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The Dataset for the Fauna et Flora Fennica project - Historical sighting data for 72 animals, plants, and bacteria found in Finland between 1800 and 1969

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Main Authors: Latva, Otto, Lähdesmäki, Heta, Jämsä, Aino, Laine, Silja, Kallioniemi, Noora, Rantala, Heli, Salmi, Hannu, Uusitalo, Harri, Sonck-Rautio, Kirsi, Latva, Johanna, Tiilikainen, Tiina, Sundell, Nina, Haanpää, Jenni, Lahdenniemi, Elina, Laine, Verna, Lindberg, Pelle, Nissinen, Tiina, Rantanen, Henna, Saurio, Miriam, Selin, Lotta, Tiempo, Nina, Vaskivuori, Sonja, Venäläinen, Emilia Morfin, Vilkkula, Petra, Kyyrö, Jere
Format: Recurso digital
Language:English
Published: Zenodo 2025
Subjects:
Biodiversity
History
Species distribution
Press data
Finnish nature
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author Latva, Otto
Lähdesmäki, Heta
Jämsä, Aino
Laine, Silja
Kallioniemi, Noora
Rantala, Heli
Salmi, Hannu
Uusitalo, Harri
Sonck-Rautio, Kirsi
Latva, Johanna
Tiilikainen, Tiina
Sundell, Nina
Haanpää, Jenni
Lahdenniemi, Elina
Laine, Verna
Lindberg, Pelle
Nissinen, Tiina
Rantanen, Henna
Saurio, Miriam
Selin, Lotta
Tiempo, Nina
Vaskivuori, Sonja
Venäläinen, Emilia Morfin
Vilkkula, Petra
Kyyrö, Jere
author_facet Latva, Otto
Lähdesmäki, Heta
Jämsä, Aino
Laine, Silja
Kallioniemi, Noora
Rantala, Heli
Salmi, Hannu
Uusitalo, Harri
Sonck-Rautio, Kirsi
Latva, Johanna
Tiilikainen, Tiina
Sundell, Nina
Haanpää, Jenni
Lahdenniemi, Elina
Laine, Verna
Lindberg, Pelle
Nissinen, Tiina
Rantanen, Henna
Saurio, Miriam
Selin, Lotta
Tiempo, Nina
Vaskivuori, Sonja
Venäläinen, Emilia Morfin
Vilkkula, Petra
Kyyrö, Jere
contents <p><em><span lang="EN-US">The Dataset for the Fauna et Flora Fennica project - Historical sighting data for 72 animals, plants, and bacteria found in Finland between 1800 and 1969 </span></em><span lang="EN-US">dataset contains material collected in the <em>Fauna et Flora Fennica</em> research project. The aim of the project was to renew the understanding of species that have inhabited the Finnish region by providing more comprehensive information on the historical occurrence of different species. We have traced this information from Finnish and Swedish newspapers and magazines published in Finland from the 19th century up to the late 1960s, digitized by the National Library of Finland (the amount of the digitized press material by the end of the project was nearly 28 million pages). In addition, historical information has also been sought from issues of Finnish journals <em>Luonnon Tutkija</em> and <em>Suomen Luonto</em> digitized in projects led by Otto Latva, which are not yet available in the digital archive of the National Library of Finland. Both of the above-mentioned journals are Finnish-language natural science magazines that publish articles on biology.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-US">The reason why we have defined the material to cover the period from the 19th century to the 1960s is that the first newspapers and magazines in the Finnish region were not published until the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, and various observations of nature were not written into them until the 19th century. Our time frame ends in the 1960s, as more effective methods and models for studying species distribution became common in the latter half of the 20th century, and the threat status of species began to be monitored regularly in Finland as early as the 1980s.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-US">Furthermore, in our two-year research project, we have not been able to examine the historical distribution data for all organisms found in Finland, as the digitised press material provides far too much information to process in two years. There are over 40,000 species living in Finland, and even if we exclude fungi, bacteria and viruses, as well as those that only have a Latin scientific name, there are still 13,782 animal and plant species left. For this reason, we selected 80 species for the <em>Fauna et Flora Fennica</em> project that are known to have undergone changes in their distribution or that are classified as rare, endangered, newcomer or invasive in Finland. We also wanted to examine species that have caused debate or conflict either now or in the past. In addition, we selected some species for examination based on suggestions from biologists who were partners in the project.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-US">Of all 80 species examined in the <em>Fauna et Flora Fennica</em> project, we were able to compile datasets containing geospatial data for a total of 72 different species. It must be emphasized that these contain sightings recorded in the press, often made by ordinary people. Among them, of course, there are also more formal observations published by natural scientists. The development of the press also influenced which species sightings were made public through the press. In the northernmost parts of Finland, for instance, the first newspapers were not established before the very end of the 19th century. It was therefore not possible to publish species sightings as comprehensively in newspapers in the 19th century as it was in the 20th century, when the number of newspapers and magazines in Finland began to grow rapidly. In addition, the press often considered only unusual species observations, or those of species that significantly affected people’s everyday lives, to be worth reporting. Therefore, by no means all of the species sightings made by people living in the Finnish region from the 19<sup>th</sup> century to the 1960s ended up in newspapers and magazines. People also reported far more frequently on mammals and birds, while sightings concerning, for example, insects, arachnids, or plants appear far less often in the press material.