Kevo Subarctic Research Institute is located in the northernmost part of Finland (69º45' N, 27º01' E), 60 km north of the continuous pine forest line and belongs to the sub-arctic mountain birch zone.
Climate
Mean temperature: annual -2º C / in January: -15º C / in July: 13º C Annual mean precipitation: 415 mm
Biodiversity
Wide range of ecosystems from pine stands at low altitudes to low alpine tundra.
Human Dimension
Reindeer husbandry, fishing, tourism, nature conservation, hunting, and research.
Species Performance
Experiments and records of plant-herbivore interactions, effects of pollutants (simulated acid rain; Cu+Ni), and plant genotype*environment-interactions (treeline gardens) exist.
General Research
The emphasis of research is on ecological interactions, biodiversity, environmental research, landscape ecology, and geomorphology. The ecological research has focused on the interactions between mountain birch and its herbivores (Epirrita autumnata; sawflies) and on tritrophic interactions based on birch, willows and Scots pine. Reindeer exclosures were erected around 1970 to study the recovery of the ecosystem after the catastrophic Epirrita outbreak in 1964-5 which destroyed >5000 km2 of birch woodland. Biodiversity research includes modelling the environmental controls of vascular plant distributions in mesoscale. Environmental research is based on both field experiments [Simulated Acid Rain (SAR) experiment (80 plots) started in 1985, and another experiment (SAR & Cu+Ni; 20 plots) in 1991] and monitoring (Vuoskujärvi integrated monitoring catchment). Landscape ecology in the area studies how the local variation in microclimates, vegetation, and ecological interactions will respond to climatic changes. The geomorphology research focuses on periglacial processes.
Existing Data Bases
Bibliography of publications arising from the research in the area, climate records, floristic data.
History and Facilities
The research activities of Turku University in northernmost Finland begun in early 1950'ies and in 1958 the first buildings were built at Kevo. At the station there are lodgings for some 40 researchers, with additional space in summer for another 30 people. The station is open year round for visitors and meetings. The main building has a library, an office, a dining room with kitchen and rooms to accommodate visiting scientists. The library includes books, journals and reprints on biology and geo-sciences. The laboratory building contains laboratory facilities, temperature chambers, a lecture room for 40 persons, and a darkroom. The computers at the station are networked and access to email and Internet is provided. Simple constructions for field experiments can be made in the workshop.
Transportation
Kevo can be reached by car or bus since the main road (Rovaniemi - Ivalo - Kevo - Utsjoki - Vadsø) is passing close; access to the station is across Lake Kevojärvi (250 m), in summer by boat and in winter across the ice. Within two hour car journey there are two airports, Ivalo in Finland and Vadsø in Norway.
SCANNET - A
Circumarctic Network of Terrestrial Field Bases | 2010
