Anne-Maarit Hekkala

Presentation
My research interests fall broadly on forest biodiversity, conservation and restoration of biodiversity in boreal forests. My main research questions have been how different forest restoration methods that resemble natural disturbances (forest fire, small-scale storm damage, gap-cutting), can enhance biodiversity in short- and long-term in boreal forest systems. To study short-term effects, I have used deadwood-dependent beetles and flat bugs, polypores, forest floor vegetation and tree stand structure as study objects. Currently I work on questions related to measures of biodiversity, how to best recognize forests stands that should be conserved and what are the best proxies of biodiversity. In addition, I study the networks of species dependent on deadwood and wild pollinators in my Formas-project, assess how Sveaskog's Ecoparks affect biodiversity of beetles and Hymenopterans (wasps and such) in the long term collaboration project with Sveakog and I’m involved on projects of ecological offsetting and uneven-aged forestry.
Undervisning
Course leader in the distance course Forest Animals, assistant course leader in the distance course Forest Conservation Biology. I teach in various courses in class, in the field and in recorded lectures about biodiversity, restoration, red-listing, and species recognition (indicator species, insects).
Bakgrund
12/2017- Researcher, Dept. of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
12/2015 -
11/2017 Postdoc, Dept. of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
07.11.2015 PhD in Ecology, Dept. of Ecology, University of Oulu, Finland
2011-2015 PhD-student, Dept. of Ecology, University of Oulu and Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), Finland.
2008-2010 Part-time Researcher, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Oulu, Finland
2005-2007 Researcher, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Oulu, Finland.
2005 MSc, Animal ecology, Dept. of Biology, University of Oulu, Finland.
Handledning
Co-supervisor for PhD-students
2019-2023 Paulina Bergmark (Sveakog Ecoparks)
2019-2023 Olov Tranberg (Boliden, Ecological Compensation)
I have supervised 5 MSc theses and 3 Bachelor's theses