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-GB">The material was collected in the <em>Fauna et Flora Fennica</em> research project funded by the Alfred Kordelin Foundation in 2023–2025, and based on it, among other things, the openly accessible work <em>Suomalaisten lajien historiallinen kartasto </em>(In English: <em>Historical Atlas of Finnish Species)</em> (2025) has been published: </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://edition.fi/thy/catalog/book/1176"><span>https://edition.fi/thy/catalog/book/1176</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB">. For this book, we have created distribution maps for different species using the geospatial data contained in these CSV files.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-US">CSV files contain 9 columns with the following information in order: </span></p> <ol> <li><span lang="EN-US">Year of sighting</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Location (the exact location of the observation, e.g., name of village or body of water)</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Description of the location (tells whether the location is, for example, a lake or river, or which city or municipality the location of the sighting belongs to)</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Press source and publication date</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">URL (digital press sources are available to everyone until the 1940s. To view more recent press material, you need to have credentials from a Finnish university or research institute)</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Latitude</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Longitude</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Geodetic system</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></li> </ol> <p><span lang="EN-US">Below is a list of all 72 species with their English, Finnish, and Latin names, as well as the names of everyone who participated in collecting observation data for each species. The species are divided as follows: Mammals (CSV files 1–15), Birds (CSV files 15–37), Reptiles and <span lang="EN-US">amphibians (CSV files 38–45), Fishes (CSV files 46–50), Molluscs, annelids, algae and bacteria (CSV files 51–54), Woody plants </span><span lang="EN-US">(CSV files 55–63) and Herbaceous plants (CSV files 64–72)</span></span></p> <ul> <li><span lang="EN-US">Note: <em>Historical distribution data is available for all species except moose and whooper swans for the entire time period. We only collected distribution data for moose and whooper swans from the 19th century, as the data for these species became too extensive in the 20th century.</em></span></li> </ul> <ol> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Arctic fox, Fin: Naali, Lat: <em>Vulpes lagopus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Noora Kallioniemi, Otto Latva and Johanna Latva</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common raccoon dog, Fin: Supikoira, Lat: <em>Nyctereutes procyonoides</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian pygmy shrew, Fin: Vaivaispäästäinen, Lat: <em>Sorex minutus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: European mink, Fin: Vesikko, Lat: <em>Mustela lutreola</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Finnish forest reindeer, Fin: Metsäpeura, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Rangifer tarandus fennicus </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Garden dormouse, Fin: Tammihiiri, Lat: <em>Eliomys quercinus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng, Grey seal, Fin: Harmaahylje, Lat: <em><span>Halichoerus grypus </span></em>– Data Collector: Noora Kallioniemi</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Moose or Elk, Fin: Hirvi, Lat: <em>Alces alces</em> – Data Collectors: Otto Latva and Heli Rantala</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Northern birch mouse, Fin: Koivuhiiri, Lat: <em><span>Sicista betulina</span></em><span> – Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Siberian flying squirrel, Fin: Liito-orava, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Pteromys volans </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></li> <li><span>Eng: White-tailed deer, Fin: Valkohäntäkauris, Lat: <em>Odocoileus virginianus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Wild boar, Fin: Villisika, Lat: <em>Sus scrofa</em> <span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Wolf, Fin: Susi, Lat: <em>Canis lupus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Heta Lähdesmäki, Otto Latva, Noora Kallioniemi, Harri Uusitalo, Silja Laine, Nina Sundell, Tiina Tiilikainen, Johanna Latva, Jenna Haanpää, Verna Laine, Elina Lahdenniemi, Pelle Lindberg, Tiina Nissinen, Henna Rantala, Lotta Selin, Nina Tiempo, Sonja Vaskivuori and Petra Vilkkula</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Wood lemming, Fin: Metsäsopuli, Lat: <em>Myodes schisticolor</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Black tern, Fin: