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Workshops and Lunchtime Event



W1 Towards a Canonical Ecology Curriculum: what to include and how to get there

Date: Sun, 10 Sep and Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 9:00 to 17:00

Organizers: Carsten Dormann, University of Freiburg, carsten.dormann@biom.uni-freiburg.de
Marco Mello, University of Sao Paulo, marmello@usp.br

Location: iDiv

Fee: Euro 50.00 (includes coffee break(s) and lunch)

Max number of participants: 30

Description:
Ecological teaching is hugely variable worldwide and even across universities in the same country. Therefore, no two young ecologists taken randomly can be expected to have been trained in the same baseline knowledge and skill set. That is the source of worrisome problems that hinder the development of Ecology into a mature science. Our workshop wants to take first steps to solve these problems. Together with colleagues from different countries and continents, we want to identify the backbone of ecological teaching that defines our discipline. Based on this backbone, we can propose a way to develop a Canonical Ecology Curriculum. The curriculum would point to the minimal set of knowledge and skills that a student needs to master to become a professional ecologist. Naturally, this minimum set should be spiced up by local flavours based on local expertise, needs, and aspirations. Our workshop will have both theoretical and practical activities. For example, we aim to set up a "manual" to define the rules for identifying canonical content. Those rules can be based on theory, come from the need for common reference points, or emerge organically because an ecological process is ubiquitous. We will also lay out the etiquette for the curriculum itself (see a first draft at https://biometry.github.io/EcologyCurriculumManual/Manual/). Additionally, we want to develop an initial set of courses and modules that should be addressed in Master’s or Ph.D. programmes in Ecology (possibly on Wikipedia or the like). This set will also link to existing initiatives and opportunities, mainly in-person and online courses, textbooks, blogs, and podcasts. One way to think of our ambition is: if the GfÖ wanted to offer a "Certified Ecologist" label, what should those certified ecologists know and be able to do? No single ecologist knows the best way to propose a canonical curriculum, so our effort will require many iterations and be formented by academic societies. Our workshop can be the starting point. Ideally, most workshop participants will be professors, lecturers, and postdocs with real-world experience teaching ecological subjects. Nevertheless, enthusiasm for driving ecology forward can compensate for lack of experience, so PhD candidates are welcome, too.



W2 Keep on rockin': Mental Health for Early-Career Researchers

Date: Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 9:30 to 17:00

Organizers: Nicole Sachmerda-Schulz, iDiv, nicole.sachmerda-schulz@idiv.de

Speakers: Dr Maik Goth teaches workshops on PhD and research management, academic English and communication skills. A seasoned academic, he has spent more than twenty years as an international scholar on the conference circuit, as an academic author of numerous books, articles and reviews, as an editor, peer-reviewer and university lecturer. His workshops on mental health and self-management are based on his extensive experience in the academy and are tailored to the personal needs and professional demands of early-career researchers.

Location: iDiv/BBZ

Fee: Euro 35.00 includes coffee break(s) and lunch

Max number of participants: 7

Description:
Being an early-career researcher comes with great responsibility: conducting excellent research and standing your ground in the academic arena, while also taking care of yourself and your mental health to prevent crisis or burnout. This interactive and pragmatic workshop illustrates how you can strengthen your mental health to master the demands and challenges of the academy.
We will first focus on the factors creating mental and physical stress, and explore their impact on health and productivity. Then, we will elaborate on early symptoms and warning signs, so you can sense when they arise, how intense they are and what causes them. The course explains how you can introduce the mental health toolkit (including mindfulness and resilience) in your daily and weekly routines, when you lose your zest or are faced with more lasting problems. You will also create your own schedule, including academic duties as well as tasks and downtime for balance and resilience, so you can, in the long run, keep on rockin' in the academy.



