vs. south facing slopes.

I successfully completed my MSc studies at Aarhus University in June of 2011, and have been enrolled as a PhD student in the Urban Ecology Research Group, University of Helsinki since September 2011.

Other scientific areas I’m interested in include biodiversity, conservation biology, rare species, metapopulation ecology, evolutionary biology and biogeography.

Leisure

Most of my free time I spend reading scientific literature and I am fond of good fiction. My beloved wife Kristina and I enjoy spending time on, sometimes, extreme nature exploration trips. I also like history, and Classic rock is the best music ever made.