Jaime Luna

I am a curious biologist and entomologist interested in understanding the processes that shape animal populations and investigating the effects of natural disasters (e.g., fire, pests, etc.) and anthropogenic factors on biodiversity and land use. I am currently doing my PhD at the Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre studying the biodiversity implications of short-rotation broadleaved trees. 

My main research field is forest biodiversity and with my current research I aim to provide information to make more informed decisions when it comes to finding a balance between forest resource extraction and the maintenance of biodiversity.

I am interested in insect biodiversity, animal-plant interaction, and forest and wildlife management, with a special focus on saproxylic beetles and pollinators. I am also particularly curious about applying spatial data to analyse and model biodiversity data with GIS. Moreover, I have started to georeference fast-growing forest plots that are being used by different researchers in order to create, together with other colleagues of the department, a common geodatabase of these study areas.

My PhD project is framed within Trees For Me: the Centre of excellence focused on fast-growing deciduous trees for sustainable forests, materials and energy (about Trees For Me). I am investigating the potential biodiversity contribution of short-rotation broadleaf forests (e.g., birch, hybrid aspen, poplar) by carrying out different experiments and studying diverse taxa such as lichens and saproxylic beetles.

The growth rate of fast-growing broadleaved trees has the potential to provide a substantial quantity of raw material in a comparatively shorter period than conventional production stands. It could also facilitate the diversification of the conifer-dominated Swedish landscape, which could have potential consequences for both biodiversity and recreational values. However, we know almost nothing about the actual biodiversity implications of these different fast-growing broadleaved trees. Therefore, it is worth to do research and go deep into their potential contribution to biodiversity and gather more knowledge to successfully meet Swedish environmental goals.

I participate in the course Forest and landscape ecology, in the Forest and Landscape Bachelor program.

• Díaz-Calafat, J., Luna-Santamaría, J. (2025). Why do queen bumblebees emerge from hibernation during weekends?. Apidologie 56 (66). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-025-01192-x
• Luna-Santamaría, J., Miralles-Núñez, A., Sánchez, I., Vidal-Cordero, J.M. (2022). Nuevos registros de la hormiga exótica invasora Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) en España. Boletín de la Sociedad Andaluza de Entomología, 32: 126-132. [New records of the exotic invasive ant species Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera:Formicidae) in Spain].