EXPLORING AND DOCUMENTING DIVERSITY IN NATURE

Estonian University of Life Sciences

Consortium name  
Estonian Consortium: Estonian Academy of Sciences
Institution (Original name) 
Eesti Maaülikool
MAIN ADDRESS
Street 
Kreutzwaldi 1
Postal code 
51014
City 
Tartu
POSTAL ADDRESS
Country 
Estonia
Phone 

(+372) 731 3200 (+372) 731 3001

E-mail 
info@emu.ee
Website 
Estonian University of Life Sciences
TYPE OF INSTITUTION
Type of institution 
University
LEGAL STATUS
Legal reference 
State
Are you part of a larger entity / legal body? 
No
CETAF MEMBERSHIP
Category 
Full member
CETAF Official representative
Name, position, phone, e-mail, research field 

Urmas KÕLJALG

Member of the Executive Committee? 
No
CETAF DEPUTY
Director / legal representative of the institution (title, name, phone, e-mail, research field) 

Vice Rector of Research Prof. Ulle Jaakma, ylle.jaakma@emu.ee; phone +372 7313 200

Organigram figure 
PDF icon emu_structure_2015_eng.pdf
PERSONNEL
Scientific staff 
Permanent (P)Non – Permanent (NP)
a) TOTAL scientific staff408
b) Scientific staff linked to Collections8
c) Post-docs / PhD students218
d) Others (Associates, etc.)0
TOTAL (a+b+c+d)634
Other staff (administration etc.) 
Permanent (P)Non – Permanent (NP)
e) Exhibitions 0
f) Collection Managers / technicians6
g) Others 541
TOTAL (e+f+g) 547
Total permanent staff 
1 181
Total non-permanent staff 
0
Grand total (permanent + non-permanent Staff) 
1 181
Male (%) 
43
Female (%) 
57
R&D facilities
How many laboratories are in use in your institution? 
20
List of laboratories 
  1. Laboratory of genetics (DNA extraction, PCR)
  2. Laboratory of light microscopy (stack images)
  3. Laboratory of Electron Microscopy
List of key tools (e.g. SEM, 3D, scanners/printers,...) 

Different optical research microscopes (Leica, Nikon), Environmental Scanning Microscope (ESEM Zeiss LM)

Exhibitions
Number of permanent exhibitions 
2
List of permanent exhibitions  
Name 
Zoomedical Collection
Exhibition URL 
Zoomedical Collection
Name 
Virtual gallery of Estonian waterbodies
Exhibition URL 
Virtual gallery of Estonian waterbodies
RESEARCH FIELDS
RESEARCH FIELD 
Research Field 
Distribution and biology of plant species in changing climate conditions
Link to your Institution’s Research page 
Research page
Research Field 
Fungal taxonomy and ecology
Research Field 
Taxonomy and ecology of various insect groups
Scientific publications
Number of peer-reviewed publications per year 
250
Annual journals/series 

Agronomy Research (http://agronomy.emu.ee/)

Other publications 

Information about R/D activities and publications of EULS can be found on website: https://www.etis.ee/portaal/asutuseAndmed.aspx?id=86&lang=en

Link to your annual report 
Annual Reports
EARTH SCIENCES (Geology, Mineralogy, Palaeontology,…) 
TypologyPrimary typesIndividual specimens/objects% registered cards% recorded cards in database
LIFE SCIENCES (Zoology, Biology, Botany, Mycology,…) 
TypologyPrimary typesIndividual specimens/objects% registered cards % recorded cards in database
2.1Botany5720200098 (without Hydrobiological Collection)80
2.2Mycologyca 5002000009840
2.3Zoology3278534472520
Total specimens (all collections) 
1,255,447
Outstanding collection features 

Entomological and mycological collections contain unique material from insufficiently known regions of the former Soviet Union (the Russian Far East from Kamchatka to Primorye, Siberia, Central Asia, Transcaucasus, etc.) Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMU) has three major natural history collections:

  1. Herbarium of vascular plants and bryophytes (TAA)
  2. Fungal collection (TAAM, EAA) and collection fungal living cultures(TFC)
  3. Zoological collections comprising entomological collection (IZBE) and hydrobiological collection (EMHC).

