2017 Events

SEB GOTHENBURG 2017 SESSION REPORT: CARNIVOROUS PLANTS - PHYSIOLOGY, ECOLOGY, AND EVOLUTION

ORGANISED BY: DR. SIMON POPPINGA (UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG, GERMANY)

Dozens of scientific papers covering carnivorous plant research are published each year on diverse topics ranging from new species descriptions, through phylogenetic approaches in taxonomy and systematics, to ecology and evolution of botanical carnivory, biophysics, and physiology of traps, among many others. During the symposium “Carnivorous plants - Physiology, ecology, and evolution”, which was held at the SEB Annual Main Meeting 2017 in Gothenburg, several of these topics were brought into a wider context during the four keynote and invited lectures given by renowned carnivorous plants experts. Dr. Andreas Fleischmann (Botanische Staatssammlung München, Germany) discussed general trap diversity and proposed several fascinating evolutionary scenarios that may have led to the development of these highly complex leaf modifications. Prof. Aaron Ellison (Harvard Forest, USA) presented a comprehensive synopsis on how carnivorous plants can be used as experimental systems to address contemporary scientific problems. Dr. Ulrike Bauer (University of Bristol, UK) reviewed biomechanics of pitfall traps and explained how arthropods lose their foothold on them. Her presentation about how such slippery pitcher plant surfaces can inspire novel technologies was well received by the audience. Last, Dr. Dagmara Sirová (University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic) told us about the highly complex plant–microbe interactions in the carnivorous bladderworts (Utricularia).

The original research presented in the regular talks was similarly diverse and exciting. Dr. Sebastian Kruppert and Martin Horstmann, both from the University of Bochum, Germany, reported research on carnivorous plants from the perspective of the prey. They showed how freshwater crustaceans react to botanical predators with inducible morphological changes that impede capture. Prof. Ulrike Müller (California State University Fresno, USA) explained fluid mechanics during prey capture by the suction traps of bladderworts and presented fascinating insights into these enigmatic and extremely complex mechanical trap devices. Dr. Anneke Prins (Middlesex University, UK) currently investigates the proto-carnivorous properties of common teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), and her talk was very well received and widely discussed by the audience. M.Sc. Anna Westermeier (University of Freiburg, Germany) gave new and fascinating insights about the trapping mechanics of the Venus’ flytrap’s (Dionaea muscipula) little aquatic sister, the waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa), based on comprehensive biomechanical experiments and theoretical modelling. Dr. Simon Poppinga (University of Freiburg, Germany) gave a final overview on recent research on the snapping behavior of the Venus’ flytrap. The two latter projects are part of the CRC 141 in which among other topics the potential of movements of carnivorous plants for biomimetic applications are studied.With many people in the audience actively working on carnivorous plants, each talk was accompanied by thorough discussion. The inspiring and exciting atmosphere also was supported by the great venue of the Gothia Towers. The many original research presentations about carnivorous plant-prey interactions, sophisticated fluid mechanics, evaluation of the “carnivorous status” of a certain species, and trapping mechanics will, once published, surely have a great impact in a variety of research fields. Several of the symposium speakers have prepared a comprehensive book on carnivorous plant biology (Carnivorous plants - Physiology, ecology, and evolution, to be published in January 2018 by Oxford University Press), which highlights once more the timeliness and topicality of this symposium.


Read more about this session in the SEB Magazine Feature Article 'Enter the Carnivores

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SEB GOTHENBURG 2017 SESSION REPORT: IS IT TIME FOR A FISH PHYSIOME INITIATIVE?

ORGANISED BY: DR MICHAEL BERENBRINK (UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL, UK) & DR GINA GALLI (UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER, UK)

The effects of the environment on fish physiology are complex, involving everything from genes to the environment itself. However, quantitative studies on the effects of climate change on fish physiology have been largely limited to the whole organism and isolated organ. Taking inspiration from the human "Physiome Project", this session explored the possibility of integrating knowledge from different components of the fish cardiorespiratory oxygen transport cascade into robust and reliable computer models that could better predict the effects of climate change; a so-called "Fish Physiome Project".  The morning session, which included an inspiring talk from one of the founders of the Human Physiome Project (Prof. Peter Hunter), highlighted the predictive power of multiscale systems biology and showcased studies where the approach has been successfully applied in fish physiology.  In particular, Prof. Paolo Domenici gave a fascinating talk that outlined an ingenious model that predicts fish habitat selection.  

The afternoon session kicked off with Prof. Tony Farrell's tour de force presentation which explored the rules that govern the oxygen cascade and the importance of establishing firm definitions when considering the development of a fish physiome project. The talks that followed updated the status quo on the effects of the environment on the fish cardiorespiratory system at numerous levels of biological organisation.  It became clear that temperature and oxygen availability are potent stressors that affect all aspects of the cardiorespiratory system and often trigger organ remodelling. As Dr Michael Berenbrink summarised in the final talk, the challenge is to integrate these studies with mathematical models to provide a more holistic approach to predicting the effects of climate change. The session ended with a group discussion on how to proceed and the challenges ahead, but we were all very much in favour of initiating a Fish Physiome Project.