W3 Co-designing a guideline for successful citizen science biodiversity monitoring

Date: Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 9:00 to 12:00

Organizers: Julia von Gönner¸ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research / German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), julia.vongoenner@idiv.de;
Julie Koch Sheard¸ German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), julie.koch_sheard@idiv.de,
Pierre Ganault, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), pierre.ganault@idiv.de
Andrea Büermann, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research / German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv, andrea.bueermann@ufz.de

Speaker: Antje Kammermeier (citizen scientist, Ökolöwe Umweltbund Leipzig e.V.), Florian Fahr (citizen scientist, Science Shop Leipzig), Anett Richter (Environmental Agency of the City of Leipzig), Wiebke Züghart (Bundesamt für Naturschutz/ National Monitoring Centre for Biodiversity), Elisabeth Kühn (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ), Martin Sorg (Krefeld Entomological Society), Sven Schade (Joint Research Centre), Daniel Dörler or Florian Heigl (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna), Corey T. Callaghan (University of Florida), Diana Bowler (UKCEH), Taru Sandén (Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety AGES), Rachel Kelly (University of Tasmania, Australia), Romain Julliard (Natural History Museum France), NN (Artportalen, Sweden), Dylan Verheul or Martine Lemmens (The Netherlands, Observation.org), Thora Herrmann (University of Oulu, Finland)

Location: iDiv

Fee: Euro 20.00 (includes coffee break(s) and lunch)

Max number of participants: 25

Description:
With this interactive pre-conference workshop, we want to invite biodiversity scientists and practitioners from environmental NGOs, agencies and the environmental education sector who are active or interested in citizen science (CS) to co-design a practical guideline for integrating CS into biodiversity monitoring. For this, we will give an overview of opportunities and challenges of CS in biodiversity monitoring across different taxa (e.g., benthic and terrestrial invertebrates, butterflies, plants) and scales (e.g., city-, country-, EU- and global level). We will then discuss strategies for project design, data quality assurance and community management with the participants that can promote the scientific and political impact of CS biodiversity monitoring. As a workshop outcome, we aim to draft a practical guideline for CS in biodiversity monitoring with the participants. This guideline draft will be formatted and printed out in the form of editable conference posters. During the conference, these posters will be hung up in different rooms so that all interested conference participants can spontaneously add their thoughts and inputs. After the conference, we intend to write an opinion paper together with the workshop participants for presenting our co-designed version of a guideline for successful CS biodiversity monitoring to the scientific community.



W4 Workshop: Media training for Scientists (verbal science communication)

Date: Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 10:00 to 17:00

Organizers: Volker Hahn, iDiv, volker.hahn@idiv.de Carsten Heckmann, Leipzig University, carsten.heckmann@gmx.de

Location: iDiv

Fee: Euro 110.00 (includes coffee break(s) and lunch)

Max number of participants: 10

Description:
In this workshop, participants will benefit from the long-time experience of two professional media trainers, who both have extensive expertise in science communication, journalism, and public relations. While one (Carsten Heckmann) is a journalist by education, the other (Dr Volker Hahn) is a geoecologist by education. Both work in academia (Leipzig University and iDiv, respectively).

The media training starts with a theoretical part and then focuses on repeated practice in front of the camera, including individual feedback rounds. Participants receive a video file of their performance in front of the camera.

The course contents in detail are:



W5 Automated monitoring of insects using computer vision

Date: Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 9:00 to 17:00

Organizers: Tiffany Knight, iDiv, tiffany.knight@idiv.de

Speakers: Valentin Stefan (UFZ), Tiffany Knight (UFZ), Thomas Stark (DLR), Maximilian Sittinger (Julius Kühn-Institut- Dossenheim), Benjamin Risse (University of Münster), Anke Dietzsch (Julius Kühn Institute- Braunschweig), Patrick Mäder (TU Ilmeanau), Jana Wäldchen (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry), Elisabeth Kühn(UFZ), Christian Pylatiuk (KIT), Lorenz Wührl (KIT), Paul Bodesheim (FSU Jena), Dimitri Korsch (FSU Jena), Lea Heidrich (Marburg), Luca Pegoraro (WSL)

Location: iDiv

Fee: Euro 35.00 (includes coffee break(s) and lunch)

Max number of participants: 90

Description:
Background- computer vision will transform the way we monitor insects in the future, and many projects are underway to develop the hardware and software of our future. Goals- to become informed about what our colleagues in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are doing in this area of research and to identify areas of overlap and potential future collaboration in our approaches.



