Dr Saana Isojunno
Senior Research Fellow
Research areas
Dr Saana Isojunno is a behavioural ecologist whose research explores how animals perceive and respond to their environment, and how this knowledge can be applied to address practical conservation and management needs. Her work combines ecological theory, empirical data, and quantitative modelling to understand wildlife responses to environmental change and human activities.
Much of her research has been motivated by the challenge of balancing species conservation with growing human demands on ecosystems. As part of the Impact Assessment Team in CREEM, she develops approaches that integrate ecological understanding and uncertainty into decision-support tools for spatial planning, ecological risk assessment, and sustainable management.
PhD supervision
- Grace Edmondson
Selected publications
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Predicting individual body length, volume, and mass from dominant stroke cycle frequency in sperm whales: empirical cross-validation and prediction functions
Burslem, A., Isojunno, S., Prieto, R., Silva, M. A. & Miller, P. J. O., Apr 2026, In: Marine Mammal Science. 42, 2, p. 1-4 4 p., e70144.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Relative risk to seabirds from future offshore wind energy developments in Danish waters: Spatial distribution and cumulative development scenarios
Isojunno, S., Scott-Hayward, L., Lunde Pedersen, C., Thomsen, H., Frederiksen, M., Bregnballe, T., Sterup, J., Nielsen, R. D., Skovbjerg Balsby, T. J., MacKenzie, M. & Krag Petersen, I., 20 Jan 2026, Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University, DCE – Danish Centre for Environment and Energy. 101 p. (Technical report from DCE, Danish Centre for Environment and Energy; no. 331)Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
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Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758
Isojunno, S., Kershaw, J., Onoufriou, A., Pirotta, E. & Rendell, L., 6 Jul 2026, Handbook of the Mammals of Europe. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00281-7: Springer NatureResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
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Behavioral Response Research Review
Harris, C. M., Isojunno, S. & Thomas, L., 26 Feb 2025, (Unpublished) 39 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
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Open access
Behavioural response thresholds for the assessment of noise impact on Antarctic marine mammal species
Darias-O'Hara, A. K., Booth, C. G., Erbe, C., Isojunno, S., Janik, V. M., Lucke, K., Southall, B. L., Tougaard, J., von Benda-Beckmann, A. M. & Verfuss, U. K., Sept 2025, In: Marine Policy. 179, p. 1-11 11 p., 106738.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Distance matters to sperm whales: behavioural disturbance in response to both sonar received level and source distance
Wensveen, P. J., Isojunno, S., Kvadsheim, P. H., Lam, F.-P. A., Curé, C., von Benda-Beckmann, A. M. & Miller, P. J. O., 1 May 2025, In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. 214, 11 p., 117742.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Estimating total body lipid store of free-ranging whales in-vivo using drone photogrammetry and biologging tags
Burslem, A., Isojunno, S., Prieto, R., Silva, M. A. & Miller, P. J. O., Dec 2025, In: Ecology and Evolution. 15, 12, p. 1-14 14 p., e72472.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Mapping relative risk to seabirds from offshore wind energy developments in Danish waters
Isojunno, S., Scott-Hayward, L., Lunde Pedersen, C., Thomsen, H., Chetcuti, J., Frederiksen, M., Bregnballe, T., Sterup, J., Nielsen, R. D., MacKenzie, M. & Krag Petersen, I., Jan 2025, Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University, DCE – Danish Centre for Environment and Energy. 101 p. (Technical report from DCE, Danish Centre for Environment and Energy; no. 331)Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
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Open access
Naval sonar induces an anaerobic swimming gait in beaked whales
Martín López, L. M., Isojunno, S., Cade, D., Colson, K., Paradinas, I., Miller, P. J. O., Fahlman, A., Hickmott, L. S. & Visser, F., 5 Nov 2025, In: Scientific Reports. 15, p. 1-13 13 p., 38686 .Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Severity Scoring of Sperm Whale Behavioral Responses to an Operational Sonar Source Reveals Importance of Received Level and Source-Receiver Distance
Curé, C., Isojunno, S., Wensveen, P. J., Siemensma, M. L., von Benda-Beckmann, A. M., Kvadsheim, P. H., Burslem, A., Benti, B., Roland, R., Lam, F. P. A. & Miller, P. J. O., 2025, In: Aquatic Mammals. 51, 5, p. 8-27 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review