From a working group to a platform for rapid and effective Red List assessment: the evolution of sRedList

sRedList

The story of sRedList is one of research and innovation grown directly from practical needs. sRedList developed from challenges related to the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (known as the IUCN Red List), and from the collaborative efforts to address them. Step by step, these efforts shaped the platform into what it is today: a tool developed from experience, shared expertise, and a clear understanding of the practical demands of Red List assessment.

At the beginning, sRedList started as a working group funded by sDiv, the synthesis centre for biodiversity sciences of iDiv, between 2021 and 2023. Coordinated by Luca Santini and Moreno Di Marco, with Victor Cazalis as a postdoctoral researcher, the group brought together Red List practitioners and ecological modellers to address a major challenge: facilitating the work of Red List assessors.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species plays a crucial role in biodiversity conservation by monitoring the status of species, supporting conservation policies, and assessing the effectiveness of conservation actions. Yet assessors have faced challenges in expanding the number of species assessed, updating existing assessments, and making assessments more robust and standardised.

Although modelling methods have been developed for years to support and streamline this work, their uptake in Red List assessments has remained limited. The development of sRedList was therefore closely connected to the Red List community itself.

Through a series of encounters with assessors, species experts, and naturalists, the first prototype was tested and progressively improved. Feedback from the community led to new features and modifications, transforming an initial prototype into a platform capable of integrating different data sources and analytical methods into a single workflow. The platform was developed in close collaboration with LifeWatch Italy, that developed the online infrastructure and hosts the platform on their servers. The analyses are being developed and maintained by Victor Cazalis, presented in detail in Cazalis et al., 2024, in Biological Conservation.

Today, sRedList guides users through seven steps, making the assessment workflow accessible also to users without advanced scripting skills. The platform can use occurrence data from sources including GBIF, OBIS, the Red List or users’ own files, and can produce outputs that can be integrated into the Species Information Service (SIS).

Among other functions, sRedList can generate species distribution maps, estimate Area of Habitat and its trends, identify countries of occurrence, assess forest-cover trends within a species’ range, and calculate severe fragmentation.

The platform is currently undergoing an engineering update, with new modules being developed to make the service more solid and further support the work of Red List assessors. sRedList can count today on multidisciplinary skills: the core team expanded overtime, and now involves also members of CNR, LifeWatch Italy, and LifeWatch ERIC – who maintains the platform up to date and operational.

Stay tuned and learn more about sRedList: https://sredlist.eu

Photo credits: sRedList website

European Researchers’ Night 2026: taking science across Europe

European Researchers' Night 2026

On 25 September 2026, LifeWatch ERIC and its Distributed Centres participated in several initiatives of the European Researchers’ Night (#ERN), bringing biodiversity science, research and innovation closer to citizens across Europe.

  • Understanding the importance of marine ecosystems

In Lecce, Italy, the former Olivetani Monastery hosted a series of informative events, such as project booths, documentary projections, and small-scale reconstructions of extremely fascinating scientific experiments. The Marine SABRES project was present with a “Marine SABRES in Fairs” booth.

Visitors could test the Marine SABRES Serious Game, developed by LifeWatch ERIC as an interactive experience designed to explore the complex relationships between human activities, marine ecosystems, and human well-being, while reflecting on the choices and trade-offs involved in achieving a more sustainable future.

The event also featured the screening of “Tides of Balance”, the Marine SABRES documentary directed by Fabrizio Lecce, offering perspectives on the challenges and opportunities surrounding the sustainable use and management of marine ecosystems.

  • Exploring solutions for mine-impacted waters

The ERN in Huelva, Spain, included a series of activities, interactive labs, and dialogues promoted by the University of Huelva with the objective to bring science closer to the public. The RECUP-DAS project was there, and presented a workshop on “Ecological treatment of acid mine drainage”, through the Environmental Mineralogy and Geochemistry Group of the University of Huelva (one of the project partners).

The workshop introduced the technology at the core of RECUP-DAS: Dispersed Alkaline Substrate (DAS), a passive treatment system that can neutralise the acidity of water from mining-impacted sites while efficiently retaining metals.

The technology was developed by researchers of the Tharsis research group at the University of Huelva, and will be applied as part of RECUP-DAS in the surroundings of Mina La Poderosa, by building a new DAS treatment plant within the Tinto and Odiel river basins, historically affected by the presence of metals. A real-time monitoring system developed by LifeWatch ERIC will also support the creation of a digital twin of the treatment plant, demonstrating how digital technologies can contribute to environmental monitoring and research.

