Biodiversity Hotspots - Evolution and Conservation

26-28 March 2009, at the National Museum of Natural History

(Luxembourg)Conservation of hotspots (centres of high numbers of ecosystems, species and/or genes) biodiversity is one of the key objectives of nature protection in our days. The Biodiversity Hotspots - Evolution and Conservation meeting focuses on the development and status of areas with particularly high diversity which are in most cases not adequately protected. This situation is even more aggravated as a result of increasing human land use and climate changes. By this way, this meeting proves an excellent opportunity for scientists and stakeholders to discuss the development of biodiversity hotspots and strategies to protect these areas.

For further information visit the website:
http://www.symposium.lu/hotspots/default.aspx

International Conference on Polyploidy, Hybridization and Biodiversity

17-20 May 2009, Palais du Grand Large, Saint Malo, FRANCE

The International Conference on Polyploidy, Hybridization and Biodiversity aims at promoting knowledge exchanges and discussions on the latest developments concerning these major drivers of genome shaping and speciation. A wide range of topics such as consequences of polyploidy on biodiversity, hybrid and polyploid speciation, meiosis and fertility in polyploid species, genome evolution and structure, transposable elements and DNA methylation, epigenetics and gene regulation, heterosis, phenotypic variation... will be covered, providing insights on the mechanistic and evolution of many fundamental phenomena in biology. This understanding is critical for management and conservation of Biodiversity as well as for breeding programs as most important crop species are relatively recent polyploids.

For further information visit the website:
http://www.icphb2009.univ-rennes1.fr/index.php