Post Doc Ferenc Vilisics

Joining the group in January 2011 ferenc.vilisics(at)helsinki.fi

Background | My Research | Selected publications

In 2003, after graduation, I was hired to a biologist position in the Department of Ecology at Szent István University (Budapest, Hungary). Since 2006 I worked there as a junior research fellow. I completed my PhD at Debrecen University in January of 2010.

My research (My publications)

Prior to my PhD, I studied the ecology of woodlice (Crustacea, Isopoda) assemblages and I’ve also contributed to a better understanding of the isopod fauna of e.g., Hungary, Slovenia as well as Finland.

I’m particularly interested in biodiversity of the urban soil fauna. In my PhD thesis I showed how urbanization affects isopod populations in two GlobeNet sites: a town in Denmark, and another in Hungary.

Urban isopod assemblages in temperate Europe are greatly distinct from rural ones. Cities, given their biotope heterogenetiy, harbour a great number of exotic species while provide shelter to many tolerant native species as well. This often leads to an increased species richness in cities.

What we do not know is the functional effect of this increased species diversity of urban macro-invertebrates (both native and exotic) in cities, where the soil and vegetation have been greatly modified by humans. This phenomena has turned me towards functional ecology of urban soil macro-invertebrates. Recently I started to study litter degradation, and ecosystem services of urban macro-decomposer communities.

Teaching
Between 2004 and 2008 I taught ecology-related courses. During the past few years I’ve been responsible for the course ”Zoology” and several practicals on soil invertebrates. I lead the summer field course for BSc freshmens since 2004.


Miscellaneous
I take part in a Finnish – Hungarian oral history project, started by myself and my partner: we have exhibitions, write articles and occasionally show up in the Hungarian media. I love cooking, good books, watching movies and soccer games. I’m a proud father of our little  daughter.

Selected publications | My publications

Vilisics F, Szekeres S, Hornung E (2012) Size dependent differences in litter consumption of isopods: preliminary results. ZooKeys "Advances in Terrestrial Isopod Biology” 176: 247-259.

Vilisics F, Bogyó D, Sattler T, Moretti M (2012) Occurrence and assemblage composition of millipedes (Myriapoda, Diplopoda) and terrestrial isopods (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea) in urban areas of Switzerland. ZooKeys "Advances in Terrestrial Isopod Biology” 176: 199-214.

Cochard P-O, Vilisics F & Séchet E (2010) Alien terrestrial crustaceans (Isopods and Amphipods). In: A. Roques, J.Y. Rasplus, W. Rabistch, C. Lopez-Vaamonde, Kenis M, Nentwig W and Roy D (Eds.): Terrestrial arthropod invasions in Europe. pp. 81 - 96, Pensoft Publishers, Sofia (available as a special edition in BioRisk).

Vilisics F, Hornung E (2009) Urban areas as introduction hot-spots and shelters for native isopod species. Urban Ecosystems 12: 333-345.

Hornung E, Tóthmérész B, Magura T, Vilisics F (2007) Changes of isopod assemblages along an urban - suburban - rural gradient in Hungary. European Journal of Soil Biology 44: 158-165.

Vilisics F, Elek Z, Lövei G, Hornung E (2007) Composition of terrestrial isopod assemblages under different urbanisation stages in Denmark. Pedobiologia 51: 45-53.

Vilisics F, Sólymos P, Hornung E (2005) Measuring fluctuating asymmetry of the terrestrial isopod Trachelipus rathkii (Crustacea: Isopoda, Oniscidea). European Journal of Soil Biology 41: 85-90.