Aleksi Lehikoinen

Aleksi Lehikoinen is an Associate Professor at the University of Helsinki's Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, holding a docentship and serving as Supervisor in the Doctoral Programme in Sustainable Use of Renewable Natural Resources and the Doctoral Programme in Wildlife Biology. He works in the Zoology Unit as Chief Superintendent and is based at the Biocenter 3 in Viikinkaari, Helsinki. His research focuses on ornithology, climate change impacts on biodiversity, and conservation biology, with extensive field work in Finnish ecosystems.

Lehikoinen's research interests center on bird population monitoring, climate change effects on avian communities, and biodiversity conservation. His work examines how climate warming influences species distributions, community composition, and ecosystem functioning, particularly in boreal regions. He investigates the effectiveness of protected areas in mitigating climate change impacts and studies human-wildlife interactions through citizen science initiatives. His research combines long-term monitoring data with advanced statistical approaches to understand ecological patterns and processes.

His recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on climate change ecology, with particular attention to how warming temperatures affect bird communities in boreal regions. The research spans multiple scales from individual species responses to community-level changes, examining thermal niches, distribution shifts, and biodiversity-stability relationships. His work increasingly incorporates interdisciplinary approaches, connecting ecological monitoring with human dimensions of conservation through studies of citizen science and public engagement in bird monitoring.

• BirdLife Suomen kultainen ansiomerkki (2024)
• Environmental award of Sophie von Julins society to Hanko Bird Observatory (2010)
• Helsingin Seudun Lintutieteellisen yhdistyksen Tringan BirdLife -ansiomerkki (2011)
• Influencer of the year in the Finnish Museum of Natural History (2011)
• Newcomer of the year 2010 in the Museum of the Natural History (2010)

Lehikoinen actively supervises doctoral students in sustainable resource use and wildlife biology programs. He leads multiple significant research projects including 'Lajien kumulatiiviset ja vuorovaikutteiset vasteet ilmastonmuutokseen' (2024-2028) funded by the Academy of Finland, 'HABITRACK RIA' (2024-2027) with the European Commission, and 'Digitaalinen kansalaistiedekeskus Erkko' (2024-2028) funded by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation. His work combines scientific research with practical conservation applications.

Lehikoinen is deeply involved in large-scale biodiversity monitoring initiatives, particularly bird population monitoring programs in Finland. He collaborates with the Finnish Museum of Natural History and participates in citizen science projects that engage the public in data collection. His work with the 'Lintuatlas' (Bird Atlas) project represents a significant contribution to understanding bird distribution changes across Finland, combining professional scientific monitoring with volunteer observations.