  • Learning about the herborisation of algae specimens

In Porto, Portugal, the ERN rolled out with interactive experiences, demonstrations with scientists, games, workshops, and much more. The Portuguese National Distributed Centre of LifeWatch ERIC is managed by PORBIOTA. In Porto, Portugal, PORBIOTA was represented by the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto at the European Researchers’ Night held at the i3S – Institute for Research and Innovation in Health.

As part of the “Bridges for Science” project, the team organised a workshop on the herborisation of algae specimens, offering participants a hands-on opportunity to explore biodiversity research and scientific collections.

Overall, participating in these initiatives across Europe has been a great chance to bring scientific work beyond the research community, where it can open a dialogue with citizens and show the value of biodiversity and ecosystem research to address environmental challenges.

LifeWatch ERIC in Lecce at the launch of the NBFC Biodiversity Gateway Demo Center

On 29 May 2026, the city of Lecce, home to the LifeWatch ERIC Service Centre, launches the new Demo Center of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC) Biodiversity Gateway, Italy’s first national portal fully dedicated to biodiversity and coordinated by the National Research Council of Italy (CNR).

The Biodiversity Gateway seeks to build stronger relations between research institutions, local communities, schools, public administrations and businesses, fostering awareness and action around biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability.

In this light, the Demo Center will act as a new public space where citizens can connect with scientific research on biodiversity through immersive and interactive installation, digital storytelling and participatory experiences: a new hub for science communication and public engagement. The aim is to make complex scientific knowledge more accessible, and the project is promoted by Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), together with Regione Puglia, the Polo Biblio-Museale di Lecce, the Province of Lecce, the University of Salento, and the DHITECH technological district.

LifeWatch ERIC is attending the event, that also features a showcase of some videos from the LifeWatching Web TV Science Channel, dedicated to biodiversity, ecosystems, scientific innovation and environmental challenge. The programme includes a round table at 12.40 CEST, focused on biodiversity as a value for businesses and local communities, that aims at exploring scenarios and potential pathways for development and innovation. Prof. Alberto Basset, Director of the LifeWatch ERIC Service Centre and Full Professor of Ecology at University of Salento, will join the panel together with representatives from CNR, NBFC, Confindustria Puglia, and ISPRA.

If you are in Lecce, stop by at the Teatrino of the former Convitto Palmieri, where the new Demo Center has been established. Enjoy a few videos from LifeWatch ERIC Web TV, and stop by LifeWatch Italy’s dedicated exhibition stand, featuring the Virtual Museum of Ecosystems and Natural Environments: an online, interactive, educational platform created by LifeWatch Italy together with CNR and the University of Salento that includes thematic environments such as mountain, Arctic, coastal wetland and semi-arid ecosystems, that can be virtually explored.

A new understanding of nature: ITINERIS 2-day training on VREs and presentation of the final platform

ITINERIS

ITINERIS (https://itineris.cnr.it/) is an initiative started in November 2022 with the objective to support the Italian integrated system of Research Infrastructures (RIs) in the environmental domain, under the coordination of the National Research Council (CNR) of Italy.

One of its main outputs is the ITINERIS HUB, a gateway to the wide range of data, cutting-edge facilities, analytical tools, and services from these RIs, facilitating observation and study of processes in the atmosphere, marine domain, terrestrial biosphere, and geosphere. Italy is in fact actively involved in all major pan-European Environmental Research Infrastructures, and hosts other nationally relevant RIs, demanding for coordinated actions to integrate, interlink and harmonise their activities.

The ITINERIS HUB includes digital tools such as datasets, research products, and training resources among others, as well as Virtual Research Environments (VREs), that is, web-based, community-oriented working environments that enable researchers to work remotely and interactively.

Now in its final phases, ITINERIS has recently launched a VREs training event in two sessions, on 27 and on 30 January. The event will be an opportunity to train the platform super-admins and admins on two newly launched VREs developed in collaboration with LifeWatch ERIC by EquiUP SRL. The first one, Biomass VRE, helps study aquatic and terrestrial biomass dynamics in relation to climatic, ecological, and anthropogenic factors, while the second one, Phyto VRE, allows phytoplankton data computation and analysis.

After the training events, the final version of the platform will be presented to its end-users in another session on Friday 30 January at 15:00, together with some practical case studies to help in the adoption of its tools.

Researchers are just beginning to understand the series of intricate relations governing our planet: this is one of modern science’s biggest challenges in the face of today’s critical issues. Platforms like ITINERIS HUB can help elaborate and interpret the huge quantity of data available from different sources and offer a new understanding of nature.

