Thewildlife of Finland is affected by prevailing environmental conditions. Thephytogeography of Finland is shared between the Arctic, central European, and northern European provinces of theCircumboreal Region within theBoreal Kingdom. The territory of Finland can be subdivided into threeecoregions: theScandinavian and Russian taiga,Sarmatic mixed forests, andScandinavian montane birch forest and grasslands. Taiga covers most of Finland from northern regions of southern provinces to the north of Lapland. On the southwestern coast, south of the Helsinki-Rauma line, forests are mixed as is more typical in the Baltic region. In the extreme north of Finland, near thetree line and Arctic Ocean, montane birch forests are common.
Thehabitat types of Finland have been divided into eight groups by prevailing environmental conditions, and by the plant and animal species typical of such areas. The groups consist of habitat types of the Baltic Sea, its coast, inland waters and shores, mires, forests, rocky habitats, traditional rural biotopes and fell habitats.[1]
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The number of species living in Finland has been estimated to be at least 45,000. Knownfauna consists of 27,000 species, flora of 4,500 species and fungi 7,500 species. The largest group is insects, over 20,000 identified species and an estimated total 30,000 species total.[2]The following estimates of numbers of species in groups are primarily based on the 2010 Red List of Finnish Species.[3]
In all, 468 species of birds have been observed. Of these, 256 are nesting species.[2] The most common breeding birds are thewillow warbler,common chaffinch, andredwing.[4] Thewhooper swan is Finland's national bird.[5]
A total of 80 species of mammals have been observed in Finland.[2] TheSaimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) is an endemic subspecies restricted toLake Saimaa.[6]
In 2015 assessment of endangered Finnish bird and mammal species, mammal species classified as threatened includedNatterer's bat (Myotis nattereriendangered),Nathusius' pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusi vulnerable),Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus critically endangered),gray wolf (Canis lupus endangered),wolverine (Gulo gulo endangered),European polecat (Mustela putorius vulnerable) andSaimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis endangered).[7]
Over 20,000 species of insects have been identified in Finland. These include[2]
Insects unique to Finland include a leafroller mothExapate bicuspidella, a grass-miner mothElachista saarelai, a braconid waspPhaenocarpa ungulosetosa, an ichneumon waspFennomacrus koponeni, and a chalcidoid waspAnaphes crassipennis.[6]
A total of 3,550 species ofvascular plants, 892bryophytes and 1832lichens have been identified in Finland.[2]
The only endemic vascular plants in Finland are microspecies ofdandelions andhawkweeds.[6]
At the moment, 5584 species of Fungi and Myxomycetes (Protista) have been identified in Finland.[2] Roughly 200 species are edible, and people commonly pick around 10 species which are relatively easy to find and identify. It has been estimated that around 40% of people in Finland pick wild mushrooms multiple times a year.[8]
Finland's most important commercial varieties of forest mushrooms are cep (Boletus edulis) and northern milkcap (Lactarius trivialis).[9]
Fungi are further classified to
According to an evaluation finished in 2008, there are fewer than 400 habitats in Finland and 51% are endangered. The most seriously endangered habitats are 52, of which over half are traditional rural biotopes, such as meadows. The threat assessment was based on changes in the number and quality of the habitat type from the 1950s to the 2000s. According to the study, the main reasons for the threats to the habitat types were forestry, drainage for forestry (ditching), eutrophication of water bodies, clearing of agricultural land, and water engineering.[10]
Nature reserves, wilderness areas and hiking areas established on state-owned lands are the central parts of the protected area system in Finland. Almost all of these are included in the European Union's network ofNatura 2000 areas.[11] In 2012 Finland had 1,865 Natura 2000 areas, the combined area of which measures 49,000 km2 or 15% of Finland's territory.[12]