Joint ESENIAS and DIAS Scientific Conference and 8th ESENIAS Workshop

Management and sharing of IAS data to support knowledge-based decision making at regional level

 RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST (ICUB), FACULTY OF BIOLOGY (FB) AND BOTANIC GARDEN, „D. BRANDZA” (GBDB) OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST (UB),  EAST AND SOUTH EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES (ESENIAS), DANUBE REGION INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES NETWORK (DIAS), In collaboration with: INSTITUTE OF BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH, BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (IBER-BAS)

Networking and cooperation on invasive alien species (IAS) in different scales is crucial for the collection, harmonisaiton, standardisation, management and sharing of sufficient, high-quality and up-to-date scientific information. Recently, several joint research projects have been implemented in order to collect and analyse IAS data at regional level. The largest project conducted by the ESENIAS countries is the ESENIAS-TOOLS project:East and South European Network for Invasive Alien Species – A tool to support the management of alien species in Bulgaria (2015-2017). This project aimed at networking and development of IAS tools to support the management of alien species in Bulgaria and in the overall region. Some of the outcomes of the ESENIAS-TOOLS project include: compilation of lists of alien species; collection of data on alien marine, freshwater and terrestrial plants, fungi and animal species; and prioritisation of species and preparation of lists of priority species for the ESENIAS region. The project ‘Potential threats to environmental and economic sustainability in the Danube and Black Sea Region: Danube River as invasive alien species corridor’ has been conducted since 2012, by the IBER-BAS, and supported by the International Association of Danube Research (IAD), ESENIAS, and recently by DIAS. Another DIAS project was implemented in the period 2016-2017: Pilot-study (data collection) on invasive alien species in the Danube Region with a smartphone application developed by the Joint Ressearch Centre (JRC) (Danube-IASapp project). The practical use of the smartphone application was tested by gathering of data on invasive alien species of EU concern to assist in monitoring and early detection of IAS in the Danube River basin. The achieved results and data within these projects will be further analysed and managed by the newly developed tools, and thus, will contribute to implementation of the existing IAS instruments and development of the Danube Region IAS strategy and workplan.

This conference entitled ’Management and sharing of IAS data to support knowledge-based decision making at regional level’ is the second conference organised jointly by the ESENIAS and DIAS. The conference aims at:

• Presentation of research results from the recent ESENIAS and DIAS project activities

• Sharing of results and information on other IAS related initiatives carried out in the region, such as national and local monitoring programmes, risk assessments, pathway analyses and action plans, control and eradication projects, management plans and national strategies, citizens activities and responsibilities, data planning and management
• Networking and cooperation among scientists in the ESENIAS and DIAS regions and with other networks and projects in Europe.

Scientific Topics

1. 1.Invasive alien species traits and trends – invasive alien species introductions and spread, biological and ecological characteristics; characteristics of recipient environment; invasive alien species and climate change
2. 2.Vectors and pathways for invasive alien species introductions – analysis, prioritisation, action plans
3. 3.The Danube River as invasive alien species corridor – priority species for the Danube Region, impact on threatened species, specificity of biological invasions in Lower, Middle and Upper Danube River sections
4. 4.Invasive alien species impact – impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services, socioeconomic impact and impact on human health; pests and pathogens
5. 5.Invasive alien species prevention and management–early detection and rapid eradication, surveillance systems;risk assessment and horizon scanning; control measures; restoration of damaged ecosystems; education, citizen science, strategies, policy and legislation;
6. 6.Management and sharing of IAS data – IAS networks and information systems, databases, data planning and management.

Management and sharing of IAS data will be also the main topic of the 8th ESENIAS Workshop. Possibilites for extending, maintanance and improvement of the ESENIAS database will be discussed at a brainstorming session.

Important Information

The official language of the conference will be English.

Authors are invited to submit their contributions related to one or more of the scientific topics given above. The scientific presentations will be oral or poster. Each presentation should indicate the most appropriate topic. The number of scientific contributions by an author is limited to two.

All contributions will be reviewed by the Scientific Committee. The Scientific Committee reserves the right to change the scientific topic and form of presentation (oral/ poster) in case of thematic consideration or timing.

Publications

Abstracts accepted for presentation will be published in a Book of Abstracts (in electronic and printed form).

The authors are invited to submit full papers for publication in Transylvanian Review of Systematical and Ecological Research (TRSER) (http://stiinte.ulbsibiu.ro/trser/index.html) or in Acta Oecologica Carpatica(http://reviste.ulbsibiu.ro/ actaoc/index.html). Botanical papers could be published in Acta Horti Botanici Bucurestiensis (https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/ahbb).

Registration

The registration form can be downloaded from the ESENIAS website www.esenias.org. Please, send your filled form to: esenias2018@gmail.com.

Registration Fee is Not Required!

Abstract Submission

The abstract form can be downloaded from the ESENIAS website www.esenias.org. Abstracts prepared according to the instructions for publishing should be sent to: esenias2018@gmail.com.

Key Due Dates

Abstract submission:                       01 August 2018

Registration                                     20 August 2018

Full paper submission:                    15 September 2018

More information about publishing and information about accommodation and travel will be available at the ESENIAS website www.esenias.org.

Contact:

esenias2018@gmail.com

For registration, abstract submission, full paper submission,

accommodation and travel information