The international symposium “Human Impacts on Marine Functional Connectivity” takes place between May 22-25, 2023, at Sesimbra (Portugal). More than one hundred researchers, marine managers and politicians from 30 countries worldwide share the latest discoveries on this subject and discuss policies for the management and preservation of these ecosystems.
Credit: International Symposium “Human Impacts on Marine Functional Connectivity”
The international symposium “Human Impacts on Marine Functional Connectivity” takes place between May 22-25, 2023, at Sesimbra (Portugal). More than one hundred researchers, marine managers and politicians from 30 countries worldwide share the latest discoveries on this subject and discuss policies for the management and preservation of these ecosystems.
“In the sea everything is connected. Species know no borders. The connections that exist in the ocean are essential for the species that live in it, many of them of extreme importance to us, in our food, for the biodiversity they represent, in the role they play in nature. Phenomena such as climate change, the construction of new infrastructures such as aquaculture units, energy production, bridges, ports and marinas, are some examples of how human action has impacted these connections”, says Susanne Tanner, Researcher at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa) and organizer of this symposium.
In the first three days, there are five thematic sessions moderated by world-renowned researchers, which include more than 60 oral presentations and 30 posters. On the last day, two workshops will take place: the first, at the science-society interface, will discuss the best way to use historical and pre-industrial data to anticipate future changes in species distribution and consequences for marine ecosystems; the second, in the science-policy interface, will discuss how to involve governments and NGOs in the co-creation of actions and tools that incorporate scientific data into decision-making, planning and policy processes for sustainable development.
The symposium has the support of Sesimbra City Council and is organized by the COST SEA-UNICORN Action, by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), and locally by Ciências ULisboa, MARE/ARNET and the Center or Functional Ecology of the University of Coimbra (Portugal).