At University of Helsinki field stations, long-term data series on environmental conditions are collected. These data series have proven essential for observing environmental changes, adapting to them, and predicting their consequences. The university research stations maintain the longest ongoing environmental monitoring data series.
In autumn 2024, a Tiedekulma exhibition will showcase long-term data series from eight of the University of Helsinki's research stations, offering a unique glimpse into the heart of research.
The research stations conduct multidisciplinary research that requires natural environments and experimental research setups. Over time, the services provided by these stations have evolved into environmental knowledge centers, with multiple organizations bringing their research to the same area. Thus, the field stations are at the forefront of addressing global challenges posed by climate change and the biodiversity crisis through research. The impacts of climate change are most pronounced in the northern hemisphere. Due to the prevailing geopolitical situation, the research and monitoring of the tundra and northern boreal forest zones increasingly rely on research stations from northern countries other than Russia.
The University of Helsinki's research stations operate at the core of ecological and environmental research. They focus on long-term ecosystem changes and related experimental research. The stations monitor both biotic and abiotic environments through numerous long-term studies. Research data and tasks span from subarctic natural sites to the depths of the Baltic Sea.