Mustatiira, Lat: <em>Chlidonias niger</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Miriam Saurio </span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common kingfisher, Fin: Kuningaskalastaja, Lat: <em>Alcedo atthis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common pochard, Fin: Punasotka, Lat: <em><span>Aythya ferina </span></em><span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common shelduck, Fin: Ristisorsa, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Tadorna tadorna</span></em><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></li> <li><span>Eng: Crested tit, Fin: Töyhtötiainen, Lat: <em>Lophophanes cristatus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Emilia Morfin Venäläinen</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian bittern, Fin: Kaulushaikara, Lat: <em>Botaurus stellaris</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian nuthatch, Fin: Pähkinänakkeli, Lat: <em>Sitta europaea</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Emilia Morfin Venäläinen</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian pygmy owl, Fin: Varpuspöllö, Lat: <em>Glaucidium passerinum</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Eurasian treecreeper, Fin: Puukiipijä, Lat: <em>Certhia familiaris</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Emilia Morfin Venäläinen</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian tree sparrow, Fin: Pikkuvarpunen, Lat: <em>Passer m. montanus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European roller, Fin: Sininärhi, Lat: <em>Coracias garrulus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European turtle dove, Fin: Turturikyyhky, Lat: <em>Streptopelia turtur</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Great cormorant, Fin: Merimetso, Lat: <em>Phalacrocorax carbo</em> <span>– Data Collector: Otto Latva</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Grey Heron, Fin: Harmaahaikara, Lat: <em>Ardea cinerea</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Hawfinch, Fin: Nokkavarpunen, Lat: <em>Coccothraustes coccothraustes</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Hoopoe, Fin: Harjalintu, Lat: <em>Upupa epops</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Long-tailed tit, Fin: Pyrstötiainen, Lat: <em>Aegithalos caudatus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Emilia Morfin Venäläinen</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Montagu’s harrier, Fin: Niittysuohaukka, Lat: <em>Circus pygargus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Hannu Salmi</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Snowy owl, Fin: Tunturipöllö, Lat: <em>Bubo scandiacus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Western marsh harrier, Fin: Ruskosuohaukka, Lat: <em>Circus aeruginosus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Hannu Salmi</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: White stork, Fin: Kattohaikara, Lat: <em>Ciconia ciconia</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Whooper swan, Fin: Laulujoutsen, Lat: <em>Cygnus cygnus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Willow tit, Fin: Hömötiainen, Lat: <em>Poecile montanus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Eastern slow worm, Fin: Vaskitsa, Lat: <em>Anguis colchica</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: European adder, Fin: Kyykäärme, Lat: <em>Vipera berus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Grass snake, Fin: Rantakäärme, Lat: <em>Natrix natrix</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Marsh frog, Fin: Mölysammakko, Lat: <span><em><span>Pelophylax ridibundus</span></em></span><span><span> </span></span><span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Moor frog, Fin: Viitasammakko, Lat: <em><span>Rana arvalis </span></em><span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Northern crested newt, Fin: Rupilisko, Lat: </span><span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Triturus cristatus</span></em></span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span>Eng: Smooth newt, Fin: Vesilisko, Lat: <em>Lissotriton vulgaris</em> <span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Toad, Fin: Rupikonna, Lat: <em>Bufo bufo</em> <span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Asp, Fin: Toutain, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Leuciscus aspius </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European eel, Fin: Ankerias, Lat: <em>Anguilla anguilla</em> – Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span>Eng: Snakeblemmy, Fin: Elaska, Lat: <em>Lumpenus lampretaeformis</em> – </span><span lang="EN-US">Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Spined loach, Fin: Rantanuoliainen, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Cobitis taenia</span></em><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Wels catfish, Fin: Monni, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Silurus glanis </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Bladderwrack, Black tang, Rockweed, Sea grapes, Bladder fucus, etc., Fin: Rakkolevä, Lat: <em>Fucus vesiculosus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Otto Latva and Kirsi Sonck-Rautio</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Blue-green algae, Fin: Sinilevät, Lat: <em>Cyanobacteria</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European medicinal leech, Fin: Verijuotikas, Lat: <em>Hirudo