International Symposium
on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions under Global Change
About the Symposium
The University of Sassari (Department of Agricultural Sciences) organizes a 2.5-day symposium to bring together international experts to highlight and discuss key aspects of the nexus among Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions (BEF) under Global Change and in relation to the activities of the Italian National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC). There will be a special focus on essential (biodiversity) variables, and on the contribution that digital platforms, digital twins, and international monitoring networks could provide to address the challenging NBFC commitment to monitor, conserve, restore, and valorize biodiversity and ecosystem functions in a fast-changing world.
This session explores the establishment and functioning of biodiversity monitoring networks to study ecosystem functions and tackle conservation challenges. Presentations address biodiversity’s vital role in carbon cycling, the importance of democratizing digital tools, and plant biodiversity in Mediterranean islands. Topics also include urban biodiversity monitoring, Alpine mammals’ responses to climate stress, and strategies for protecting fragile marine habitats. These insights will help refine approaches to safeguarding biodiversity amid environmental changes.
Session 2 examines key variables for effective biodiversity and ecosystem function monitoring. Keynotes cover integrating biodiversity variables for nature-based solutions, soil biodiversity databases, and urban forests’ impact on air quality. Presentations also highlight remote sensing for forest monitoring, artificial intelligence and geographic information systems in urban biodiversity assessments, and alpine ecosystem studies. Together, these discussions emphasize the value of comprehensive data to shape biodiversity and conservation policies.
In this session showcases advanced digital platforms for biodiversity data collection, analysis, and sharing. Presentations introduce digital twins for ecosystem modeling, Earth system modeling linking ecosystem function and climate, and several global biodiversity platforms. Talks will reveal the structure, functioning, and aims of the NBFC biodiversity digital platform and if its 4 thematic areas, advancements in data accessibility, and ecosystem assessment tools. These resources support scientists and policymakers, promoting collaboration and informed conservation.
The final session focuses on using digital platforms such as the NBFC biodiversity digital platfom in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. Presentations discuss citizen science in biodiversity monitoring, climate change’s social impacts, and shared responsibility frameworks for biodiversity. The session emphasizes collaborative, real-world applications of data-driven platforms to enhance biodiversity resilience, improve ecosystem function, and encourage public participation in conservation, underscoring the importance of data-sharing in managing global biodiversity.
Symposium
Confirm participation
Wednesday
Novembre 20, 2024
Thursday
Novembre 21, 2024
Friday
Novembre 22, 2024
12:00 – 14:00 REGISTRATION
14:00 – 14:30 INSTITUTIONAL WELCOME
14:30 – 15:30 SETTING THE SCENE
Massimo Labra
NBFC: Biodiversity is the solution
(University of Milano-Bicocca; NBFC scientific director)
Christian Messier
Using BEF Science to enhance forest resilience under global change
(University of Québec en Outaouais, Canada)
Antonio Pusceddu
Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning relationships in changing oceans
(University of Cagliari)
15:30 – 18:30
1st Session: Biodiversity Monitoring Networks
15:30 – 16:30
Keynote speakers
Peter Reich
Biodiversity, carbon cycling and climate change: what we have learned and what remains a mystery
(University of Minnesota)
Riccardo Valentini
The role of digital democratization for biodiversity monitoring: the challenge of multiple spatial and temporal scales
(University of Tuscia - CMCC)
16:30 – 17:00
Coffee break
17:00 – 18:30
Oral presentations
Alessandro Chiarucci*,
Francesco Santi, Riccardo Testolin, Michele Di Musciano, Vanessa Bruzzaniti, EVA Consortium
The plant biodiversity of Mediterranean islands and the future challenges for conservation strategies
(*University of Bologna)
Carlo Rondinini*,
Alessandro Chiarucci
Progress In Area-based Conservation Research In Italy
(*University La Sapienza, Roma)
Michela Marignani*,
Giovanni Bacaro, Erika Bazzato, Emanuele Fanfarillo, Enrico Tordoni, Simona Maccherini
Let’s cross! Trends, challenges and opportunities in cross-taxon approaches in biodiversity studies
(*University of Cagliari)
Donatella Valente*,
Antonella Albano, Erica Maria Lovello, Maria Victoria Marinelli, Irene Petrosillo
Threats to biodiversity in Murge and Tirso broad area sites
(University of Salento)
Umberto Valdrè*,
