Photo: EVOLTREE organizing committee
15 September, 2023 – Brașov
RESDiNET team participated in the second international EVOLTREE conference, “Resilient Forests for the Future”, held in Brașov, Romania, on September 12-15, 2023. The members actively engaged in sharing recent research findings and discussing the future of forests in a changing climate with tree genetics and forest ecology researchers at the International Conference Center of Transilvania University. The event embraced a hybrid approach, combining on-site and online sessions. The primary schedule, featuring keynotes, presentations, and poster sessions, unfolded every afternoon from approximately 12:00 to 18:00 CET, while additional activities such as training lectures, workshops, networking opportunities, and an excursion were planned for the mornings.
Topics covered at the conference ranged from tree and evolutionary genomics and biotic interactions under climate change to conservation genomics and the use of innovative methods and approaches. RESDiNET team members presented two posters: “Predicting Norway spruce resistance to bark beetle attack with the use of satellite imagery” and “Why do some Norway spruce trees survive bark beetle outbreaks?”. Both posters gained considerable attention and positive feedback from the international research community. The established contacts will pave the way for future cooperation in studying the ecological interactions between Norway spruce and bark beetle Ips typographus.
The excursion to Dealul Lempeș forest and Sânpetru teaching and research station provided valuable insights into biodiversity and research conducted in these protected areas. Dealul Cetății – Lempeș, a protected national interest area in Brașov county, falls under IUCN category IV as a botanical nature reserve, showcasing xerophytic vegetation from the post-glacial period. Spanning 274.50 hectares across Sânpetru and Hărman communes, it lies in the central-eastern part of Bârsa County, near the Mlaștina Hărman reserve. The diverse habitats include beech, hornbeam, and oak forests, attracting a rich array of flora like the Pheasant’s eye, Pasque flower, Iris species, and Burning Bush. Its fauna, a haven for wildlife photographers, hosts deer, wild boar, wild cats, foxes, and bird species such as the Common buzzard and raven. Lempeș hill stands as a vibrant testament to biodiversity in southeastern Transylvania.
The EVOLTREE 2023 conference in Romania proved to be an exceptionally fruitful gathering, fostering vibrant discussions and connections within the global research community. The RESDiNET team’s active participation and engaging presentations not only garnered significant attention but also laid the groundwork for promising collaborations with international research institutions. The established contacts during this event are poised to be instrumental in facilitating future research endeavors, reinforcing the commitment to advancing our understanding of ecological interactions between Norway spruce and bark beetles and contributing to the collective efforts in building resilient forests for the future.
The abstracts of the RESDiNET team members’ posters presented at the conference can be found here.