medicinalis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Freshwater pearl mussel, Fin: Jokihelmisimpukka, Lat: <em>Margaritifera margaritifera</em> <span>– Data Collector: Otto Latva</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common hazel, Fin: Euroopanpähkinäpensas, Lat: <em>Corylus avellana</em> – Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European crab apple or European wild apple, Fin: Metsäomena, Lat: <em>Malus sylvestris</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European white elm, Fluttering elm, Spreading elm, Stately elm, or Russian elm, Fin: Kynäjalava, Lat: <em>Ulmus laevis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Horse chesnut, Fin: Hevoskastanja, Lat: <em>Aesculus hippocastanum</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Rugosa rose, Beach rose, Japanese rose, Ramanas rose, or Letchberry, Fin: Kurtturuusu, Lat: <em>Rosa Rugosa</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Siberian pine, Fin: Sembramänty, Lat: <em>Pinus cembra sibrica</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Silja Laine and Verna Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Small-leaved lime or Small-leaved linden, Fin: Metsälehmus, Lat: <em>Tilia cordata</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: White willow, Fin: Hopeasalava, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Salix alba ‘sibirica’ </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Wych elm or Scots elm, Fin: Vuorijalava, Lat: <em>Ulmus glabra</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine </span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Calypso orchid, Fairy slipper, or Venus’s slippe, Fin: Neidonkenkä, Lat: <em>Calypso bulbosa</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common reed, Fin: Järviruoko, Lat: <em>Phragmites australis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng, Eastern pasqueflower or Cutleaf anemone, Fin: Hämeenkylmäkukka, Lat: <em>Pulsatilla patens</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Ghost orchid, Fin: Metsänemä, Lat: <em>Epipogium aphyllum</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Great manna grass, Reed mannagrass, Reed sweet-grass, or Greater sweet-grass, Fin: Isosorsimo, Lat: <em>Glyceria maxima</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Lady’s-slipper, Fin: Tikankontti, Lat: <em>Cypripedium calceolus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Moonworts, Fin: Noidanlukot, Lat: <em>Botrychium</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Red helleborine, Fin: Punavalkku, Lat: <em>Cehalanthera rubra</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Spring pasqueflower, Arctic violet, or Lady of the snows, Fin: Kangasvuokko, Lat: <em>Pulsatilla vernalis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> </ol> <p><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
format Recurso digital
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institution Zenodo
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publisher Zenodo
record_format zenodo
spellingShingle The Dataset for the Fauna et Flora Fennica project - Historical sighting data for 72 animals, plants, and bacteria found in Finland between 1800 and 1969
Latva, Otto
Lähdesmäki, Heta
Jämsä, Aino
Laine, Silja
Kallioniemi, Noora
Rantala, Heli
Salmi, Hannu
Uusitalo, Harri
Sonck-Rautio, Kirsi
Latva, Johanna
Tiilikainen, Tiina
Sundell, Nina
Haanpää, Jenni
Lahdenniemi, Elina
Laine, Verna
Lindberg, Pelle
Nissinen, Tiina
Rantanen, Henna
Saurio, Miriam
Selin, Lotta
Tiempo, Nina
Vaskivuori, Sonja
Venäläinen, Emilia Morfin
Vilkkula, Petra
Kyyrö, Jere
Biodiversity
History
Species distribution
Press data
Finnish nature
<p><em><span lang="EN-US">The Dataset for the Fauna et Flora Fennica project - Historical sighting data for 72 animals, plants, and bacteria found in Finland between 1800 and 1969 </span></em><span lang="EN-US">dataset contains material collected in the <em>Fauna et Flora Fennica</em> research project. The aim of the project was to renew the understanding of species that have inhabited the Finnish region by providing more comprehensive information on the historical occurrence of different species. We have traced this information from Finnish and Swedish newspapers and magazines published in Finland from the 19th century up to the late 1960s, digitized by the National Library of Finland (the amount of the digitized press material by the end of the project was nearly 28 million pages). In addition, historical information has also been sought from issues of Finnish journals <em>Luonnon Tutkija</em> and <em>Suomen Luonto</em> digitized in projects led by Otto Latva, which are not yet available in the digital archive of the National Library of Finland. Both of the above-mentioned journals are Finnish-language natural science magazines that publish articles on biology.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-US">The reason why we have defined the material to cover the period from the 19th century to the 1960s is that the first newspapers and magazines in the Finnish region were not published until the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, and various observations of nature were not written into them until the 19th century. Our time frame ends in the 1960s, as more effective methods and models for studying species distribution became common in the latter half of the 20th century, and the threat status of species began to be monitored regularly in Finland as early as the 1980s.