Kimmo Kaakinen
Visiting researcher
University of Turku, Finland
Biografi
Kimmo Kaakinen is a visiting researcher in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Turku, specialising in pollinator research and ecotoxicology. His work explores how exposure to glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides affects wild pollinators, particularly the buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). Through field and laboratory experiments, he has shown that bees forage on treated flowers even when clean alternatives are available, and that low, field-realistic doses can impair learning, memory and alter the gut microbiome. His studies also suggest that chronic exposure can change foraging behaviour, potentially increasing energetic stress on colonies. By focusing on sub-lethal and long-term effects rather than immediate mortality, Kaakinen’s research highlights overlooked risks of widely used herbicides and calls for more comprehensive environmental risk assessments that include behavioural, cognitive and microbiological impacts on pollinators.
