Research

I am interested in marine mammals’ ecology and evolution. I have started my biologist career as a molecular ecologist and conducted two research projects on cetaceans. In the first project, I used ancient DNA approach to molecularly identify species from cetacean bones excavated in the Black Sea region. The archaeological remains, dated from 1600 years BP, comprised harbour porpoises, short beaked common dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins’ bones. In the second project, I investigated the population structure of harbour porpoises from the Northwest Atlantic. Using RAD sequencing, I have isolated SNPs specific to the Greenlandic population which, combined with telemetry data, suggest the existence of a distinct ecotype in West Greenland.

In my doctoral research, I investigate the behavioural ecology of the endangered Saimaa ringed seal. The Saimaa ringed seal is a subspecies of ringed seal, with a population of around 400 individuals, landlocked in Lake Saimaa, Finland. The ringed patterns of their pelage are unique which enable the following of the population at the individual level using the Photo-identification approach. My research focus on the fidelity patterns of the population and is divided into four main areas. First, the spatial fidelity during the moulting season. Second, the temporal fidelity during the moulting season. Third, the social fidelity during the moulting season. Finally, I used genomics to explore the spatial breeding fidelity.