Overview of contributions presented at the Biodiversity and Climate Change meeting
Oral Presentations
Monday May 21: Science meeting
9.10-10.00 Plenary session I: Climate change
9.10 : How is climate projected to evolve in response to human activities? - Jean-Pascal van Yperzele
9.40 : Climate change in Belgium: what we can conclude from long-term meteorological measurements. - Steven Dewitte
10.20-12.20 Plenary session II: Impact on Biodiversity
10.20 : Review: Impacts of recent climate change on biodiversity – knowns and unknowns. - Gian-Reto Walther
11.00 : Climatic differentiation of the invasive alien plant Senecio inaequidens (Asteraceae) during invasion. - Arnaud Monty & Mahy, G
11.20 : Is the decline of Black grouse European populations due to Global change? - Michèle Loneux, Lindsey, J. & Poncin, P.
11.40 : Southern dragonflies expanding in Wallonia (south Belgium): a consequence of global warming? - Pierre Goffart
12.00 : Biodiversity changes as a consequence of Climate Change in Flanders. - Luc De Bruyn, Dirk Maes, Geert De Knijf, Beatrijs Van der Aa
13.40-16.40 Plenary session III: Projections and adaptation
13.40 : Climate change impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity risks. - Andreas Fischlin
14.20 : Differential impact of climate change on seed characteristics of poor and good colonizing forest herbs? - Kris Verheyen
14.40 : Morphological changes and physiological acclimation alter the photosynthetic responses to temperature in three-year-old grassland communities of different species richness under experimental warming - Catherine Lemmens, De Boeck, H.J., Zavalloni, C., Ceulemans, R. & Nijs, I.
15.00 : Thermal adaptation and constraints in changing landscapes and climates: lessons from butterflies. - Hans Van Dyck
15.40 : Jumping the garden fence gives plants a head start on climate change. - Sebastiaan Van der Veken, Martin Hermy, Mark Vellend, Anne Knapen & Kris Verheyen
16.20 : Projection of potential vegetation change over Europe for the end of the 21st century. - Louis François, Alexandra-Jane Henrot, Guy Munhoven, Michel Déqué, R. Cheddadi
16.40 : Open round table discussion, preparation of conclusion of the Science meeting
Tuesday May 22: Public event
14.00 : Philippe Mettens, Chairman, Belgian Science Policy
14.10 : Presentation of the results of the Science meeting by BBPF
14.20 : Manuela Soares, Director, Environment Directorate, DG Research, European Commission
14.30 : Roland Moreau, Director-General, DG5 Public Health Protection: Environment (FPS Health, Food, Chain Safety and Environment)
15.00 : Serge de Gheldere, Ambassador of Al Gore in Belgium
15.30 : Biodiversity: the ancient and modern crisis. - Martin Sharman, Scientific Officer, unit Research DG DI-4 Biodiversity and Ecosystems, European Commission
Poster presentations
Poster Session I. Climate Change
CLANIMAE: Climatic and Anthropogenic Impacts on African Ecosystems. - Verschuren, D., André, L., Mahy, G., Cocquyt, C., Plisnier, P.-D., Gelorini,V., Rumes, B., Lebrun, J., Bock, L. & Marchant, R.
