We are thrilled to announce the new release of EcoPortal, the LifeWatch ERIC repository of semantic resources for ecology and related domains. This is a major update that introduces the federation feature to OntoPortal and activates this for EcoPortal.With this release, you can now explore ontologies across multiple federated portals using our new federated browsing and search features, enabling seamless access to ontologies from other OntoPortal instances. This is a joint release with AgroPortal, EarthPortal and BiodivPortal i.e., each portal is now connected to each other and displays some content from the others. This version also includes significant performance improvements,...

CISO (Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici), University of Salento and the Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems of the National Research Council (CNR-IRET), LifeWatch Italy and Or.Me. organise the 22nd Italian Ornithology Conference. The conference will gather ornithologists and natural science enthusiasts together in Lecce, a first edition for the Apulia region in more than 40-year history of ornithology conferences. Participants are invited to submit proposals for symposia and round tables, proposing topics of their own particular interest or general relevance. Any symposium should therefore focus on a well-defined topic that could appeal to a wider audience than just specialists in...

Wednesday, 29, and Thursday, 30 January will see the LifeWatch Italy team engaged in its Annual Conference 2025 in Rome, hosted at the National Research Council of Italy (CNR). This important event brings together researchers to explore the latest research and technological advancements in biodiversity and ecosystem. Italy is a biodiversity hotspot in Europe and one of the founders of LifeWatch ERIC, hosting its Service Centre in Lecce. The LifeWatch ERIC Italian National Distributed Centre is led and managed by the CNR and is coordinated by a Joint Research Unit, currently comprising 35 members. With over 57,400 animal species and...

We recently shared news about the deployment of a network of fish detection devices along the Leie and the Scheldt rivers (you can find the article here). The Institute for Nature and Forest Research (INBO) has been working for years to protect fish species in the Flanders region. It is, in fact, the independent research institute of the Flemish government that underpins and evaluates biodiversity policy and management through applied scientific research. Today we bring you a success story, one of those unexpected surprises that truly reward researchers for their dedication. The twaite shad (also known as the "May fish"...

Mapping the migration patterns of fish species is extremely important for researchers, as it allows them to offer better protection against various obstacles. Every year in fact, millions of fish migrate to their spawning and rearing habitats, where they lay eggs and nurture their young. For some, this means swimming thousands of miles before they can reach their destination, often finding areas blocked by human-made barriers such as dams and navigation lock complexes. When fish cannot reach their habitat, they cannot reproduce and build their population, for this reason it is important to provide effective solutions. This is the case...

As we carry on with our daily lives working, researching, and attending events, taxonomists are working hard to discover new species every year. Now, the time has come to celebrate their discoveries by submitting nominations for the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) Top-Ten Marine Species of 2024! The aim of a World Register of Marine Species is to provide a list of names and synonyms of marine organisms, so that it can serve as a guide to interpret taxonomic literature. The content of the register is controlled by taxonomic and thematic experts: each taxonomic group is represented by an...

The DTO-BioFlow project (https://www.lifewatch.eu/dto-bioflow/) is launching its second open call for marine biodiversity monitoring data. The project is dedicated to developing and integrating the biological component of the Digital Twin of the Ocean (DTO), including new digital tools and services. Data on biodiversity, and related human and environmental pressures are crucial to understand its current state and how this may change. Protecting and restoring biodiversity is one of three objectives of the Horizon Europe Mission to restore our oceans and waters by 2030, enabling the EU to reach its Green Deal and Biodiversity 2030 targets. Identified as one of the...

The Agroecology Partnership project (https://www.lifewatch.eu/agroecology-partnership) aims to facilitate the transition of the agricultural sector towards agroecology in Europe. Its mission is to address climate change, biodiversity loss, food security and environmental degradation while ensuring profitability for farmers. LifeWatch ERIC is leading an international team within the project's WP5 (Data and Monitoring Agroecology Transition) to develop and implement an innovative conceptual framework for the monitoring and evaluation of agroecology transitions. As a way to achieve the project's objectives, the European Network of Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures gathers initiatives that enhance knowledge sharing of agroecology innovations across Europe. Members of...