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-US">Furthermore, in our two-year research project, we have not been able to examine the historical distribution data for all organisms found in Finland, as the digitised press material provides far too much information to process in two years. There are over 40,000 species living in Finland, and even if we exclude fungi, bacteria and viruses, as well as those that only have a Latin scientific name, there are still 13,782 animal and plant species left. For this reason, we selected 80 species for the <em>Fauna et Flora Fennica</em> project that are known to have undergone changes in their distribution or that are classified as rare, endangered, newcomer or invasive in Finland. We also wanted to examine species that have caused debate or conflict either now or in the past. In addition, we selected some species for examination based on suggestions from biologists who were partners in the project.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-US">Of all 80 species examined in the <em>Fauna et Flora Fennica</em> project, we were able to compile datasets containing geospatial data for a total of 72 different species. It must be emphasized that these contain sightings recorded in the press, often made by ordinary people. Among them, of course, there are also more formal observations published by natural scientists. The development of the press also influenced which species sightings were made public through the press. In the northernmost parts of Finland, for instance, the first newspapers were not established before the very end of the 19th century. It was therefore not possible to publish species sightings as comprehensively in newspapers in the 19th century as it was in the 20th century, when the number of newspapers and magazines in Finland began to grow rapidly. In addition, the press often considered only unusual species observations, or those of species that significantly affected people’s everyday lives, to be worth reporting. Therefore, by no means all of the species sightings made by people living in the Finnish region from the 19<sup>th</sup> century to the 1960s ended up in newspapers and magazines. People also reported far more frequently on mammals and birds, while sightings concerning, for example, insects, arachnids, or plants appear far less often in the press material.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-GB">The material was collected in the <em>Fauna et Flora Fennica</em> research project funded by the Alfred Kordelin Foundation in 2023–2025, and based on it, among other things, the openly accessible work <em>Suomalaisten lajien historiallinen kartasto </em>(In English: <em>Historical Atlas of Finnish Species)</em> (2025) has been published: </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://edition.fi/thy/catalog/book/1176"><span>https://edition.fi/thy/catalog/book/1176</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB">. For this book, we have created distribution maps for different species using the geospatial data contained in these CSV files.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-US">CSV files contain 9 columns with the following information in order: </span></p> <ol> <li><span lang="EN-US">Year of sighting</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Location (the exact location of the observation, e.g., name of village or body of water)</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Description of the location (tells whether the location is, for example, a lake or river, or which city or municipality the location of the sighting belongs to)</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Press source and publication date</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">URL (digital press sources are available to everyone until the 1940s. To view more recent press material, you need to have credentials from a Finnish university or research institute)</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Latitude</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Longitude</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Geodetic system</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></li> </ol> <p><span lang="EN-US">Below is a list of all 72 species with their English, Finnish, and Latin names, as well as the names of everyone who participated in collecting observation data for each species. The species are divided as follows: Mammals (CSV files 1–15), Birds (CSV files 15–37), Reptiles and <span lang="EN-US">amphibians (CSV files 38–45), Fishes (CSV files 46–50), Molluscs, annelids, algae and bacteria (CSV files 51–54), Woody plants </span><span lang="EN-US">(CSV files 55–63) and Herbaceous plants (CSV files 64–72)</span></span></p> <ul> <li><span lang="EN-US">Note: <em>Historical distribution data is available for all species except moose and whooper swans for the entire time period. We only collected distribution data for moose and whooper swans from the 19th century, as the data for these species became too extensive in the 20th century.