Hanski

Hanski is a surname of Finnish origin. It is found among Finnish-speaking populations and is associated with several individuals, most notably in the field of ecology.

Ilkka Hanski (1953–2016) was a Finnish ecologist and professor of ecology at the University of Helsinki. He was a leading figure in metapopulation ecology, developing a formal framework for how populations persist across fragmented habitats through colonization and extinction dynamics. His work extended theoretical models of metapopulations and helped shape contemporary biodiversity research. Hanski authored Metapopulation Ecology (1999), a foundational text in the field. He conducted extensive empirical research using the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) in the Åland Islands as a model system, providing long-term data that linked theory with real-world population dynamics. His contributions have influenced conservation biology, landscape ecology, and the broader understanding of how spatial structure affects species persistence.