W6 Using the TRY database in practice

Date: Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 9:00 to 12:00

Organizers: Matthias Grenié, iDiv, matthias.grenie@idiv.de, Jens Kattge, MPI-BGC Jena, jkattge@bgc-jena.mpg.de, David Schellenberger-Costa, University of Leipzig, david.schellenberger.costa@uni-leipzig.de, Nathaly Guerrero Ramírez, Department of Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, Germany, nathaly.guerrero-ramirez@forst.uni-goettingen.de

Speakers: Jens Kattge; David Schellenberger-Costa; Nathaly Guerrero Ramírez; Matthias Grenié

Location: iDiv/NBMZ

Fee: Euro 20.00 (includes coffee break(s) and lunch)

Max number of participants: 25

Description:
The goals for this workshop are the following: Introduce TRY to people who would use it but have not yet, Explain them the unusual data structure of TRY so they can work better Teach them how to use the tailored R package rtry as a tool to encourage data preprocessing using R Discuss some additional specific issues regarding TRY and ways to solve them. At the end of the workshop, attendees should be able to: Understand how to deposit data to TRY Understand how to request data from TRY Download their requested data from TRY and import them into R Understand the data structure of TRY and the Data Release Notes Filter and use quantitative traits using rtry Filter data based on ancillary data using rtry (e.g. specific environmental conditions) Filter data based on geo-reference using rtry Filter out duplicate data points using rtry Envision how to standardize categorical traits data using custom-made scripts. The workshop would also be an occasion for TRY database managers to receive direct feedback during breaks and informal chats.



W7 How to better manage your data - and thereby enrich research

Date: Thursday, 14 Sep, 2023

Time: 13:30 to 16:30

Organizers: Dr. Daniel Tschink, GFBio e.V., dtschink@gfbio.org, Jimena Linares, GFBio e.V., jlinares@gfbio.org, Dr. Claas-Thido Pfaff, GFBio e.V., claas-thido.pfaff@gfbio.org, Dr. Ivaylo Kostadinov, GFBio e.V., ikostadi@gfbio.org

Speakers: Daniel Tschink, Jimena Linares, Claas-Thido Pfaff, Ivaylo Kostadinov

Location: Neues Augusteum

Fee: Euro 00.00

Max number of participants: 50

Description:
Today the volume, complexity, and creation speed of research data are rising exponentially. While the awareness of the value of environmental data has been increasing, we still face the problem that research data is getting more transient. The reasons are that data vary in quality, are stored decentrally with no long-term perspective, and are thus not findable or reusable for other researchers. Further, they are often not standardized in format nor described properly using common metadata standards. However, in order to leverage the full potential of existing data, researchers need to work together and share their data in order to gain insight into complex ecological processes. The vast resources of biodiversity-related data enable the opportunity for analyzing complex processes across scales and in an interdisciplinary manner. Furthermore, research institutions and funders, but also publishers increasingly demand transparency and promote data sharing practices. In order to make data FAIR - Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable ( www.force11.org/group/fairgroup/fairprinciples)-, 'good' research data management is needed. NFDI4Biodiversity is part of the National Research Data Infrastructure, Germany. We boost research and support nature conservation by providing access to tools, and services for handling biodiversity and environmental data and to support good research data management. We plan a conference workshop that is divided into three sections. In the first section, we will teach the basics of research data management for ecologists across the whole data life cycle. Section two will then focus on the “first step” in the data life cycle – planning a research project and the posterior publication of heterogeneous data via our submission system. This section addresses the importance of a data management plan with practical examples and how to prepare your data for publication/archival. In the last section, we will share our experiences in the consortium NFDI4Biodiversity and offer insight into one of the tools/services provided by our partners. This hands-on section will focus on Data Discovery using the GFBio Service VAT (Visualization and Analysation Tool). The Vat system allows users to explore biodiversity data by visualizing, analyzing and transforming them in a comfortable online GIS environment. Beside integrating own data, it provides access to collections and biodiversity data centers, international data aggregators, and environmental data.
Participants need to bring their laptops with an internet connection.



W8 EcometaboWhat? Introduction in Ecometabolomics for ecologists

Date: Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 9:00 to 17:00

Organizers: Henriette Uthe, FSU/iDiv, henriette.uthe@idiv.de, Jana Ebersbach, LU/iDiv, jana.ebersbach@uni-leipzig.de, Omer Nevo, FSU/iDiv, omer.nevo@idiv.de

Speakers: Henriette Uthe, Jana Ebersbach, Omer Nevo

Location: iDiv

Fee: Euro 35.00 (includes coffee break(s) and lunch)

Max number of participants: 20

Description:
The aim of this workshop is to introduce participants without any prior knowledge of mass spectrometry, metabolomics and analytical chemistry to the topic of ecometabolomics. The following questions should be answered: how do metabolomics data arise, what do they look like, what information content do they contain and which ecological questions can be answered with them? We will also provide an hands on session to show an example.