Critical Evaluation of Marine Calcareous Skeletons as Recorders of Global Climate Change (The CALMARS II Project 2006-2009). - Ph. Willenz, L. André, R. Blust, F. Dehairs, Ph. Dubois and the CALMARS II Group
Growth Rate of the Calcareous Skeleton of the Caribbean Coralline Sponge Ceratoporella nicholsoni: Monitoring over 20 Years. - Ph. Willenz and W.D. Hartman
Growth Rate of the Skeleton of the Hypercalcified Calcispongiae Petrobiona massiliana. - J. Hermans, P. Gosselin, Ph. Dubois, Ph. Willenz and the CALMARS II Group
Mg/Ca and S/Ca Ratios in the Skeleton of Starfish: Temperature, Salinity and Phylogenetic effects. - C. Borremans, H. Ranner, L. André, Ph. Dubois and the CALMARS II Group
Mineralogical Composition of the Different Skeletal Compartments of the Hypercalcified Sponge Petrobiona massiliana (Calcarea). - P. Gosselin, J. Hermans, M. Gilis, Ph. Compère, Ph. Willenz and the CALMARS II Group
Skeletal Chemistry of the Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus as a New Environmental Proxy. - J. Hermans, L. André, Ph. Willenz, Ph. Dubois and the CALMARS II Group
Spatial and temporal variability in benthic nematode diversity at the Arctic Marginal Ice Zone. - E. Hoste, I. Schewe, T. Soltwedel & A. Vanreusel
Variation in Coralline Sponge Aragonitic Skeleton Pb Profiles: Physiological and/or Environmental Influences? - Philippe Willenz, Lorraine Berry, Luc André, Sophie Verheyden and the CALMARS II Group
Poster Session II. Impact on Biodiversity
Alien invasive species and climate change: overview of research activities. - Sonia Vanderhoeven, Layla Saad, Marie-Solange Tiébré, M.-S., Arnaud Monty, & Grégory Mahy
Antarctic cyanobacterial communities: baseline data on their diversity and distribution. - Fernandez-Carazo, R., Zakhia, F., Taton, A.1 & Wilmotte, A.
Aquatic biodiversity of unique tropical high-elevation lakes in the Rwenzori Mountains (Uganda-DR Congo). - Hilde Eggermont, Christine Cocquyt, Kay Van Damme, Frank Fiers, Koen Martens, & Dirk Verschuren
Direct responses to temperature increase in alien vs. native congeneric plant species. - Maya Verlinden & Ivan Nijs
Do plant species and climate warming influence nitrification and ammonia oxidiser community structure? - Malchair, S. & M. Carnol
High latitude lacustrine microbial biodiversity in response to future climate change - Elie Verleyen, Dominic A. Hodgson, Koen Sabbe, Annick Wilmotte, Aaike De Wever & Wim Vyverman
Influence of coral heterogeneous susceptibility to warming on reef biodiversity. - Ophélie Ladriere, Lucie Penin, Mehdi Adjeroud & Mathieu Poulicek
Manuella : the effect of increased rainfall on sandy beach infauna. - Steyaert, M.; Deprez, T.; Campinas Bezerra, T.; Vincx, M.; Vanaverbeke J.
Polar marine biodiversity information sharing during the International Polar Year. - Bruno Danis & Falk Huettmann
Poster Session III. Projections and Adaptation
ADAPT: Towards an integrated decision tool for adaptation measures. Case study: floods. - De Groof A., Hecq W., Coninx I., Bachus K., Dewals B., Pirotton M., El Kahloun M., Meire P., De Smet L. and De Sutter R.
Meiofauna at the poles - coping with change. - Maarten Raes, Eveline Hoste & Ann Vanreusel
Molecular archives of climatic history: exploring patterns of genomic differentiation in endemic species radiations of ancient lakes (MOLARCH). - Erik Verheyen, Koen Martens, Isa Schön, Ken Irvine, Emmanuel Paradis, Christian Sturmbauer, Risto Väinölä, Ellinor Michel, Jonathan Todd, Dirk Verschuren, Dmitry Sherbakov & Benjamin Ngatunga
Mycorrhizae impact on biodiversity and C-balance of grassland ecosystems under changing climate (MYCARBIO). - Dupré de Boulois, H., Zavalloni, C., Deckmyn, G., Nijs, I., Ceulemans, R., Declerck, S.
Natuurpunt posters
Natuur.focus and Natuur.oriolus, the two popular scientific journals on biodiversity in Flanders - Marc Herremans
Volunteers monitor phenological and population changes in Flanders - Marc Herremans