Johan Ekroos

Postdoctoral Researcher
Raseborgsvägen 9
FI-10600 EKENÄS, FINLAND
tfn +358 (0)19 224 8424
fax +358 (0)19 224 8112
johan.ekroos@novia.fi
www.novia.fi/ejder

Profile

I am an ecologist broadly interested in issues related to conservation biology. Past and on-going research topics include factors contributing to species richness at different spatial scales as well as population dynamics of single species.
I graduated in November 2005 from the University of Helsinki. In my master's thesis I studied whether organic farming benefits species richness of diurnal lepidopterans and bumblebees in Finnish agricultural landscapes. I continued with agroecology in my doctoral thesis [https://helda.helsinki.fi/handle/10138/22131] by studying how farming management and landscape structure affects species diversity of plants, butterflies and diurnal moths, bumblebees and carabid beetles.

Research

My postdoctoral research project focuses on assessing Baltic ecosystem health using the eider (Somateria mollissima) as an indicator species. The project involves determining the extent of the Baltic population decline, survival analyses of breeding females and ducklings, assessing the contribution of stored reserves versus food at the breeding grounds to reproductive success and exploring the effect of predation, food supply and climate on breeding stress and reproductive output.
I'm also involved in research related to the efficacy of the Finish agro-environment scheme in protecting species richness. This project utilises data on birds, butterflies and plants. The study questions involve both effects of local habitat factors, such as environmental fallows and organic farming, as well as effects of landscape structure. The project is run in collaboration between University of Helsinki, The Finnish Environmental Institute and Fisheries and Wildlife Research Institute.

Publications

Published or accepted in international refereed journals:

Ekroos, J., Heliölä, J., Kuussaari, M. 2010. Homogenization of butterfly communities in intensively cultivated agricultural landscapes. Journal of Applied Ecology 47, 459-467.

Ekroos, J., Hyvönen, T., Tiainen, J., Tiira, M. 2010. Responses in plant and carabid communities to farming practises in boreal landscapes. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 135, 288-293.

Ekroos, J., Piha, M., Tiainen, J. 2008. Role of organic and conventional field boundaries on boreal bumblebees and butterflies. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 124: 155-159.

Submitted to international refereed journals:

Ekroos, J., Kuussaari, M. Landscape context affects the relationship between local and landscape species richness of butterflies in semi-natural habitats.

Herzon, I., Ekroos, J., Rintala, J., Tiainen, J., Seimola, T., Vepsäläinen, V. Importance of set-asides for breeding birds of open farmland in Finland.