There are also collections which serve as a basis in teaching agronomy, forestry and veterinary medicine. Detailed information about collections is available on website: http://kogud.emu.ee/?do=main

Futhermore, we host a zoomedical (3,447 specimens, 95 %recorded cards in the database) and a hydrobilogical collection (27 primary types, 55,000 specimens, 30 % recorded cards in database). 

Heritage sciences (art, manuscripts, maps, photographs...) 

Every collection has a library with monographs, periodicals, keys, maps, pictures and field notebooks of scientists.

Size and importance of living collections 

Collection of fungal living cultures (www. http://kogud.emu.ee/?do=coll&id=11&lang=eng). Presently the collection contains over 1500 fungal strains representing ca 400 fungal species from almost the whole world. The cultures are mostly preserved in two replicas in tubes on appropriate malt, potato-dextrose or corn-meal agar slants and are transferred every 12 to 16 months. The collection has a rather good representation of isolates of some species from the genera Phellinus and Hymenochaete. The data about the isolates in the culture collection are available: http://iris.ut.ee/unite/temp/cfungi/index.php

Genetic Repositories
Does your institution have a DNA bank? 
No
Does your institution have a seed bank? 
No
COLLECTION’S RELATED INFORMATION
Number of outgoing loans (parcels / specimens) per year 
15/200 specimens (botany); 15/200 (mycology); 6-7 parcels (entomology); 5 (zoomedical collection)
Number of accessions (specimens) per year 
4000 specimens (botany); 5000 - 20 000 specimens, mainly moths and flies (entomology); 20 (zoomedical collection); 200-300 (mycology)
Number of scientific visitors per year 
120
MAIN AREAS OF TAXONOMIC EXPERTISE 
1. Fungi: Agarics: Lyophyllaceae, Ascomycota: Helotiales
2. Insecta: Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera
3. Arachnida: Acari: Oribatidae
4. Higher plants : Carex (Cyperaceae), Pilosella (Asteraceae), Potentilla (Rosaceae), Orchidaceae
COMMUNICATION MATERIAL
Main activities of communication and outreach 

Press-releases to media about interesting projects etc News on the university website Articles in university newspaper

Logo 
Contact person at your institution for communications / press / external relations (name, position, phone, e-mail) 

Kairit Prits: +372 731 3044, Kairit.prits@emu.ee

Visitors
Last year:  
400
Trends (past and future) 

Botanical collection ca 100 -trend - stable; Entomological collection 53, this number tends to be stable: 45-55; Zoomedical collection: ca 320; trend - increasing

Website visitors
Last year  
115 000
Trends (past and future) 

Website of collections (www.kogud.emu.ee) - 10800 (2016 january -november )

Institution news
Webpage 
Website
Career opportunities
Webpage 
Vacancies
Workshops / Events
Webpage 
Event page
Facebook 
Events
Online media galleries
Miscellaneous 
Picture gallery of Estonian waterbodies
If your institution is involved with universities in teaching or education programmes, please name and describe them 

Erasmus+ KA2 – Cooperation and Innovation for Good Practices: Educational network on Soil and Plant Ecology and Management (EduSaPMan); Innovative Education towards the Needs of the Organic Sector (EPOS); The innovative blended learning concept for resource efficiency (ReLeCo) Erasmus Mundus Action 2 Strand 1: Education Force: Driving Mobility for EU- East Europe cooperation (EFFORT); INFINITY - INternational Fellowship IN transdisciplinarITY

Contact person at your institution for education / teaching / training (name, position, phone, e-mail) 

Eda Tursk: +372731 3021, eda.tursk@emu.ee

THREE MAIN TOPICS OF CURRENT INTEREST FOR YOUR INSTITUTION 

Systematic research

Ecology and climate change

Biodiversity

THREE MAIN TOPICS OF FUTURE INTEREST FOR YOUR INSTITUTION 

Geographical and temporal trends in biodiversity

DNA barcoding

Last update 
02.12.20