W9 Introduction to research data management

Date: Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 10:00 to 12:00

Organizers: Ludmilla Figueiredo, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Department of Informatics Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, ludmilla.figueiredo@idiv.de
Yuanyuan Huang, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Leipzig University, yuanyuan.huang@idiv.de
Anahita J.N. Kazem, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Department of Informatics Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, anahita.kazem@idiv.de

Location: iDiv

Fee: Euro 20.00 (includes coffee break(s) and lunch)

Max number of participants: 12

Description:
Ecology has entered a world of big data, and good research data management is essential to the success of a project. Over the course of this two-hour workshop, participants will be introduced to the practices supporting good research data management, with a focus on preparing FAIR data and code for publication. In the first part, we will talk about file organization, which includes the choice of file formats, versioning, and relational structure. We will then provide guidelines and examples for writing rich metadata and improving dataset reusability. Clear metadata makes it easier to find, interpret and share data. In the final part, we will focus on setting up reproducible workflows (at different scales). We will present a starter-kit (Figueiredo et al. 2022) designed to facilitate the implementation of computational notebooks in the research process, including publication. Computational notebooks are files that contain descriptive text, as well as code and its outputs, in a single file that is easier to understand by non-specialists. For a single study, the work required to manage a project’s documentation and report can be concentrated around its notebook. The kit contains the template of a computational notebook integrated into a research project that uses R, Python, or Julia.



W10 Ecological knowledge in the open knowledge ecosystem around Wikipedia

Date: Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 09:00 to 12:00

Organizers: Daniel Mietchen, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, daniel.mietchen@igb-berlin.de

Location: iDiv/BBZ

Fee: Euro 20.00 (includes coffee break(s) and lunch)

Max number of participants: 40

Description:
This goal of this session is fourfold: (i) to provide participants with an overview of the coverage of ecological topics in Wikipedia and its sister sites like Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, Wikisource and Wikispecies (ii) outline the Wikimedia community processes behind the generation and curation of that content (iii) explore how the Wikimedia workflows interact with those of the community of ecological researchers and practicioners (iv) highlight potential for further interactions



W11 Access to genetic resources and benefit sharing (ABS): does the Nagoya Protocol matter for me?

Date: Mon, 11 Sep, 2023

Time: 09:00 to 12:00

Organizers: Juliane Röder, Philipps-Universität Marburg, NFDI4Biodiversity, juliane.roeder@uni-marburg.de
Melania Muñoz García, Leibniz Institute – DSMZ, melania.munoz@dsmz.de, Amber Scholz, Leibniz Institute – DSMZ, amber.scholz@dsmz.de, Barbara Ebert, GFBIO, NFDI4Biodiversity, barbara.ebert@gfbio.org

Speakers: Melania Muñoz García - Leibniz Institute DSMZ, Amber Scholz - Leibniz Institute DSMZ, Alejandra Sierra - Universidad Mariano Galvez - Guatemala, Scarlett Sett – Kiel University, Ellen Frederichs - BfN, Meike Teschke - DFG

Location: iDiv/BBZ

Fee: Euro 20.00 (includes coffee break(s) and lunch)

Max number of participants: 50

Description:
Are you performing research on biological material that came from outside Germany? Are you familiar with the legal requirements surrounding use of international biological diversity? If not, this workshop is for you! Scientific research is key to successfully implement the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and reach the 2030 targets on conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biological diversity. Studies that harness biological diversity and integrate genetic data and information are necessary to understand ecological processes and its results can contribute to making decisions on conservation, restoration and management of biological resources in provider countries (the countries where the samples come from). That is part of the principles of Access to genetic resources and Benefit-Sharing (or ABS for short). The Nagoya Protocol and obligations around ABS can be complex even for experienced professionals. The German Nagoya Protocol HuB project helps scientists and researchers understand how to legally access genetic resources and supports them in ensuring fair and equitable benefit-sharing happens. The HuB Project focuses on user-friendly and interactive tools to communicate about ABS to make it accessible and understandable. During the last years, sharing benefits from Digital Sequence Information (DSI) without hindering scientific research, has been a hot-button issue in international discussion. “DSI” is a policy term that refers broadly to genomic sequence data and other related digital data. It is largely shared via open access databases and is perceived to create a loophole to the Nagoya Protocol and to the fulfillment of fair and equitable benefit-sharing. On the other hand, DSI provides a critical scientific tool for a range of public good research and the implementation of the GBF. It is important that scientists understand and engage with the international discussions, because political decisions would have serious implications on how research with sequence data currently works. Attendees to the workshop will have a better understanding about ABS, their obligations under the Nagoya Protocol, new tools for compliance, and an update of the international discussion on benefit-sharing from DSI.



