Vol. 55 No. 2 (2026): Fine-scale geodiversity in northern environments – connections with biodiversity patterns and land use

Geodiversity is an essential component of holistic approaches to understanding and studying nature. Studies conducted in fine‑scale remain limited, even though geodiversity establishes the foundation for humans to exist.

This thesis aims to advance knowledge of fine-scale geodiversity in Northern environments. First, the thesis examines fine-scale geodiversity through geofeatures, defined as its observable elements, with attention to how it varies across landscapes and how it can be quantified. Second, it investigates the connections between fine scale geodiversity and biodiversity, specifically the species richness of vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens in boreal–Arctic heath ecosystems. Third, it scrutinizes the impacts of ski‑tourism–related land use on fine-scale geodiversity in Finnish Lapland. Finally, this thesis evaluates the practical value of fine-scale geodiversity information for nature conservation and land management.

The results demonstrate that higher georichness generally corresponds to higher species richness of vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens in continuous mountain heaths and tundra, although this relationship is context‑dependent. Analyses from Finnish Lapland’s ski resorts further reveal lower georichness values in areas heavily affected by land use, with composition of geofeatures differing across gradients of land-use intensity. These findings indicate the vulnerability of fine-scale geodiversity to human disturbance.

Overall, the fine-scale geodiversity method is shown to provide comprehensive information that can support environmental monitoring, land‑use planning, and conservation.