Description of research and teaching

Professor of Peatland Forestry at the Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland since 2006. As mires and peatlands cover 1/3 of the land area of Finland and half of them have been drained for forestry, it is important to have teaching and research on the various aspects of these ecosystems – both in pristine stage and drained. My research area is biogeochemistry, especially carbon and nutrient dynamics in peat soils and ecosystems in relation to environmental changes and management – both in our boreal region and in the humid tropics in Indonesia. I have peat mosses (genus Sphagnum L.) as my special area inside bryophytes.

I have worked for most of my life at the university, starting as research assistant. My short visits outside the university have been in communal environmental administration and in NGOs.

Besides journal articles I also have edited or written over 30 books – most for teaching purposes. For more information see ResearchGate and Google Scholar.

"Mires and peatlands are peculiar habitats but typical for our boreal climate. However, there are mires in all climate zones except the extreme Arctic and Antarctic regions. Mires and peatlands are fascinating ecosystems between water and uplands where organic matter tends to accumulate due to waterlogged and poorly aerated conditions. They have high ecological, economical and social values."