III Subterranean Biology Iberian Meeting

The Natural History Museum of Barcelona (Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona (MCNB)) is organizing the 3rd Subterranean Biology Iberian Meeting (“III Encuentro Ibérico de Biología Subterránea”), which will take place in Barcelona (MCNB) from the 2nd to 5th of October 2013.

All participants are invited to submit the extended versions of their contributions in the III EIBS for a peer‐review in the journals edited (AMZ, ABC) by the MCNB.

Background of the event

Arthropod collections of the MCNB have more than 1.500.000 specimens, with almost 4.000 type specimens, from which a considerable proportion are cave-dwelling fauna.

In this sense, the collection of cave-dwelling fauna play an essential role in the collections, because of its historical and scientific value, representing more than 1 century of research in caves. Although other research lines and by extension collections have suffered fluctuations, the research line of cave-dwelling fauna has remained quite stable on time. This collection was initially started by Zariquiey family (1930s), Dr. Francesc Español curator and head of the Museum, kept on working on that research line, which was followed by Oleguer Escolà (Curator of Arthropod Collections until 2009) and the current technician team.

For all of these reasons, the MCNB has decided to take it a further step and organizing the next 3rdSubterranean Biology Iberian meeting “III Encuentro Ibérico de Biología Subterránea”, which will take place in Barcelona (Blue Museum, MCNB).

This meeting is specially addressed to Subterranean Biology in the Mediterranean context and hopefully will offer a space of collaboration in order to share experiences and learn a lot about other colleagues projects.

Provisional Scientific Programme

1. The cave‐inhabiting fauna, past and present of its species richness and diversity.

2. Origin and evolution of cave‐dwelling animals: interpretation of the current distribution from the phylogeography.

3. The photoautotrophic organisms (bryophytes, lichens, algae, bacteria) at the limit of light.

4. Saprovore organisms in caves and other subterranean habitats (fungi, bacteria).

5. Bacterial functional groups in caves (autrotrophic, heterotrophic and chemolithoautotrophic).

6. Recent advances in cave‐inhabiting vertebrates and invertebrates.

7. Adaptations to the subterranean environment.

8. Subterranean habitats: heritage management, conservation strategies and consequences in species protection.

Invited speakers

Dr. Florian Malard (CNRS, SIBIOS, Francia/France) -

Dr. Giuseppe Messana (CNR, ex-presidente de la SIBIOS; Italia/Italy)

Scientific committee

XAVIER BELLÉS (Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, CSIC-UPF)

ANTONIO GÓMEZ-BOLEA (Dept. Biologia Vegetal, UB)

DAMIÀ JAUME (IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados

PEDRO OROMÍ (Universidad de La Laguna)

VICENTE M. ORTUÑO (Universidad de Alcalá)

ALBERTO SENDRA (Universidad de Alcalá)

ANA SOFIA REBOLEIRA (Universidade de Aveiro)

PAULO A. VIEIRA BORGES (Universidade dos Açores)

Organizing committee

MCNB

Associació Catalana de Bioespeleologia

Federació Catalana de Espeleologia

For further information: http://3eibs.museuciencies.cat

*Information sent by Berta Caballero, MCNB