 

SEB GOTHENBURG 2017 SESSION REPORT: PALAEOGENOMICS AND ANCIENT DNA 

ORGANISED BY: DR LAURA PARDUCCI (UPPSALA UNIVERSITY, SWEDEN), DR RICHARD TENNANT (UNIVERSITY OF EXETER, UK), DR JOHN LOVE (UNIVERSITY OF EXETER, UK)

Research in Palaeogenomics and Ancient DNA is dictated and directed by the developments in experimental techniques and in silico advancements. As samples continue to be obtained from diverse sources the expansion of palaeogenomics follows. At this years SEB Annual Main Meeting, an insight to this ever growing field was presented.

We discussed how ancient DNA analysis has tracked ancient human populations across Northern Europe, investigating the adaptation to Northern latitudes and were also given a glimpse into how some of these ancient genotypes may have translated into phenotypes. Not only is palaeogenomic research investigating ancient humans but it has also facilitated the dating of Bison entering North America and pinpointed when the woolly mammoth became extinct. Sedimentary archives offer an excellent resource of ancient DNA and research in this area was shown to be expanding rapidly especially in plant palaeogenomics which, as reference libraries become more robust, is allowing more species to be identified within sediments.
 
The session highlighted how palaeogenomics and ancient DNA continues to be extremely diverse and remains a fascinating area of research, for those directly involved but also for the wider scientific community

SEB GOTHENBURG 2017 SESSION REPORT: FROM GENOTYPE TO PHENOTYPE 

ORGANISED BY: DR WOLFGANG BUSCH (SALK INSTITUTE, UNITED STATES) & DR CHRIS TOPP (DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER, UNITED STATES)

The genotype to phenotype session at SEB Gothenburg 2017 revolved around how the striking diversity of phenotypes that can be observed in organisms is generated by the genotype. This question is now more approachable than ever as recent advances in sequencing and phenotyping allow biologists to identify not only genomic loci that determine phenotypes, but genes and their molecular mechanisms. However, there are numerous largely unsolved issues in the field and the session sought to illuminate recent progress in this area. Topics ranged from large-scale and high-resolution phenotyping, the use of multi-variate analysis for charting genotype to phenotype maps, integrating complex genetic phenomena such as epistasis into genotype to phenotype models, the genetics and molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of leaf form, the role of polyploidy and epigenetic mechanisms for phenotypes, phenotypic variation and links to adaptation and stress resistance, and understanding genotype-phenotype at the level of gene networks.

What became very clear in this session was that while there has been tremendous progress in our ability to conduct phenotyping and the ways how we map phenotypes to the genotype, the highly important question arises of how to integrate the massive amounts of phenotypic and genomic data for understanding complex biological phenomen

SEB GOTHENBURG 2017 SESSION REPORT: PHOTOSYNTHETIC RESPONSE TO A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT - TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION

ORGANISED BY: CORNELIA SPETEA WIKLUND (UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG), WOLFGANG SCHRÖDER (UMEÅ UNIVERSITY) & PETER NIXON (IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON)

The two-day session on Photosynthesis was organised by Cornelia Spetea Wiklund (University of Gothenburg), Wolfgang Schröder (Umeå University) and Peter Nixon (Imperial College London). The session attracted over 35 participants, mostly from the Nordic countries and Europe, but there were also participants from Japan and USA. The eight keynote/invited talks covered a wide range of topics from light harvesting (R. Croce and S. Jansson), and biogenesis of the photosynthetic apparatus (E.M. Aro and R. Sobotka) to alternative electron transport pathways (T. Shikanai and A. Krieger) and abiotic stress responses (D. Kramer and C. Funk). New biophysical data on light-harvesting was presented and discussed together with many stress related aspects of the photosynthetic process. The various molecular aspects unravelled during the session will help researchers to identify new targets for future research to improving photosynthesis in agriculture and biotechnology. We received great appreciation from the participants about the outstanding quality of the presentations, inspiring discussions as well as about the hospitality of the people in Gothenburg.

We greatly acknowledge the financial support from SEB, the Gothenburg Center for Advanced Studies (GoCAS) and the International Society of Photosynthesis Research (ISPR).

 

SEB GOTHENBURG 2017 SESSION REPORT: CLIMATE CHANGE AND AQUATIC LIFE - EFFECTS OF MULTIPLE DRIVERS, FROM MOLECULES TO POPULATIONS

ORGANISED BY: LUCY TURNER (PLYMOUTH UNIVERSITY, UK), GUY CLAIREAUX (UNIVERSITE DE BRETAGNE OCCIDENTALE, FRANCE) & MANUELA TRUEBANO GARCIA (PLYMOUTH UNIVERSITY, UK)

This session was underpinned by research aimed at integrating physiology (both at the molecular and whole organism level) into understanding the way in which organisms cope with changes in their environment, and their potential for rapid evolutionary adaptations, occurring in time scales relevant in the context of climate change. One emerging theme, cited by multiple speakers is the importance of transgenerational experiments for this, taking into account the interplay between plasticity, epigenetics and parental phenotype. Phenomics, the interaction between genotype and environment, was also highlighted as a growing and exciting direction for our field. We were also reminded of the importance of both laboratory experiments that allow for the careful control of experimental conditions, as well as large scale ecological studies of individuals and/or populations for our ongoing understanding of the impact of global stressors on aquatic organisms. 

