Simon Kärvemo

My research focus on factors affecting population dynamics of the spruce bark beetle Ips typographus across spatial scales, but I am also engaged in diverse projects including forest (and wetland) restorations, with a particular emphasis on understanding their implications for forest pests and biodiversity conservation. Occationally involved in herpetological projects focusing on fungal pathogens and implications on amphibians and reptiles. Presently, my main research areas involve the dynamics of bark beetle outbreaks, the efficacy of conservation areas, and how infestations affect forest biodiversity.

Mainly courses in entomology and herpetology (more information on the Swedish version)

- Bark beetles and forest conservation

- Rewetting and implications on bark beetle infestations and tree defence

- Landscapes and effects on biodiversity 

- Distribution of the snake fungal pathogens (Ophidiomyces ophiodicola) 

- Bornean rain forest restorations in a "one-health" perspective 

Previous master/candidate students:

Klara Tellebo, Swedish Univeristy of Agricultural Sciences (main supervisor)

Kate Baker, Uppsala University (main supervisor)

Maria Johansson, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (main supervisor)

Martin Westerling, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (main supervisor)

Evelina Andersson, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (main supervisor)

Patric Falck, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (main supervisor)

Ludvig Palmheden, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (main supervisor)

Filippa Hedenberg, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (associate supervisor)

Malin Karlsson, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (associate supervisor)

Gustav Wikström, Uppsala universitet (main supervisor)

David Jonsved, Uppsala universitet (main supervisor)

Anais Voisin, Stockholms universitet (associate supervisor)

Gustaf Pettersson, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (main supervisor)

Are you looking for a masterproject? Bark beetles and occationally herpetological projects. Are you interested in forest landscapes, spatial ecology, advanced R-coding or pathogenes, pest insects or biodiveristy? Send an email to simon.karvemo@slu.se

For a complete list of publications, see my Google Scholar profile

Schroeder, M., Knape, J. & Kärvemo, S. (2025). Rise and fall of a spruce bark beetle outbreak - Importance of colonisation density and reproductive success. Forest Ecology and Management (In press).

Kärvemo, S., Cocoş, D., Andersson, E., & Strengbom, J. (2025). Peeking under the bark: Within-tree densities of the spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) and its enemies in forest conservation areas. Forest Ecology and Management, 578, 122424.

Kyaschenko, J., Mielke, L., Jönsson, M., Hekkala, A. M., Kärvemo, S., Sjögren, J., ... & Strengbom, J. (2025). Complex relationship between soil fungi and conservation value assessments in boreal forests. Conservation Biology, e70012.

Schroeder, M., Kärvemo, S., Cocos, D., Öhrn, P., & Weslien, J. (2024). Winter mortality of the bark beetle Ips typographus in standing trees and in the ground. Agricultural and Forest Entomology.

Persson, H. J., Kärvemo, S., Lindberg, E., & Huo, L. (2024). Large-scale wall-to-wall mapping of bark beetle damage and forest practices using the distance red swir index and operational harvester data. Ecological Indicators, 162, 112036.

Elmberg, J., Palmheden, L., Edelstam, C., Hagman, M., & Kärvemo, S. (2024). Climate change-induced shifts in survival and size of the world's northernmost oviparous snake: A 68-year study. Plos one, 19(3), e0300363.

Kärvemo, S., Huo, L., Öhrn, P., Lindberg, E., & Persson, H. 2023. Different triggers, different stories: bark-beetle infestation patterns after storm and drought-induced outbreaks. Forest Ecology and Management. 

Hekkala, A. M., Jönsson, M., Kärvemo, S., Strengbom, J., & Sjögren, J. 2023. Habitat heterogeneity is a good predictor of boreal forest biodiversity. Ecological Indicators, 148: 110069.

Kärvemo, S., Schroeder, M. & Ranius, T. 2023. Beetle diversity in dead wood is lower in non-native tree species. Journal of Applied Ecology. 60:170-108

Multi-taxon conservation in northern forest hot-spots: the role of forest characteristics and spatial scales (2021). S. Kärvemo, M. Jönsson, AM. Hekkala, J. Sjögren & J, Strengbom. Landscape Ecology, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01205-x

Hekkala, A-M., Kärvemo, S., Versluijs, M., Weslien, J-O, Löfroth, T., Björkman, C. & Hjältén, J. (2020). Balancing conflicting goals: ecological restoration for biodiversity conservation and the response of bark beetles and their enemies.  Forestry 95: 115-126. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpaa016

Kärvemo, S., Wikström, G., Widenfalk, L., Höglund, J & Laurila, A. (2020). Chytrid dynamics and infection trade-offs with movement distances in a red-listed amphibian. Journal of Zoology. 311: 164-174

Kärvemo, S., Laurila, A. & Höglund, J. (2019). Urban environment and reservoir host species are associated with  Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection prevalence in the common toad. Diseases of aquatic organisms. 34: 33-42

Kärvemo, S., Meurling, S., Berger, D., Höglund, J. & Laurila, A. (2018). Effects of host species and environmental factors on the prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in northern Europe. PLOS One 13(10): e0199852. https://doi.
org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199852

Hallinger, M., Kärvemo, S., & Ranius, T. (2017). Does it pay to concentrate conservation efforts for dead-wood dependent insects close to existing reserves: a test on conservation planning in a Swedish region. Insect Conservation and Diversity. DOI: 10.1111/icad.12279

Kärvemo, S., Björkman, C., Johansson, T., Weslien, J-O, Hjältén, J. 2017. Forest restoration as a double-edged sword: the conflict between biodiversity conservation and pest control. Journal of Applied Ecology. 54: 1658-1668.

Kärvemo, S., Johansson, V., Schroeder, M. & Ranius, T. 2016. Colonisation-extinction dynamics of a tree-killing bark beetle. Ecosphere. 7:e01257.

Kärvemo, S., Rogell, B., & Schroeder, M. 2014. Dynamics of spruce bark beetle infestation spots: importance of local population size and landscape characteristics after a storm disturbance. Forest Ecology and Management. 334: 232-240.

Kärvemo, S., Van Boeckel, T.P., Gilbert, M., Grégoire, J-C., & Schroeder, M. 2014. Large-scale risk mapping of an eruptive bark beetle - Importance of forest susceptibility and beetle pressure. Forest Ecology and Management 318: 158-166.

Kärvemo, S., & Schroeder, L. M. 2010. A comparison of outbreak dynamics of the spruce bark beetle in Sweden and the mountain pine beetle in Canada (Curculionidae: Scolytinae). Entomologisk tidsskrift 131, nr 3, 215-242.