The subarctic palsa mire is among the ”early warning” ecosystems which are especially sensitive to changing climatic conditions. As they disappear, the unfolding landscape can foreshadow broader ecological changes in the Arctic.
Category Archives: Ecosystems
Can humans save the Arctic fox?
Hunting and climate change as a result of human activity have caused Arctic fox populations to dramatically decrease. However, it also depends on us to bring the Arctic fox back to Fennoscandia.
This blog posts sheds light on what has caused the Arctic fox to become regionally extinct, what solutions there are to help conservation, and what the future of the Arctic fox is.
East-African Coming-of-Age Ceremony and Biocultural Conflict
A biocultural conflict between a coming-of-age ceremony of the Daasanach community and wildlife conservation exists in East Africa, but the young community members are calling for alternatives that support their ceremony and wildlife conservation, a study from the University of Helsinki finds.
Non-monetary Environmental Values: Toward Diverse Perspectives of the Value of Nature
There are debates about monetary value of nature but… does nature have other values than the mere monetary one? What are they and why it is important to focus also on the non-monetary values of nature?
Climate-friendly meat: A nuanced approach to climate-savvy beef consumption
The discussion on the sustainability of meat is not new here. The HELSUS blog has reviewed the university community’s general satisfaction regarding UniCafe’s decision to remove beef from the lunch menu due to climate concerns. The restaurant frames its decision as part of a rising trend in which plant-based diets are identified as a simple way to move towards sustainability. While grass-fed beef is said to provide valuable ecosystem services, even this production is climatically damaging. But is this the whole picture?