In terms of the future of the field, we are now beginning to go further and use our understanding in conservation physiology, making predictions about changes in organisms, leading to population level responses, and using these predictions to improve management and conservation practices. 

 

SEB GOTHENBURG 2017 SESSION REPORT: EFFECTS OF PHARMACEUTICALS ON WILDLIFE - BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ECOLOGY 

ORGANISED BY: JOSEFIN SUNDIN (UPPSALA UNIVERSITY, SWEDEN) & MIRJAM AMCOFF (STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY, SWEDEN)

The aim of this session was to bring scientists together that work in traditionally unrelated fields. The researchers that contributed to the session came from fields ranging from pure ecology and behavioural science, to physiology, veterinary science, environmental toxicology, and computational modelling. The presented work was done on a wide range of organisms in which effects on individuals, species and whole ecosystems had been investigated. In addition to basic research, several of the contributors and invited speakers were directly involved in socioeconomic projects. The combination of the presentations from our invited speakers and of the contributing delegates created an environment that stimulated exchange of scientific knowledge and professional experiences. The discussions during and following the session did not only revolve around the effects of pharmaceutical pollution on wildlife but also touched on ways in which pharmaceutical waste could and should be measured, as well as how scientific knowledge can be converted into national and international policies. It was concluded that the latter includes developing cost-effective and accurate ways to assess these effects in nature. In addition, it is necessary to work with policymakers and the general public to identify effects on wildlife and, using legislative means, alleviate these effects.

 

SEB GOTHENBURG 2017 SESSION REPORT: CROP MODELS IMPROVEMENT WITH BIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE 

ORGANISED BY: BERTRAND MULLER (INRA, FRANCE) & PIERRE MARTRE (INRA SUPAGRO, FRANCE)

Crop models are expected to orientate breeding and innovation towards more efficient varieties and cropping systems in particular to cope with climate change. However, recent inter-comparison studies have shown their prediction may strongly diverge in particular under conditions of stress combinations (high temperature, drought, elevated CO2). The session thus aimed at presenting and discussing views about where and how crop models could / should be improved, incorporating the latest findings about how crops respond to a changing climate. The first half part of the session dealt with multiple stresses in models, in particular when elevated temperature is considered. Photosynthesis and canopy temperature were in the spotlight. A second part was largely devoted to questioning the sink / source nature of growth limitation under climate change as this is a strong modeling hypothesis that structures most models. In a last part, we examined the paths to identify ideotypes using models and raised the need for both biological reality and parsimony. The session was concluded with a very active round table during which several participants raised their, sometimes contrasting, views, showing that the discussion must keep going. In Gothenburg, the annual SEB meeting where both physiologists and crop model researchers can gather sounded like a suitable place for such discussion. 

SEB GOTHENBURG 2017 SESSION REPORT: CHALLENGES IN THE ANTHROPOCENE - ACID-BASE/ION REGULATION AND CALCIFICATION IN AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES

ORGANISED BY: DIRK WEIHRAUCH (UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, CANADA), MARIAN HU (KIEL UNIVERSITY, GERMANY), KATI MICHALEK (SAMS, UK), NADÈGE ZAGHDOUDI-ALLAN (UNIVERSITY OF ALGARVE, PORTUGAL)

Over the past few years the wide but greatly understudied field of invertebrate physiology, particularly the topic acid-base regulation in the context of global change, gained considerable momentum. The SEB annual meeting in Gothenburg was an ideal venue to bring researchers from around the globe together to present their current work in our session “Challenges in the Athropocene: Acid-base regulation and calcification in aquatic invertebrates”.  Under this overarching theme quite an array of topics were covered including calcification processes and acid-base regulatory mechanisms in corals and echinoderms, comparative studies on cephalopod ammonia regulation, pCO2 changes in developing aeshnids, but also how crustaceans maintain acid-base homeostasis in their respective marine and freshwater habitats challenged with predicted future environmental acidifications, and how they even  survive most extreme conditions found in close proximity to hydothermal vents.  Another focus was set on the effects of global change on calcification processes in bivalves by the “CACHE” cluster.  This session was one of the rare events where invertebrate physiologist came together as a group and had a chance to interact and to initiate new collaborations. Clearly, studying invertebrate acid-base physiology becomes of growing importance.  With ca. 95% of all animals being invertebrates which are building the basis of our fragile and threatened ecosystem, research on this topic needs to be supported urgently. SEB is provides an ideal platform for this.