More than 340 scientists from 38 countries have gathered in Hobart this March for a major international conference about marine zooplankton - the most abundant and diverse ‘eco-influencers’ on the planet.
The 7th International Zooplankton Production Symposium (17-22 March) was organised by the North Pacific Marine Science Organisation (PICES) based in Canada, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) based in Denmark, and the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP) at the University of Tasmania.
The symposium will provide a invaluable opportunity for the global zooplankton research community to meet and discuss science priorities. PICES Executive Secretary Sonia Batten spoke with the University of Tasmania about the opportunities the conference will bring to Hobart.
“With several hundred attendees from Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, about half are early-career scientists.”
“More than 360 papers have been submitted about zooplankton communities and food webs from all over the world.”
“They cover a diverse range of research topics, such as zooplankton under sea ice, the impacts of marine heatwaves, the effects of microplastics, and the use of environmental DNA to unravel zooplankton communities,” she said.
With Tasmania being a gateway for international research programs for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, - alongside the numerous researchers and scientists who call Hobart home – this conference will benefit the state in ways that go beyond tourism. It will demonstrate the state’s capabilities, expertise and give opportunities to those early in their careers.