Italy joins GBIF through the establishment of a National Node

LifeWatch Italy & GBIF

As of October 2025, Italy has officially joined the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), strengthening its engagement in the international landscape of open biodiversity data.

Already a member of LifeWatch ERIC through LifeWatch Italy, with the National Research Council (CNR) as the leading entity, Italy has now established its national GBIF node, coordinated by DSSTTA (Department of Earth System Sciences and Environmental Technologies). Ilaria Rosati, already actively involved in LifeWatch Italy, has been appointed Node Manager of the Italian GBIF node.

DSSTTA is committed to advancing the understanding of how Earth’s systems, including climate, cryosphere, biodiversity, and related components, are deeply interconnected and influenced by human activities.

The Italian GBIF node builds on national expertise in biodiversity research and data management, contributing to free and open access to biodiversity data at the global scale. GBIF represents the leading international platform for the management and sharing of species occurrence data, supporting research, policy, and decision-making worldwide.

The governance of the Italian GBIF node includes the following representatives:

  • Head of Delegation: Diego Fontaneto (CNR-IRSA)
  • Node Manager: Ilaria Rosati (CNR-IRET)
  • Alternate Head of Delegation: Stefano Martellos (University of Trieste)
  • Additional Delegate: Gabriele Bucci (CNR-IBBR)

This development is significant because membership in GBIF enables Italy to contribute its biodiversity data directly to the world’s largest open-access repository of species occurrence information, supporting international research through science-based knowledge.

Map data image from: OpenStreetMap

OntoPortal Workshop 2025

OntoPortal Workshop

The OntoPortal Workshop 2025, hosted by Freie Universität Berlin at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, took place in Berlin from 29 September to 2 October.

Every year, the Workshop brings together members of the OntoPortal Alliance to discuss strategies and future activities. The OntoPortal Alliance is in fact a consortium of several research and infrastructure teams dedicated to promoting the development of ontology repositories, in science and other disciplines, based on the open, collaboratively developed OntoPortal open source software (Source: Clement Jonquet, Jennifer L Vendetti, Guillaume Alviset, Ilaria Rosati, John Graybeal, et al.. OntoPortal Workshop 2024 Report. INRAE; Stanford University. 2024. ffhal-04891214f).

These teams develop and maintain several openly accessible semantic artefact catalogues, or ontology repositories, in multiple domains. Among them, LifeWatch ERIC manages EcoPortal, the repository of semantic resources for ecology and related fields (https://ecoportal.lifewatch.eu).

This year, representatives from EcoPortal (Ilaria Rosati, Martina Pulieri and Michael Griniezakis), AgroPortal (Clement Jonquet, Imad Bourouche), EarthPortal (Christelle Pierkot and Hakim Allem), BiodivPortal (Naouel Karam, Ralph Schäfermeier and Adrian Paschke), BioPortal (Mark Musen, Jennifer Vendetti, Michael Dorf and Alex Skrenchuk), MatPortal (Alexandru-Aurelian Todor), OntoPortal-Astro (Baptiste Cecconi), CHPortal (Beatrice Markhoff, Louise Parkin), SocioPortal (Darren Bell), HSPortal (Anais Guillem) and other guests from NFDI (Roman Baum and Jakob Voss) joined the discussions.

Key topics included ontology development lifecycle, MOD-API implementation, new developments including generative AI and OntoPortal, and collaborations in projects and initiatives.

Biodiversity and Ecosystem responses to Climate Change: scientists in Lecce discuss the invisible cost of the ecological crisis

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Responses

The international workshop “Biodiversity and Ecosystem Responses to Climate Change” took place on 12–13 June 2025 at MUST Museum in Lecce.

The National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), Italy’s first national research and innovation centre for biodiversity, funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through NextGeneration EU funds, organised the workshop in collaboration with LifeWatch ERIC’s Working Group on Biodiversity & Ecosystem Responses to Climate Change.

Climate change is deeply altering the living conditions of organisms across the planet, influencing their geographic distribution, abundance, and even the daily cost of survival. These effects are especially severe for species which cannot regulate their body temperature and must expend more resources to maintain metabolism and behaviour in warmer, more unstable environments.

The consequences of these changes extend far beyond the ecological sphere. They impact key ecosystem functions that support human well-being, potentially affecting economic growth (GDP) and the achievement of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Acknowledging that climate change does not act in isolation but reshapes entire ecological contexts, the workshop focused on assessing possible ecological responses and exploring ways to integrate them into adaptation and mitigation strategies.