W12 Praktischer Naturschutz auf regionaler Ebene am Beispiel des BPBV-Förderschwerpunkts „Hotspots der biologischen Vielfalt“

Date: Wed, 13 Sep, 2023

Time: 13:30 to 18:30

Organizers: Julian Ahlborn, Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz, julian.ahlborn@senckenberg.de, Kristin Baber, Naturforschende Gesellschaft der Oberlausitz, kristin.baber@nfgol.de

Speakers: Eva Flinkerbusch (DLR/BFN), Julian Ahlborn (Hotspot20), Sabine Grube (Hotspot29), Anya Wichelhaus (Hotspot17)

Location: Neues Augusteum

Fee: Euro 00.00

Max number of participants: 50

Description:
Die Verabschiedung der neuen globalen Biodiversitätsstrategie im Dezember 2022 in Montreal gibt Anlass zur Diskussion der zukünftigen Strategie Deutschlands. Ein Baustein zur Umsetzung der aktuellen Nationalen Biodiversitätsstrategie (NBS) ist das vom Bundesumweltministerium geförderte und vom Bundesamt für Naturschutz betreute Bundesprogramm Biologische Vielfalt (BPBV). Ein Förderschwerpunkt des BPBV behandelt die vom Bundesamt für Naturschutz in einem Forschungs- und Entwicklungsvorhaben identifizierten 30 Hotspots der biologischen Vielfalt in Deutschland (Ackermann et al. 2012). Mit praktischen Maßnahmen in diesem seit 2012 aktiven Förderschwerpunkt sollen die naturschutzfachlichen Qualitäten der rund 11% der Fläche Deutschlands abdeckenden Hotspots erhalten und optimiert werden. Gleichzeitig soll die Identifikation der Menschen in den jeweiligen Regionen mit ihren Hotspots gestärkt und das Zusammenwirken unterschiedlicher Akteure im Rahmen der NBS gefördert werden. In diesem Workshop wollen wir uns zusammen mit abgeschlossenen, laufenden und zukünftigen Hotspot-Projekten im BPBV über Strategien, Ziele, Erfolge und Misserfolge austauschen. Ein wichtiges Thema wird die Verstetigung der Maßnahmen und Erfolge sein, dazu gehört beispielsweise die Frage, wie Biotopverbünde in der Kulturlandschaft außerhalb von Schutzgebietskulissen dauerhaft umgesetzt werden können. Wir wollen uns ebenso damit beschäftigen, wie der Biodiversitätsschutz durch Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung bei der regionalen Bevölkerung weiter verankert werden kann. Ziel des Workshops ist es daher, durch inter- und transdisziplinären Erfahrungsaustausch den praktischen Biodiversitätsschutz auf regionaler Ebene zu verbessern.\r\nNeben Beiträgen zu den Hotspots laden wir auch Beiträge solcher Projekte ein, die sich ebenfalls mit der Umsetzung von praktischem Naturschutz auf regionaler Ebene beschäftigen. Wir freuen uns auf einen regen Austausch mit allen Interessierten.



Interactive Lunchtime Event AK Agroecology

Date: tba

Time: lunch time

Organizers: Jens Dauber, Thünen Institute of Biodiversity, jens.dauber@thuenen.de, Tillmann Buttschardt, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, tillmann.buttschardt@uni-muenster.de

Speakers: Agroecology Europe Youth Network

Location: Neues Augusteum

Fee: Euro 00.00

Max number of participants: none

Description:
Meeting of members and potential new members of the AK Agrarökologie (GfÖ specialist group on agroecology)