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Organizers: Jérémy Cours, Rémi Duflot, María Triviño

Code for submission: session1

Accelerating rates of environmental change and the continued loss of global biodiversity threaten critical ecosystem functions, and, in turn their related services provided to society. Biodiversity is considered as the foundation of ecosystem functioning and stability, as it affects the fluxes of nutrients, material and energy within and across ecosystems. We invite talks on research exploring the processes that connect biodiversity with ecosystem functions and services. We welcome studies from terrestrial (e.g., forests, peatlands, croplands) and aquatic (e.g., streams, rivers and lakes) ecosystems, as well as on their interactions (e.g., how forest management affects freshwater communities).

Contributions related to the theme are requested, covering topics such as:

• Biodiversity and resilience of ecosystem functions
• Biodiversity and stability of ecosystem services
• Importance of genetic and functional diversity in ecosystem functioning
• Beta- and gamma-biodiversity and landscape dynamics
• The role of biodiversity in enhancing forest multifunctionality
• Maintenance of ecosystem functions and services under future environmental change

Organizers: Otso Ovaskainen, Gleb Tikhonov, Sara Taskinen, Jarno Vanhatalo

Code for submission: session2

Ecological and evolutionary datasets often contain information simultaneously on multiple species. Many widely applied statistical approaches, such as species distribution modeling, consider the data on each species separately, thus failing to account for the many kinds of ecological and statistical dependencies that the species have on each other. Considering each species in isolation can lead to biased inference and restricts the set of questions that can be asked from multispecies data. In this session, we welcome contributions that present methodological advances in the analyses of multispecies data, including all fields of ecological and evolutionary biology.

Organizers: Ossi Nokelainen, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Otso Ovaskainen

Code for submission: session3

Citizen science, involving the public in scientific research, has become an invaluable approach in addressing pressing ecological challenges. With rapid environmental changes and biodiversity loss, engaging non-professional participants in data collection, observation, and analysis helps to broaden research capacity. Citizen science enriches ecological studies by providing large-scale data collection and obtaining a deeper understanding of ecosystems. We invite presentations exploring methodologies and outcomes of citizen science in ecological research, including hypothesis-driven small-scale works as well as larger ecosystem monitoring initiatives.

Contributions related to the theme are requested, covering topics such as:

• Technological innovations in citizen science.
• Data integration and quality control 
• Community involvement and knowledge co-production 
• Citizen science in monitoring biodiversity and environmental

Organizers: Jarno Vanhatalo, Päivi Sirkiä, Elina Numminen

Code for submission: session4

Degradation of biodiversity through global change has catalysed a general demand for biodiversity preserving policies and management. This is not possible without reliable information on quantitative biodiversity patterns and trends across spatial and temporal scales. However, for most taxonomic groups, and for biodiversity as whole, we still lack critically-validated monitoring methods for producing such information, as well as methods for estimating the uncertainties associated with it.

Existing individual monitoring programs also lack coordination both within countries, and taxon-specific assessments are rarely combined into holistic analyses of the general state of diversity. Furthermore, it is not clear what type of data should be collected for cost efficient biodiversity monitoring in the future. In this session, we welcome contributions that present methodological and conceptual advances in monitoring biodiversity for the purposes of policy and management.

Organizers: Nerea Abrego, Paulina Arancibia

Code for submission: session5

Experiments are critical for bridging theoretical and empirical research in ecology and evolution. Experimental (manipulative) approaches specifically designed to test causality related to hypothesized theoretical predictions, provide the most reliable way of linking theory with data. In this session, we invite presentations of studies testing ecological and/or evolutionary theory through any kind of experimental approaches (lab, greenhouse, or field experiments), at any level of organization (populations or communities). We also welcome presentations about methodological advancements of experimental approaches in ecology and evolution.

Organizers: Carlos Aguilar-Trigueros

Code for submission: session6

Microbes underpin key ecosystem processes and shape the population dynamics of plants and animals. Understanding and predicting the impact of microbial diversity is crucial for advancing ecological research. To achieve this, the field is increasingly adopting a functional or trait-based approach, which calls for innovative methods to quantify the effects of microbial diversity. This session invites contributions that focus on measuring microbial traits using -omics technologies, as well as morphological and physiological traits, to better predict ecological and evolutionary processes. We welcome studies on all microbial groups—including bacteria, fungi, algae, and protists—in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Organizers: Brendan Furneaux, Sten Anslan

Code for submission: session7

High-throughput sequencing of DNA and RNA from environmental samples provides high volumes of data about ecological communities. This can include efficient detection and identification of small and large species through eDNA, characterization of non-culturable microbial communities in complex substrates, and measurement of ecosystem functions through metatranscriptomics. In this session, we welcome presentations focusing on both methodology for environmental sequencing and ecological studies incorporating these techniques.

Organizers: Maiju Peura, Sami El Geneidy, Janne Kotiaho

Code for submission: session8

The biodiversity footprint measures the impact of human activities on nature. Human activities are essentially the production and consumption of goods and services that may be assessed from individuals and organizations to countries and larger regions. Biodiversity footprint links the consumption of goods or services to the drivers of biodiversity loss, such as land use, climate change, or pollution, and estimates the negative impacts they cause on ecosystems and species. Biodiversity footprint assessment helps citizens to make more sustainable choices, businesses to formulate measurable strategies and policymakers to create efficient policies to reduce negative impacts on nature. We invite presentations that explore the methodologies and outcomes of biodiversity footprint assessments in different societal contexts.

Contributions related to the theme are requested, covering topics such as:

• Methods to assess biodiversity footprint
• Different metrics and indicators of biodiversity footprint
• No net loss (NNL) of ecosystems and biodiversity