From 10 to 13 December 2024, over 1500 ecologists gathered in Liverpool for Europe’s largest conference dedicated to ecology. The event held particular relevance for LifeWatch ERIC, thanks to a rich programme of Thematic sessions, addressing the biodiversity crisis, nature restoration policies and practices, novels tools and technologies to tackle current challenges, and much more. This annual meeting also brought together one of the most relevant scientific communities for LifeWatch ERIC’s mission. Earlier this year, LifeWatch ERIC was featured in the autumn issue of the British Ecological Society's Niche magazine, reinforcing the strong connection between the research infrastructure and the...

At the end of November, the team of the project Life for Lesser Kestrel - LIFE19 NAT/BG/001017 by Green Balkans, (https://lesserkestrellife.greenbalkans.org/en/) funded by the EU’s LIFE program, participated in the second edition of the Plovdiv Science Festival. The event provided an excellent opportunity to highlight the collaboration with LifeWatch ERIC. Hosted by the Center for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB) in Plovdiv, the Festival was organised for the second consecutive year by the Beautiful Science Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science and the Municipality of Plovdiv. Over four days, the festival featured more than 100...

The 5th RESTORE4Cs General Assembly, held from 19-21 November 2024 in the stunning Camargue region of France, brought together project partners and stakeholders to review progress and shape the future of wetland restoration and conservation across Europe. LifeWatch ERIC played a key role in the event, sharing significant developments in communication, digital tools, and policy outreach. At the assembly, LifeWatch ERIC’s Madeira Scauri, leader of Work Package 8 (Communication, dissemination, and exploitation), provided an update on the second phase of the project’s communication strategy. She revealed the upcoming Camargue Case Pilot teaser and announced the launch of the highly anticipated...

On 4-8 November 2024, LifeWatch ERIC attended the Tropical Summit 2024 in Lisbon, being present with a stand in the “Biodiversity and digitalisation” section of the Exhibition Hall.The event was a key opportunity to present our Research Infrastructure to the people stopping at our booth, highlighting its main services and tools, and presenting some demos on Metadata Catalogue and EcoPortal. We also proposed a survey we prepared for the participants, that people can fill as an additional form of engagement. Moreover, LifeWatch ERIC presented the project Marine SABRES, showing the project brochure, and the videos we produced in the framework...

The Ghent University Museum (GUM) and Botanical Garden represent an innovative approach to science communication in Flanders and beyond. Located in the heart of Ghent’s Botanical Garden, this institution is the first recognised university museum in Flandres. With a history spanning over 200 years and a collection of more than 400,000 items, the GUM is an example of how universities can bridge the gap between academia and society. As a "Forum for Science, Doubt & Art," the GUM showcases how scientists think and work, encouraging visitors - be they students, researchers, or the general public - to embrace the processes...

LifeWatch ERIC, as an active member of the European Network of Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures, will participate in the network's upcoming Annual Meeting. This in-person event will take place in Helsinki, Finland, from 5 to 8 November 2024, as part of the AGROECOLOGY Partnership (https://www.lifewatch.eu/agroecology-partnership/), and gathers key stakeholders dedicated to advancing agroecological transitions. Iria Soto, Senior Scientific Manager, will represent LifeWatch ERIC, sharing research progress and engaging with other experts to discuss strategy and future collaborations. The Network’s mission is to foster multi-actor collaborations that accelerate innovation for the agroecological transition: this transformative approach can bring significant...

At the end of September, we received important news from our National Distributed Centre in LifeWatch Belgium: the first ETN datasets from the Permanent Belgian Acoustic Receiver Network are now available via GBIF. The datasets include 507,095 occurrences of 10 fish species from Belgian freshwater, intertidal, and marine habitats.  What does that mean?  LifeWatch Belgium uses innovative tracking technologies to understand fishes’ movement behaviour, and get insights into their migration routes. Through acoustic telemetry, they actively track fish through implanted tags that emit acoustic signals.  The importance of having such data and being able to understand fish routes, can be...