Profile

I am a post-doctoral researcher in the Ecosystem Dynamics Group within the Environmental Change Institute. My field is forest and peatland ecology and my particular research interest is carbon dynamics of forest and peatland ecosystems in a changing climate.

I am currently working on the Earthwatch funded project ‘Quantifying the variation of woodland carbon dynamics and plant ecology in the Upper Thames Area’ where we study the carbon cycle in a range of temperate woodland sites, varying in patch size, distance to the forest edge, soil type and topography. The project will assess how the woodlands are responding to climate change and what role they can play in mitigating and adapting to the change.

I undertook my M.Sc. and Ph.D. studies in the University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Ecology. In my Ph.D. work, I studied the carbon dynamics of a peatland ecosystem and its components. Of special interest was the response to drought, which is projected to be a major impact of the climate change.

Recent Publications

• Soini, P., Riutta, T., Yli-Petäys, M. & Vasander, H. Comparison of vegetation and CO2 dynamics between a restored cut-away peatland and a pristine fen: Evaluation of the restoration success. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-100X.2009.00520.x. In press, available online.
• Laine, A., Riutta, T., Juutinen, S., Väliranta, M. & Tuittila, E.-S. 2009. Acknowledging the spatial heterogeneity in modelling/reconstructing carbon dioxide exchange in a northern aapa mire. Ecological Modelling 220: 2646-2655.
• Aurela, M., Lohila, A., Tuovinen, J.-P., Hatakka, J., Riutta, T. & Laurila, T. 2009. Carbon dioxide exchange on a northern boreal fen. Boreal Environment Research 14: 699-710.
• Riutta, T., Laine, J., Aurela, M., Rinne, J., Vesala, T., Laurila, T., Haapanala, S., Pihlatie, M. & Tuittila, E.-S. 2007. Spatial variation in plant community functions regulates carbon gas dynamics in a boreal fen ecosystem. Tellus 59B: 838-852. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2007.00302.x
• Aurela, M., Riutta, T., Laurila, T., Tuovinen, J.-P., Vesala, T., Tuittila, E.-S., Rinne, J., Haapanala, S. & Laine, J. 2007. CO2 balance of a sedge fen in southern Finland – the impact of a drought period. Tellus 59B: 826-837. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2007.00309.x
• Lindroth, A., Lund, M., Nilsson, M., Aurela, M., Christensen, T. R., Laurila, T., Rinne, J., Riutta, T., Sagerfors, J., Ström, L., Tuovinen, J.-P. & Vesala, T. 2007. Environmental controls on the CO2 exchange in north European mires. Tellus 59B: 812-825.doi:10.1111/j.1600-0889.2007.00310.x
• Riutta, T., Laine, J. & Tuittila, E.-S. 2007. Sensitivity of CO2 exchange of fen ecosystem components to water level variation. Ecosystems 10: 718-733. doi: 10.1007/s10021-007-9046-7.
• Rinne, J., Riutta, T., Pihlatie, M., Aurela, M., Haapanala. S., Tuovinen, J.-P., Tuittila, E.-S. & Vesala, T. 2007. Annual cycle of methane emission from a boreal fen measured by the eddy covariance technique. Tellus 59B: 449-457. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2007.00261.x
• Wilson, D., Alm, J., Riutta, T., Laine, J., Byrne, K.A., Farrell, E.P & Tuittila, E-S. 2007. A high resolution green area index for carbon gas modelling in peatland vascular plant communities. Plant Ecology 190: 37-51. doi: 10.1007/s11258-006-9189-1.
• Haapanala, S., Rinne, J., Pystynen, K.-H., Hellén, H., Hakola, H., & Riutta, T. 2006. Measurements of hydrocarbon emissions from a boreal fen using the REA technique. Biogeosciences 3: 103-112.