One of the central questions guiding the discussions was: How will biodiversity’s response to climate change affect our economy and society in the coming decades?
The reflection was based on a simple yet crucial premise: we cannot safeguard our well-being without first safeguarding the ecosystems we depend on.

The full programme remain available at:
https://www.lifewatch.eu/thematic-services-working-groups/wg-climate-change/meetings/workshop-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-responses-to-climate-change

Join LifeWatch ERIC’s Thematic Services Working Groups

Thematic Services Working Groups

LifeWatch ERIC launches the minisites of the six Thematic Services Working Groups: hubs for knowledge and resources sharing, networking, and collaboration.

Co-developed by the LifeWatch ERIC Common Facilities in collaboration with the National Distributed Centres, they reflect the main priority areas of e-Service construction, and therefore are central to the 2022-2026 Infrastructure Strategic Working Plan.

The Thematic Services Working Groups are coordinated by the LifeWatch ERIC Service Centre and pursue three main objectives:

  • Strengthen collaboration between and within the Common Facilities and the Distributed Centres;
  • Review and update the mapping of the National scientific communities’ research needs in relation to the Thematic Services, and identify priority areas for development;
  • Promote and coordinate the participation of Distributed Centre research institutions in Horizon Europe and other European and international projects, on behalf of and in collaboration with LifeWatch ERIC, to co-design and co-construct the priority services with other key actors in the biodiversity and ecosystem research landscape.

The initiative officially took off in 2024, marked by a series of Thematic Service Workshops hosted by the National Distributed Centres, engaging local communities from the start.

Today, we are glad to present the Working Groups on the website: six dedicated entry points, each focused on a specific topic and open for participation!
Each page offers a brief overview of the scope and objectives, as well as a timeline of activities, including some future actions already planned.

The activities in each group are led by a coordinator from one of our National Distributed Centres, who will oversee the follow-up of its activities.

Moreover, the abstract submission topics for this year’s ‘BEeS’, LifeWatch ERIC’s Biodiversity & Ecosystem eScience Conference, have been selected in alignment with those of the Working Groups, given that they had been previously identified as key priority areas by the National Distributed Centres.

What are you waiting for? Find out more about the Working Groups, join forces with fellow experts and contribute to biodiversity and ecosystem research!

Become a Traits Thesaurus 2.0 validator on EcoPortal

Traits Thesaurus

LifeWatch Italy (https://www.lifewatchitaly.eu/) is launching a Call for Action to validate, refine, and expand the Traits Thesaurus 2.0, a comprehensive semantic artefact designed to standardise trait data and metadata for aquatic organisms, covering diverse biological groups, such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, macroalgae, and macrozoobenthos.

The Traits Thesaurus 2.0 builds upon, and integrates, pre-existing thesauri, originally developed within LifeWatch Italy, into a unified and structured framework. The first validated version (1.0), is already available on EcoPortal: https://ecoportal.lifewatch.eu/ontologies/TRAITS_THES.

By becoming a validator, you will:

  • Contribute to trait-based research, and help standardise trait data, supporting scientific progress in aquatic ecology;
  • Reduce heterogeneity in trait-based data, playing a crucial role in developing new standards for trait-based data, and improving the interoperability of trait terminologies;
  • Collaborate with a network of experts;
  • Receive acknowledgement of your contribution by an open-access resource that supports interoperability in trait-based research.

If you decide to join the Traits Thesaurus 2.0 pool of validators, you will review and provide feedback on specific terms and definitions included. The validation phase will last for three weeks, and after the necessary revisions, the updated thesaurus will be published.

If you want to join, fill in this form by 25 March: https://forms.office.com/e/6LGXj2TUJ2?origin=lprLink, to receive the invitation for a webinar on 26 March and learn all you need to know.

Download the leaflet

22nd Italian Ornithology Conference: call for symposia and round tables proposals

ornithology

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 the field.

Symposia will have to follow a specific structure with six oral presentations, an introduction and a conclusion. The proposals will be evaluated based on the relevance of the topic, interest and originality, as well as gender and geographical balance criteria.

Round tables will last one hour and a half. A brief initial introduction by the organisers is welcome, but the round table must primarily promote discussion and active interaction among the participants.

The submission deadline is 10 February 2025.

For more information visit:

https://www.lifewatchitaly.eu/en/22-convegno-italiano-di-ornitologia/symposia-and-round-tables/