Winter School of Ecology Course Programme

JYU code: ECOS1082
Credits: 1 ECTS
Time: 11.2. - 14.2.2026
Location: Konnevesi Research Station, Konnevesi, Finland
Course coordinators: Dr. Saana Sipari and Dr. Eva Kallio, University of Jyväskylä
Assessment criteria: Activity and presence during the course
Grading: Pass/fail
Learning outcomes:  Students will understand the ecological basis of zoonotic diseases in northern environments and gain insight into current research in disease ecology.
Contents:  The workshop addresses how ecology, environment, and climate shape zoonotic disease dynamics in northern high-latitude regions. It highlights unique disease systems affected by strong seasonality, climate change, and complex interactions among hosts, vectors, and humans. The workshop will feature keynote talks by leading experts from across the Nordic countries, research presentations, and interactive discussion sessions.

Keynote speakers:
Prof. Frauke Ecke (University of Helsinki/Sveriges Lantbruks Universitet)
Prof. Lene Jung Kjær (University of Copenhagen)
Prof. Tarja Sironen (University of Helsinki)
Assoc. Prof Jenny Hesson (Uppsala University)
Dr. Solveig Jore (Norwegian Institute of Public Health)

NB! Winter in Finland can have very variable weather so be sure to have enough warm clothes and proper shoes. For sauna, swimming suit is needed.  Course material is provided by the organizers.

JYU code: BENS5109 
Credits: 2 ECTS
Time: 16. - 20.2.2026
Location: Konnevesi Research Station, Konnevesi, Finland
Course coordinator: Dr. Minna-Maarit Kytöviita, University of Jyväskylä
Lecturers: Dr. Heikki Helle (birds, BirdLife Finland), Prof. Philipp Lehmann (insects, Greifswald University), Dr. Minna-Maarit Kytöviita (plants, University of Jyväskylä), Dr. Saana Sipari (mammals, University of Jyväskylä), Joni Uusitalo (vertebrates, University of Helsinki)
Assessment criteria: Active participation in lectures and practicals.
Grading: Pass/fail
Number of students: The course will be arranged if 20 students confirm their participation on the course.
Learning outcomes: After completing this course the student: 

• understands through lectures, seminars and field work how snow, ice and cold temperature affects different life forms
• learns to observe and evaluate how winter and snow cover affect animals and plants
• learns how different life forms have adapted to boreal winter conditions
• learns to work in the winter conditions

Contents: Winter is the longest season in northern ecosystems and the snow-covered period can last for more than half a year. Winter conditions are major evolutionary selection agents and delimiting factors with effects from individual performance and population dynamics to ecosystem processes. The course deals with dynamics in physical environment in boreal and subarctic winter, individual and population level adaptation to cold environment and potential effects of climate change on individuals and populations. Specifically lectures, demonstrations and field work focus on snow ecology and adaptations to winter conditions by different life forms. During this course we carry out field work in the vicinity of Konnevesi Research Station and in Pyhä-Häkki National Park in Central Finland.