Olli Loisa works as a senior specialist in the Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland. He is widely interested in the aquatic environment and nature conservation. His research and monitoring projects have included topics related to, e.g. marine mammals, fish and invasive species. Currently, he is responsible for national monitoring of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Finnish waters and acts as an advisor in national and international conservation work.
Olli has graduated from the University of Akureyri, Iceland (M, Natural Resources Sciences) and he is currently involved to the Nordic Center of Excellence ARCPATH (funded by NordForsk) as a PhD student at the University of Iceland. ARCPATH aims to combine improved regional climate predictions with an enhanced understanding of environmental, societal, and economic interactions in order to supply new knowledge on Arctic “pathways to action”. Olli was the Finnish national coordinator of EU LIFE+ funded project SAMBAH (2010-2015). SAMBAH aimed to increase the awareness and knowledge about the Baltic Sea harbour porpoise, estimating population densities and total abundance.
In addition to scientific and advisory work, he is interested in sharing information on research and conservation work to the general public. Olli is excited to learn more about communicating science to the public through art with the artists joining the Changes on Northern Shores network.
Selected recent publications:
Puntila-Dodd, Riikka; Loisa, Olli; Riipinen, Katariina & Fowler 2019: A taste for aliens: contribution of a novel prey item to native fishes’ diet. Biological Invasions 21 (9): 2907-2917.
Carlén I et al. 2018 Basin-scale distribution of harbour porpoises in the Baltic Sea provides basis for effective conservation actions. Biol.Conserv. 226, 42–53.
Loisa, O. (ed.) & Pyöriäistyöryhmä. 2016: Pyöriäinen Suomessa – Päivitetty ehdotus toimenpiteistä pyöriäisen suojelemiseksi Suomessa. Ympäristöministeriö. 56 p (in Finnish)
Olli in search for porpoises (pictures + text in Finnish)
Changes on Northern Shores - Observing Problems through Art and Science 