{"id":210,"date":"2022-02-10T10:32:25","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T08:32:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uef.fi\/disturbances-and-biogeochemistry\/?page_id=210"},"modified":"2026-02-11T14:27:05","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T12:27:05","slug":"who-we-are","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uef.fi\/disturbances-and-biogeochemistry\/who-we-are\/","title":{"rendered":"Who we are"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Assoc. Prof. Kajar K\u00f6ster<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expertise<\/strong>: disturbance ecology; greenhouse gas fluxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current position: <\/strong>University Researcher (Interactions of ecological disturbances and atmosphere)<\/em>. Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PhD, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Forestry 2009
MSc, Estonian Agricultural University\/ Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences 2005<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Research interests: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbon dynamics in forest soils, with special interest in disturbed (fire, wind, reindeer grazing, etc.) areas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E-mail:<\/strong> kajar.koster@uef.fi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Prof. Jukka Pumpanen<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expertise<\/strong>: Climate change; greenhouse gas fluxes; fire ecology; boreal and arctic ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current position: <\/strong>Professor (Microbial Biogeochemistry), Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences,
University of Eastern Finland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PhD, University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Sciences, 2004<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research interests:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Processes related to the decomposition of soil organic matter (mechanisms of the decomposition of soil organic matter and the role of living rhizosphere in decomposition). The effects of disturbances (e.g. wildfires, forest harvesting and herbivory) on soil carbon and nitrogen pools and fluxes. The effects of black carbon and biochar on soil organic matter decomposition and nutrient availability in boreal forest soils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E-mail:<\/strong> jukka.pumpanen@uef.fi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Prof. Frank Berninger<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expertise<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current position: <\/strong>Professor (Plant Ecology), Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences,
University of Eastern Finland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research interests:<\/strong> The interactions of forests and the environment. The long-term dynamics of soil organic matter after forest fires and the energy exchange of northern ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E-mail:<\/strong> frank.berninger@uef.fi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

DSc, Nicola Kokkonen<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expertise:<\/strong> Peatland ecology, vegetation dynamics, gas fluxes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current position:<\/strong> Post-Doctoral Researcher (Disturbances and Biogeochemistry). Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DSc, University of Eastern Finland, Forestry 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MSc, University of Alberta, Forest Biology and Management 2016<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MSc, University of Eastern Finland, Agriculture and Forestry 2016<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BSF, University of British Columbia, Forest Operations 2009<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research Interests:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My current research focuses on greenhouse gas emissions \u2013 particularly methane \u2013 from forest soils following fire. Here, I study the role of fire, biomass, and soil characteristics in determining soil emissions. I am also interested in plants as connectors between the soil and the atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Email:<\/strong> nicola.kokkonen@uef.fi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

———————————————————————————————————-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

MSc Mathilde Rebiff\u00e9<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expertise:<\/strong> soil water quality, remote sensing, soil sciences, hydrogeology, natural hazards<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current position:<\/strong> Doctoral Researcher (Environmental science). Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MSc, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (France), Geosciences and risks 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BSF, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (France), Earth and life sciences 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research Interests:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I currently study the impact of fires of different severity on nutrient dynamics in forest soils, with a particular focus on characterizing the post-fire modifications and movements of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and dissolved pyrogenic materials (DPyM) within the soil profile. I am also interested in heavy metals dynamics in soil following fire and remote sensing for fire severity mapping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Email:<\/strong> mathilde.rebiffe@uef.fi<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

———————————————————————————————————-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DIsturbances and biogeochemistry working team consist of people from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biogeochemistry Research group<\/a>, at the Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences of the University of Eastern Finland, led by Prof. Jukka Pumpanen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant Ecology Research group, at the Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences of the University of Eastern Finland, led by Prof. Frank Berninger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, we collaborate with a wide range of international partners and projects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Assoc. Prof. Kajar K\u00f6ster Expertise: disturbance ecology; greenhouse gas fluxes. Current position: University Researcher (Interactions of ecological disturbances and atmosphere). Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland  PhD, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Forestry 2009MSc, Estonian Agricultural University\/ Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences 2005 Research interests:  Carbon dynamics in forest soils, with special […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":535,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-210","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWho we are - Disturbances and Biogeochemistry for Ecosystem Services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uef.fi\/disturbances-and-biogeochemistry\/who-we-are\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Who we are - Disturbances and Biogeochemistry for Ecosystem Services\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Assoc. 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