Pietro Milanesi, Alessandra Maria Bissattini, BVincenzo uono, Alessandro Chiarucci, Carlo Rondinini, Marco Musiani
A systematic approach to determine matching areas in ecology, and its first application for conservation in and outside Italian Parks
(University of Salento)
Rudy Brogi*,
Francesca Brivio, Michele Zanni, Silvia Cavazza, Celeste Buelli, Marco Elia, Alberto Basset, Marco Apollonio
Caught in the crossfire: alpine chamois' responses to heat stress and predator return
(*University of Sassari)
Gabriella La Manna*,
Alberto Colletti, Maria Del Mar Bosch-Belmar, Ylenia Fabietti, Simonetta Fraschetti, Luca Licciardi, Giuseppe
Morello, Simone Maria Santo Musumeci, Arianna Pansini, Luigi Piazzi, Federico Pinna, Maryna Pishchalkovska, Alessandra
Puccini, Gianluca Sarà, Patrizia Stipcich, Mario Francesco Tantillo, Giulia Ceccherelli
The influence of the thermal environment and the role of Paramuricea clavata in coralligenous community structure
(*University of Sassari)
Chiara Lombardi,
Philip Graham*,
Erica Gabrielli, Sofia Lorenzini, Giancarlo Raiteri, Andrea Bordone, Davide Seveso, Letizia Caroscio,
Cristian Chiavetta, Gianni Brundu, Paolo Varrella, Tommaso Petochi, Sasa Raicevich, Stefano Carboni
Oyster beds - Restoring Vulnerable Ecosystems for the Regeneration of Marine Environment
(*Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development)
19:00
Welcome reception
09:00 – 13:00
2nd Session: Essential Variables for monitoring biodiversity and ecosystem functions
09:00 – 10:40
Keynote speakers
Bandana Shakya
Integrating Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) for Nature-Based Solutions
(International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development; ICIMOD)
Carlos Guerra
Why should we mainstream EBV: insights into soil databases and methods for soil biodiversity
(Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative)
Elena Paoletti
Urban forest biodiversity and air quality
(Italian National Research Council CNR)
Quentin Groom
Creating the vision of rapid, repeatable, reactive data workflows for policy on biodiversity
(Meise Botanic Garden)
10:40 – 11:10
Coffee break
11:10 – 13:00
Oral presentations
Federico Filipponi
Satellite Earth observation for monitoring and characterization of terrestrial ecosystems: a specific focus on forest disturbance
(Italian National Research Council CNR)
Antonio Trabucco*,
Donatella Spano, Robert Zomer
Environmental stratification and climate change: comparative ecosystems studies throughout the Asian Highland mountain regions
(*Foundation - Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, CMCC)
Olivia Dondina*,
Emiliano Mori, Luciano Bani, Anna Loy, Andrea Galimberti, Valerio Orioli, Andrea Viviano, Leonardo Ancillotto
Unlocking urban biodiversity: key variables for effective monitoring and management
(*University of Milano-Bicocca)
Thomas Martinoli*,
Piero Fraternali
AI and GIS for urban biodiversity monitoring Tree census, from location estimation to ecosystem services assessment
(*Politecnico di Milano)
Francesca Cagnacci, Andrea Corradini, Giulia Ferrari,
Anita Gattei*,
Daniele Marinelli, Furrukh Mehmood, Sara Vettorazzo,
Nicola Zadra, Franziska Zemmer, Adriano Boscaini, Maria Cristina Bruno, Leonardo Cerasino, Antonella Cristofori, Claudio Donati, Andrea Gandolfi, Damiano Gianelle, Elena Gottardini, Heidi Christine Hauffe, Stefano Larsen, Mingai Li, Ulrike Obertegger, Federico Ossi, Annapaola Rizzoli, Nico Salmaso, Valentina Tagliapietra, Monica Tolotti, Charlotte Vanderlocht, Claudio Varotto, Cristiano Vernesi, Mario Pezzotti
A challenging study to address the complexity of extreme and threatened habitats: The BioaAlpEC Project (Biodiversity of alpine ecosystems in a changing world)
(*Edmud Mach Foundation)
Francesco Boscutti*,
Marco Vuerich, Giacomo Trotta, Alessandro Petraglia, Enrico Braidot, Marco Zancani, T'ai GW Forte,
Michele Carbognani
Upscaling the functional response of plant communities in alpine tundra using remote sensing tools
(*University of Udine)
Marco Vuerich*,
Paolo Cingano, Giacomo Trotta, Edoardo Asquini, Francesco Boscutti
Remote sensing tools for monitoring plant communities in lagoon systems
(*University of Udine)
13:00 – 14:15
Light lunch
14:30 – 18:45
3rd Session: Digital Platforms for Biodiversity
14:30 – 15:50
Keynote speakers
Thomas Geener
Destination Earth, Interoperability Between Digital Twins
(European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts)
Rosie Fisher
Linking functional diversity, ecosystem function, and climate through next-generation Earth System Modeling platform CLM-FATES
(Center for International Climate Research CICERO)
Joseph Miller
GBIF: an integrated platform and network to support biodiversity data for Italy
(Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
15:50 – 17:10
Oral Presentation
Federica Foglini, Elisabetta Curzel*,
Marco Pardini, Pietro Rizzo, Mario Sprovieri,
The Italian Biodiversity Gateway digital portal: a bridge between scientific research and society
(*2 DOS Design S.p.a.)
