Personal Info

What he does

Lech's research interests focus mainly on the Systematics (Taxonomy & Phylogeny) and Evolutionary biology, but also include Biogeography and Ecology of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of the Palaearctic region. He is particularly interested in fauna of arid and semi-arid ecosystems of Central Asia, as defined by UNESCO [(Soviet Central Asia = Middle Asia) + Afghanistan + NW China (Xinjiang & Inner Mongolia) + Mongolia] and to a lesser extent the adjacent areas (the Caucasus, Iran, and southern Republics of Russia – Altai, Tuva, Buryatia). Lech mainly works in the tribes Callidiini and Trachyderini (Cerambycinae), and Dorcadionini (Lamiinae).

Dr. Karpiński completed his PhD in the Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in October 2017 (having finished his MS there in 2012). He is currently employed in the Laboratory of Systematics, Zoogeography and Ecology of Invertebrates, Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, at the position of Assistant Professor.

Grants & Awards

[10] Ring species and mixed geographic modes of speciation: what drives evolution of flightless arthropods in the Central Asian arid zone – using an extremely diverse tribe Dorcadionini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) as a model group

• Awarded May 2023

• Total funding: PLN 1,085,276 [~USD 260,000]

• Funding agency: National Science Centre, Poland (SONATA 18 [2022/47/D/NZ8/01956])

• Principal investigator: Lech Karpiński, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS

• Targeted countries: Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan

• Co-investigators: several scientific institutions

[9] Diversity of the terrestrial arthropods of the Trans-Altai Gobi and their response to livestock grazing

• Awarded March 2023

• Total funding: PLN 6,000

• Funding agency: Polish Academy of Sciences & Mongolian Academy of Sciences

• Nominee: Lech Karpiński, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS

• Targeted country: Mongolia

• Co-investigator: Davaadorj Enkhnasan (Mongolian Academy of Sciences)

[8] Diversity of the invertebrate fauna of the Mongolian Altai and the impact of livestock grazing intensity on its preservation

• Awarded April 2022

• Total funding: PLN 5,500

• Funding agency: Polish Academy of Sciences & Mongolian Academy of Sciences

• Nominee: Lech Karpiński, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS

• Targeted country: Mongolia

• Co-investigator: Davaadorj Enkhnasan (Mongolian Academy of Sciences)

[7] Longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of the tribes Trachyderini, Callidiini (Cerambycinae), and Dorcadionini (Lamiinae) of Central Asia

• Awarded May 2022

• Total funding: USD 1,750

• Funding agency: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology (Ernst Mayr Travel Grants)

• Nominee: Lech Karpiński, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS

• Targeted country: Mongolia

• Co-investigator: Davaadorj Enkhnasan (Mongolian Academy of Sciences)

[6] Sunflower shell diversity: what drives Eodorcadion (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) speciation in Mongolian plains

• Awarded December 2021

• Total funding: USD 25,000

• Funding agency: Fulbright Program (Fulbright Senior Award 2022-23)

• Nominee: Lech Karpiński, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS

• Targeted country: USA

• Co-investigator: Anthony Cognato (Michigan State University)

[5] Cutting the Gordian Knot: Taxonomic revision of the genus Purpuricenus Dejean, 1821 (Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Trachyderini) from the western Palaearctic region

• Awarded July 2021

• Total funding: ~EUR 7,500

• Funding agency: European Commission (SYNTHESYS+)

• Nominee: Lech Karpiński, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS

• Targeted country: France

• Co-investigator: Olivier Montreuil (National Museum of Natural History, France)

[4] Taxonomic revision of the genus Anoplistes Serville, 1834 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

• Awarded June 2019

• Total funding: ~HUF 500,000

• Funding agency: European Commission (SYNTHESYS+)

• Nominee: Lech Karpiński, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS

• Targeted country: Hungary

• Co-investigator: Ottó Merkl (Hungarian Natural History Museum)

[3] Research visit in Canadian National Collection of Insects (CNC)

• Awarded February 2019

• Total funding: CAD 1,620

• Funding agency: CanaColl Grants

• Nominee: Lech Karpiński, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS

• Targeted country: Canada

• Co-investigator: Vasily Grebennikov (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)

[2] Assessment of the suitability of individual groups of terrestrial arthropods as bioindicators of the impact of livestock grazing intensity in the arid zone of Mongolia

• Awarded September 2018

• Total funding: PLN 18,894

• Funding agency: National Science Centre, Poland (MINIATURA 2 [2018/02/X/NZ8/00235])

• Principal investigator: Lech Karpiński, Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS

• Targeted country: Mongolia

• Co-investigator: Bazartseren Boldgiv (National University of Mongolia)

[1] The importance of dead wood in the biodiversity preservation of saproxylic representatives of longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the selected nature reserves in the Silesian Voivodeship

• Awarded April 2014

• Total funding: PLN 7,900

• Funding agency: Ministry of Science and Higher Education – Grants for Young Scientists [ZFIN00000040, 1M-0113-001-1-01]

• Principal investigator: Lech Karpiński, University of Silesia in Katowice

• Targeted country: Poland

Scholarships

• 2015/2016: Pro-quality scholarship granted by the Rector of the University of Silesia (Poland)

• 2014/2015: Pro-quality scholarship granted by the Rector of the University of Silesia (Poland)

Internships Abroad

[2] Michigan State University, USA

• August 2022–February 2023 (6 months)

• Sunflower shell diversity: what drives Eodorcadion (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) speciation in Mongolian plains

[1] National University of Mongolia, Mongolia

• August 2015 (1 month)

• Insects of Mongolia: taxonomy, life cycles and host plants