Biodiversity is changing rapidly around the world. To be able to inform conservation and policy actions, we need to understand how and why biodiversity is changing. This is a key challenge because different species can respond differently to changes in climate or land use, leading to changes in different biodiversity dimensions (e.g. number of species and genetic diversity). In this project, based at the University of Helsinki, I will use existing monitoring data for butterflies and moths around the world to evaluate biodiversity changes at the scales of genes, species and communities. I will identify which species, biodiversity dimensions and geographical regions are most vulnerable to global change, and which are resilient. My project provides tools to identify hotspots of change: where, how and how fast this diverse insect group has changed. Jointly my results and tools will facilitate quantification prediction of biodiversity changes also beyond Lepidoptera.

2024

2028