Donatella Spano*, Simone Mereu**, Giuseppe Brundu*
Inside the NBFC digital platform and its thematic areas
(*University of Sassari) (**Italian National Research Council CNR)
Jessica Frigerio*,
Massimo Labra, Antonio Costantini, Gabriella Scipione, Andrea Galimberti
A step forwards in making Italian biodiversity globally accessible: the NBFC molecular biodiversity platform
(*University Milano-Bicocca)
Gabriele Guidolotti
The catalogue and planning support tool for Mediterranean Nbs for biodiversity
(Italian National Research Council CNR)
Gabriella Scipione,
Antonio Costantini*,
Xhulio Dhori, Juan Mata Naranjo, Giuseppe Melfi , Marco Puccini
NBFC enabling digital platform: a tool for data and advanced services interoperability serving the Italian biodiversity community
(CINECA)
17:10– 17:40
Coffee break
17:40 – 18:45
Oral presentations
Diletta Santovito*,
Alessandro Chiarucci, Riccardo Testolin, Francesco Santi, Duccio Rocchini
Assessing the toolbox for harmonising vascular plant species occurrence records
(*University of Bologna)
Marco Davoli*,
Martin Jung, Piero Visconti, Michela Pacifici
Building a comprehensive database of Favorable Reference Values (FRVs) for species in the habitats and birds directives
(*University of Bologna)
Cristina Cipriano*,
Sergio Noce, Simone Mereu, Monia Santini
Algorithms going wild: a review of machine learning techniques for terrestrial ecology
(*Foundation - Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change)
Damiano Baldan*,
David Cunillera-Montcusíc, Marco Reale, Stefano Piani, Fabrizio Giannia, Serena Zunino, Donata Canu
Gianpiero Cossarini, Stefano Salona, Cosimo Solidoro, Vinko Bandelj
Neutral models to assess metacommunity responses to landscape changes: a case study with seagrass habitats
(*National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics)
09:00 – 13:10
4th Session: Insights into applications of digital platforms for biodiversity and ecosystem functions
09:00 – 10:55
keynote and invited speakers
Helen Roy
The global reach of citizen science for monitoring biodiversity
(UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)
Eugenio Gervasini
Biodiversity on the move: transnational collaboration on data sharing - EASIN supporting research and policy on IAS
(European Alien Species Information Network)
Johannes Emmerling
The social and economic consequences of climate change – past and present
(Foundation - Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change)
Luke Mackle
Innovation and biodiversity
(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)
Francesco Frati
Engade the citizens to make biodiversity conservation a shared effort
(University of Siena)
10:55 – 11:25
Coffee break
11:25 – 12:10
Keynote and invited speakers
Michela Conigliaro,
SilvaMed
The Mediterranean forests in and for the cities
(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
Monia Santini*
Simone Mereu, Lisa Napolitano, Daniela Peano, Guido Rianna, Antonio Trabucco, Heming Xiao,
Towards modelling of synergies in resilience and biodiversity challenges
(*Foundation - Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change)
Fabio Salbitano
The Health Nexus for Biocities: Urban Forest, Biodiversity, and Climate change
(University of Sassari)
Dario Papale
Research infrastructures to support ecological studies: status and perspectives
(University Of Tuscia - National Research Council CNR)
12:10 – 12:40
Awards with speed presentations of best posters
12:40 – 13:00
Conclusions