Insect Ecology and Adaptation - research group studies diverse topics of insect ecology and evolution. Our model systems include both economically important forest insects (e.g. pine sawflies and bark beetles) as well as threatened forest insect species. Our research interests range from basic research to more applied questions; towards a better understanding of forest insects as a part of a network of biological interactions and informing the sustainable management of forest resources. We use a combination of behavioural, genetic, demography, life-history and functional ecological techniques both in the field and in the laboratory. Major challenges we aim to solve are:
1) To understand organismal diversity and the interactions between organisms and their abiotic and biotic environments.
2) To determine adaptive capacity of forest insects to environmental variability.
3) Integrate ecological and evolutionary information on management and conservation programs and improve existing insect population dynamic models.
Carita Lindstedt-Kareksela, Principal Investigator, Associate Professor
Katja Koskenpato, Postdoctoral Researchers
Sophie Vanmeyel, Postdoctoral Researchers
Raphael Ritter, Doctoral Researcher
Magnus Jonsson, Doctoral Researcher