Riikka Elo

University of Turku | UTU · Zoological museum

To associate specimens identified by molecular characters to other biological knowledge, we need reference sequences annotated by Linnaean taxonomy. In this paper, we 1) report the creation of a comprehensive reference library of DNA barcodes for the arthropods of an entire country (Finland), 2) publish this library, and 3) deliver a new identifica...

Ecofacts from a wooden structure and its surrounding area at the medieval Cathedral School site (Medieval period in Finland AD 1200-1520) were used to compliment the archaeological data from Turku, the oldest town of Finland. The site is of primary importance to the study of Turku’s past. The analysed ecofacts consisted primarily of vascular plant...

Moss mites (Acari: Oribatida) are microscopic (0.1–1 mm) soil-dwelling arachnids that function as soil decomposers. The oribatids are among the most numerous soil animals with abundances reaching up to 200,000 specimens and 50 species per one square meter of soil. Despite their ubiquitous and abundant existence, they are classified as a poorly know...

Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica is the causative agent of tularaemia in Europe. Finland is a high-incidence region for tularaemia, with mosquito bites as the most common sources of infection. However, in Central and Western Europe, ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) have been suggested as the main vectors. Indeed, several studies have reported the pa...

To associate specimens identified by molecular characters to other biological knowledge, we need reference sequences annotated by Linnaean taxonomy. In this paper, we 1) report the creation of a comprehensive reference library of DNA barcodes for the arthropods of an entire country (Finland), 2) publish this library, and 3) deliver a new identifica...

The ubiquitous soil-dwelling oribatid mites have long been investigated as potential bioindicator agents for environmental changes, such as those resulting from forest management. However, the oribatid community composition often lacks detectable changes, mainly due to the difficulties of finding homogenous microhabitats from the landscape for inve...

Abundant and species rich oribatid mite faunas live as ant associates in red wood ant nest mounds. Distribution of oribatids (as of many other groups) within mounds is unknown, yet there is an indication that many oribatid species favor moist microclimates. The ant mounds typically have a relatively dry core covered by a moister surface layer, but...

Ant nests are also inhabited by other invertebrates, ant associates. The oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) fauna of nests is poorly known, both in terms of abundance and diversity. We compared the oribatid assemblages within and outside red wood ant Formica polyctena nests in a Finnish oak forest. Altogether ten mounds were investigated and comparab...