</em></span></li> </ul> <ol> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Arctic fox, Fin: Naali, Lat: <em>Vulpes lagopus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Noora Kallioniemi, Otto Latva and Johanna Latva</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common raccoon dog, Fin: Supikoira, Lat: <em>Nyctereutes procyonoides</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian pygmy shrew, Fin: Vaivaispäästäinen, Lat: <em>Sorex minutus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: European mink, Fin: Vesikko, Lat: <em>Mustela lutreola</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Finnish forest reindeer, Fin: Metsäpeura, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Rangifer tarandus fennicus </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Garden dormouse, Fin: Tammihiiri, Lat: <em>Eliomys quercinus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng, Grey seal, Fin: Harmaahylje, Lat: <em><span>Halichoerus grypus </span></em>– Data Collector: Noora Kallioniemi</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Moose or Elk, Fin: Hirvi, Lat: <em>Alces alces</em> – Data Collectors: Otto Latva and Heli Rantala</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Northern birch mouse, Fin: Koivuhiiri, Lat: <em><span>Sicista betulina</span></em><span> – Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Siberian flying squirrel, Fin: Liito-orava, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Pteromys volans </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></li> <li><span>Eng: White-tailed deer, Fin: Valkohäntäkauris, Lat: <em>Odocoileus virginianus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Wild boar, Fin: Villisika, Lat: <em>Sus scrofa</em> <span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Wolf, Fin: Susi, Lat: <em>Canis lupus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Heta Lähdesmäki, Otto Latva, Noora Kallioniemi, Harri Uusitalo, Silja Laine, Nina Sundell, Tiina Tiilikainen, Johanna Latva, Jenna Haanpää, Verna Laine, Elina Lahdenniemi, Pelle Lindberg, Tiina Nissinen, Henna Rantala, Lotta Selin, Nina Tiempo, Sonja Vaskivuori and Petra Vilkkula</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Wood lemming, Fin: Metsäsopuli, Lat: <em>Myodes schisticolor</em> <span>– Data Collector: Heli Rantala</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Black tern, Fin: Mustatiira, Lat: <em>Chlidonias niger</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Miriam Saurio </span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common kingfisher, Fin: Kuningaskalastaja, Lat: <em>Alcedo atthis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common pochard, Fin: Punasotka, Lat: <em><span>Aythya ferina </span></em><span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common shelduck, Fin: Ristisorsa, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Tadorna tadorna</span></em><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></li> <li><span>Eng: Crested tit, Fin: Töyhtötiainen, Lat: <em>Lophophanes cristatus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Emilia Morfin Venäläinen</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian bittern, Fin: Kaulushaikara, Lat: <em>Botaurus stellaris</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian nuthatch, Fin: Pähkinänakkeli, Lat: <em>Sitta europaea</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Emilia Morfin Venäläinen</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian pygmy owl, Fin: Varpuspöllö, Lat: <em>Glaucidium passerinum</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Eurasian treecreeper, Fin: Puukiipijä, Lat: <em>Certhia familiaris</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Emilia Morfin Venäläinen</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Eurasian tree sparrow, Fin: Pikkuvarpunen, Lat: <em>Passer m. montanus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European roller, Fin: Sininärhi, Lat: <em>Coracias garrulus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European turtle dove, Fin: Turturikyyhky, Lat: <em>Streptopelia turtur</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Great cormorant, Fin: Merimetso, Lat: <em>Phalacrocorax carbo</em> <span>– Data Collector: Otto Latva</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Grey Heron, Fin: Harmaahaikara, Lat: <em>Ardea cinerea</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Hawfinch, Fin: Nokkavarpunen, Lat: <em>Coccothraustes coccothraustes</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Hoopoe, Fin: Harjalintu, Lat: <em>Upupa epops</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Long-tailed tit, Fin: Pyrstötiainen, Lat: <em>Aegithalos caudatus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä and Emilia Morfin Venäläinen</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Montagu’s harrier, Fin: Niittysuohaukka, Lat: <em>Circus pygargus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Hannu Salmi</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Snowy owl, Fin: Tunturipöllö, Lat: <em>Bubo scandiacus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Western marsh harrier, Fin: Ruskosuohaukka, Lat: <em>Circus aeruginosus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Hannu Salmi</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: White stork, Fin: Kattohaikara, Lat: <em>Ciconia ciconia</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Whooper swan, Fin: Laulujoutsen, Lat: <em>Cygnus cygnus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Willow tit, Fin: Hömötiainen, Lat: <em>Poecile montanus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Eastern slow worm, Fin: Vaskitsa, Lat: <em>Anguis colchica</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: European adder, Fin: Kyykäärme, Lat: <em>Vipera berus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Grass snake, Fin: Rantakäärme, Lat: <em>Natrix natrix</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Marsh frog, Fin: Mölysammakko, Lat: <span><em><span>Pelophylax ridibundus</span></em></span><span><span> </span></span><span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span>Eng: Moor frog, Fin: Viitasammakko, Lat: <em><span>Rana arvalis </span></em><span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Northern crested newt, Fin: Rupilisko, Lat: </span><span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Triturus cristatus</span></em></span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span>Eng: Smooth newt, Fin: Vesilisko, Lat: <em>Lissotriton vulgaris</em> <span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Toad, Fin: Rupikonna, Lat: <em>Bufo bufo</em> <span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Asp, Fin: Toutain, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Leuciscus aspius </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European eel, Fin: Ankerias, Lat: <em>Anguilla anguilla</em> – Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span>Eng: Snakeblemmy, Fin: Elaska, Lat: <em>Lumpenus lampretaeformis</em> – </span><span lang="EN-US">Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Spined loach, Fin: Rantanuoliainen, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Cobitis taenia</span></em><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Wels catfish, Fin: Monni, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Silurus glanis </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Bladderwrack, Black tang, Rockweed, Sea grapes, Bladder fucus, etc., Fin: Rakkolevä, Lat: <em>Fucus vesiculosus</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Otto Latva and Kirsi Sonck-Rautio</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Blue-green algae, Fin: Sinilevät, Lat: <em>Cyanobacteria</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European medicinal leech, Fin: Verijuotikas, Lat: <em>Hirudo medicinalis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Harri Uusitalo</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Freshwater pearl mussel, Fin: Jokihelmisimpukka, Lat: <em>Margaritifera margaritifera</em> <span>– Data Collector: Otto Latva</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common hazel, Fin: Euroopanpähkinäpensas, Lat: <em>Corylus avellana</em> – Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European crab apple or European wild apple, Fin: Metsäomena, Lat: <em>Malus sylvestris</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: European white elm, Fluttering elm, Spreading elm, Stately elm, or Russian elm, Fin: Kynäjalava, Lat: <em>Ulmus laevis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Horse chesnut, Fin: Hevoskastanja, Lat: <em>Aesculus hippocastanum</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Rugosa rose, Beach rose, Japanese rose, Ramanas rose, or Letchberry, Fin: Kurtturuusu, Lat: <em>Rosa Rugosa</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Siberian pine, Fin: Sembramänty, Lat: <em>Pinus cembra sibrica</em> <span>– Data Collectors: Silja Laine and Verna Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Small-leaved lime or Small-leaved linden, Fin: Metsälehmus, Lat: <em>Tilia cordata</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: White willow, Fin: Hopeasalava, Lat: </span><em><span lang="EN-GB">Salix alba ‘sibirica’ </span></em><span lang="EN-US">– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Wych elm or Scots elm, Fin: Vuorijalava, Lat: <em>Ulmus glabra</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine </span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Calypso orchid, Fairy slipper, or Venus’s slippe, Fin: Neidonkenkä, Lat: <em>Calypso bulbosa</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Common reed, Fin: Järviruoko, Lat: <em>Phragmites australis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Silja Laine</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng, Eastern pasqueflower or Cutleaf anemone, Fin: Hämeenkylmäkukka, Lat: <em>Pulsatilla patens</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Ghost orchid, Fin: Metsänemä, Lat: <em>Epipogium aphyllum</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Great manna grass, Reed mannagrass, Reed sweet-grass, or Greater sweet-grass, Fin: Isosorsimo, Lat: <em>Glyceria maxima</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Lady’s-slipper, Fin: Tikankontti, Lat: <em>Cypripedium calceolus</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Moonworts, Fin: Noidanlukot, Lat: <em>Botrychium</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Red helleborine, Fin: Punavalkku, Lat: <em>Cehalanthera rubra</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> <li><span lang="EN-US">Eng: Spring pasqueflower, Arctic violet, or Lady of the snows, Fin: Kangasvuokko, Lat: <em>Pulsatilla vernalis</em> <span>– Data Collector: Aino Jämsä</span></span></li> </ol> <p><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
title The Dataset for the Fauna et Flora Fennica project - Historical sighting data for 72 animals, plants, and bacteria found in Finland between 1800 and 1969
topic Biodiversity
History
Species distribution
Press data
Finnish nature
url https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17192105

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