Jani Heino

Most of my current research focuses on the causes and consequences of biological and environmental change at different spatial (from sites to continents) and temporal (from seasons to millennia) scales. I have previously perceived environmental change mainly through the variation in biological diversity in aquatic and terrestrial systems, which has a lot to do with my life-long interest in animals and plants. Recently, I have become increasingly more interested in a more comprehensive framework incorporating biotic, abiotic and human-modified features of landscapes. Therefore, I am also currently devising a refined framework that simultaneously incorporates natural and societal features at local, regional and global scales. The applications and implications of this work include ecosystem restoration, nature conservation and landscape management. During my spare time, I spend most of my time hiking in nature, observing and photographing organisms in their habitats. I am also interested in Earth history, and how historical changes are associated with the development of civilizations and livelihoods of people seen in the past and the present day. My current interests also include all things related to prepping and survival in different conditions, as well as overall well-being and personal health. While living in northern Finland and currently working at the University of Oulu, I collaborate extensively with researchers from across the world. I have also advised a number of post-doctoral, doctoral and masters students as well as visiting researchers from various countries. My current emphasis is on devising new means of delivering knowledge of environmental change and practical solutions to people, whereby both management of natural resources and conservation of biodiversity can proceed hand in hand. I am currently actively looking for new possibilities for career development, with emphasis on not just advancing narratives, directives and agendas but advancing 'science as it was meant to be originally'.