Basile Finand

Basile Finand is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences and associated with the Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science and Helsinki Institute of Urban and Regional Studies. His research focuses on Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, particularly examining ant species responses to habitat fragmentation and urbanization.

• Education
  • PhD in Ecology and Evolution, Sorbonne University (2023)
  • MSc in Biodiversity Ecology and Evolution, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 (2019)
  • BSc in Biodiversity Sciences, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 (2017)

Dr. Finand's research explores how urbanization drives evolutionary changes in ant dispersal strategies, social structures, and thermophilic adaptations. His work reveals that habitat fragmentation selects for reduced dispersal abilities and altered colony foundation mechanisms in ants, with implications for understanding metapopulation dynamics in human-modified landscapes.

Recent publications analyze thermophilic species dominance in urban areas, colony fission mechanisms, and genetic differentiation in ant complexes. His 2025 paper on urbanization's impact on ant communities highlights the intersection of ecological and evolutionary responses to anthropogenic changes.

As a supervisor, he contributes to thesis guidance including Rita Hakola's MSc research (2025). His affiliations include the Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme and Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science.