Next year will offer a variety of opportunities to share, discuss and network on topics related to saline lakes research. We wish you all fruitful meetings and discussions.
14-19 April, Vienna, Austria, EGU24 General Assembly
Special session HS1.1.9 “Lakes in crisis: The global challenge of shrinking lakes in arid and semi-arid regions, causes and consequences”
The session focuses on the many environmental and ecological challenges linked to shrinking lakes around the world. In the face of intense droughts, increased evaporation with warming temperatures, and greater demand on water resources, lakes worldwide are drying, exposing surrounding regions to diverse consequences that include threats to human health from increased dust emissions and deteriorating water quality. We view this as an opportunity to meet and share common and unique challenges from the many locations in the world impacted by this problem—to work toward solutions and draw further global attention to the issues. Presentations will include, but are not limited to, those describing case studies from specific lake systems experiencing dramatic and rapid declines in size, water quality, and the attendant deleterious environmental impacts. Additional themes include those addressing the common threads that run through these settings, such as increasing salinity and nutrient levels, controls on the amounts and compositions of increasing dust loads, harmful microbiological/biogeochemical effects, dwindling resource availability (e.g., for agriculture), sociopolitical pressures, ecological degradation within the lakes and beyond, and current and future threats to large human populations, among others.
Abstract submission deadline: 10 January 2024
5-9 May, Foz Do Iguacu, Brazil, 37th SIL International Congress on Limnology
Special session SS15 – Ecosystem structure and function along the saline continuum: from freshwaters to hypersaline inland waters
For years, studies on freshwater and saline ecosystems were partially disconnected. In our day’s salinization has emerged as a major driver in aquatic systems that can unify both approximations to salinized inland waters. While freshwater scientists are often concerned with small fluctuations of salinity that may affect the ecosystem structure and function, explorers of hypersaline waters test the limits of life tolerance to extreme concentrations of salt. However, these two systems should be considered as states along the same salinity continuum having different ecological and evolutionary contexts. Salinity as a major driver strongly affects species diversity, food web structure, ecosystem functions and aquatic ecosystems contribution to people. Nowadays, salinization is accepted as a global problematic, but despite its severity, not much attention has been paid to saline compared to freshwater ecosystems and thus our understanding is still limited. Major ecological and socio-economic threats are linked to and caused by salinization. That is why in this session we will focus not only on the causes of freshwater salinization, but also on the effects of drivers of salinization such as climate change, land use, and anthropogenic activities, and the response of biota and ecosystems to these effects and to salinity as a main driver of change. Also, we will discuss the dynamics and ecological processes in hypersaline aquatic ecosystems, as well as the potential alternatives for their management. Work is also expected on the analysis of physical-chemical parameters of the brine and sediments. All contributions that focus on impacts of salinity and tries to advance in its understanding with independence of the system (e.g. lotic, lentic, temporary), approach (e.g. diversity, functional, biogeochemical) and scale (e.g. local, regional, global) will be considered.
Abstract submission deadline: 15 January 2024
15-18 May, Marrakech, Morocco, 6th Euro-Mediterranean Conference for Environmental Integration
Special Session (Track 17): Salinity in Arid Ecosystems
Worldwide, arid ecosystems increasingly face new challenges. Climate change, manifested amongst other things by an increase in droughts and lack of precipitation, combined with water (re-)allocations, poses great challenges to preserving water bodies, particular species, local livelihoods, and populations. More particularly, the salinization of water and land resources is increasingly becoming a major problem. The salinization of water bodies in such arid regions exacerbates the problem of water shortages, as salinized water becomes unusable for irrigation and drinking water purposes and puts new challenges to the habitat of many animals. In light of these transformations, the special session aims to explore how arid ecosystems are changing from an interdisciplinary perspective and what it means for nature/biodiversity, local populations, and their livelihoods. It also aims to explore innovative solutions for sustainable development.
Abstract submission deadline: 30 December 2023
4-8 November, Antalya, Türkiye, 15th International Conference on Salt Lake Research (ICSLR’24)
The ICSLR’24 conference is designed with the unique concept of ‘One Roof and All Inclusive’. This approach aims to cultivate a unified community of salt lake researchers and foster deep intellectual engagement and networking opportunities. By bringing everyone together under one roof, we ensure a worry-free and conducive environment that encourages interaction, collaboration, and exchange of ideas. The main focus is on pioneering research, inspiring meaningful discussions, and strengthening our collective understanding and commitment to salt lake ecosystems. We eagerly anticipate your valuable contributions to this collective endeavor.
Abstract submission deadline: 31 July 2024