Keyword: Biodiversity Unit of the University of Turku

Scientists from University of Turku observed that ergot, a common plant disease on rye, defended its host plant chemically against grass feeding insects. The ergot disease in grains spoils the yield and causes seed loss to the plant. Based on this, it is classified as harmful from the human perspective. A new study states that the ergot appears to be a beneficial protector for its host plant capable of even increasing plant fitness.
 

While tropical forests remain threatened and their future is uncertain, the importance of understanding how well individual protected areas avoid deforestation increases. Researchers from the University of Turku and University of Helsinki, Finland, have investigated this question in a newly published study that focuses on the State of Acre in Brazilian Amazonia.

Although the giant panda is in practice a herbivore, its masticatory system functions differently from the other herbivores. Through the processes of natural selection, the giant panda’s dietary preference has strongly impacted the evolution of its teeth and jaws.

Parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera) are one of the most species rich animal taxa on Earth, but their tropical diversity is still poorly known. Now, scientist have discovered the Dolichomitus meii and Polysphincta parasitoid wasp species previously unknown to science in South America. The new species found in the rainforests entice with their colours and exciting habits. Researchers at the University of Turku have already described 53 new animal species this year.

Finland's two-year term as the Chair of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) working group of the Arctic Council starts in May 2021. Docent in Environmental Ecology, PhD Mia Rönkä from the Biodiversity Unit at the University of Turku and Natural Resources Institute Finland will start as the Chair.

The article published by the researchers of the Biodiversity Unit at the University of Turku, Finland, highlights how amateur venom-extraction business is threatening scorpion species. Sustainably produced scorpion venoms are important, for example, in the pharmacological industry. However, in the recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people involved in the trade and vast numbers of scorpions are harvested from nature. This development is endangering the future of several scorpion species in a number of areas.

Doctoral Candidate Tapani Hopkins collected over 100,000 parasitoid wasps from the tropical forest of Uganda during his doctoral dissertation. Current results suggest that there is a diverse parasitoid wasp fauna still awaiting discovery in tropical Africa. His dissertation defence on rhyssine wasp species, their ecology, and how their diversity compares to Amazonia will be held online. Questions are welcome after the event.

The Academy of Finland has made the funding decisions to strengthen the research-related profiling of Finnish universities. The University of Turku was granted €6.8 million of the Profi 6 funding. The funding supports strategic, cross-disciplinary research of the University.

The researchers at the Biodiversity Unit of the University of Turku are specialised in studying poorly known species habiting some of the most remote places on earth. As a result of their scientific expeditions, the researchers constantly discover species that are unknown to science. One of the most recent discoveries is a spider which was named after actor Joaquin Phoenix and his famous portrayal of the Joker character.

A study led by the University of Turku has found that small, fiercely predatory damselflies catch and eat hundreds of thousands of insects during a single summer – in an area surrounding just a single pond. In terms of weight, this equates to a total prey mass of just under a kilo. Dragonflies mostly catch different kinds of midges, but also large numbers of other insects.