A new framework for the sustainable management of European Research Infrastructures

Biodiversity Data Journal paper

A new paper, entitled “Eleven Tenets for the Integrated, Evolving and Sustainable Management of European Research Infrastructure Consortia”, has recently been published in the Biodiversity Data Journal. The paper is authored by Christos Arvanitidis, Cristina Huertas Olivares, Mike Elliott, Alberto Basset, Anne Fouilloux, Ohad Graber-Soudry, D. (Dimitris) Koureas, Lucas de Moncuit, Roland Roberts, Antonio José Saenz-Albanes and Peter van Tienderen.

Research Infrastructures play an increasingly important role in scientific discovery, innovation and evidence-informed policy. At the same time, their management has become increasingly complex, requiring scientific, technological, organisational and societal aspects to be considered together rather than in isolation.

The paper proposes an eleven-tenet framework for the integrated, evolving and sustainable management of European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs). Building on previous tenet-based approaches, the framework brings together scientific, technological, economic, administrative, political, legal, societal, environmental, ethical, cultural and communication dimensions within a single structure. A new, eleventh tenet focuses on enabling scientific excellence, recognising that while scientific excellence is generated by the research communities using an infrastructure, ERICs play a crucial role in enabling it through high-quality data, services and collaborative environments.

The framework is intended as a tool to support strategic reflection, identify potential gaps and challenges, and promote more integrated and adaptive approaches to the long-term management and sustainability of ERICs. While developed in the European context, the authors highlight that many of the challenges addressed are relevant to Research Infrastructures more broadly. The paper is the result of a collaborative effort involving researchers and experts from several European and international institutions, including LifeWatch ERIC. The article is available as open access in the Biodiversity Data Journal: https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/212181.

UNESCO International Day of Caves and Karst: A New Global Platform for Exploration, Research, and Protection

International Day of Caves and Karst

Nadja Zupan Hajna, Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, International Union of Speleology (UIS)

On 12 November 2025, the UNESCO General Conference proclaimed 13 September as the International Day of Caves and Karst (IDCK). The new International Day provides a permanent global platform for raising awareness of the importance of caves and karst for biodiversity, water resources, geodiversity, scientific research, cultural heritage and sustainable development. Caves and karst systems are often hidden from view, yet they contain unique natural archives and support highly specialised ecosystems, including many endemic and cave-adapted species that depend on stable subterranean environments.

This makes the International Day particularly relevant to the LifeWatch ERIC community, where biodiversity research, long-term observation, data integration and the study of specialised habitats are central themes. Subterranean ecosystems are especially vulnerable to environmental change, pollution, changes in groundwater conditions, land use and other human pressures. Better knowledge of these environments is therefore essential not only for understanding their exceptional biodiversity, but also for their effective conservation.

The initiative for the International Day originated within the International Union of Speleology (UIS) and grew out of the successful International Year of Caves and Karst 2021–2022. The process was led by Nadja Zupan Hajna of the Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, who, as UIS President from 2022, made formal UNESCO recognition of caves and karst one of the main goals of her mandate and coordinated the preparation of the proposal, its scientific justification and the building of broad international support. The Republic of Slovenia subsequently submitted the UIS proposal through the formal UNESCO procedure. The initiative ultimately received wide international support and established 13 September as an annual day dedicated to caves and karst.

The first global celebration of the UNESCO International Day of Caves and Karst took place in Postojna, Slovenia, from 10 to 13 September 2026. It was jointly organised by the Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU and the International Union of Speleology (UIS), with the support and cooperation of the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO and Slovenian partner institutions. The events were held under the patronage of UNESCO and the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Nataša Pirc Musar, who personally attended the central ceremony in Postojna Cave and addressed the participants.

At the heart of the programme was the international scientific conference “Explore, Understand and Protect: Towards Sustainable Management of Caves and Karst”, which brought together around 160 participants from 35 countries on five continents. Scientific sessions addressed biodiversity and geodiversity, cave and karst protection, groundwater management, climate change, pollution, geohazards, new research technologies, education and sustainable management. The central celebration in Postojna Cave brought together participants and invited guests from 43 countries.

The first celebration in Postojna was only the beginning. The aim is for 13 September to become an annual global opportunity to explore, understand and protect caves and karst, connecting researchers, cavers, conservationists, educators, local communities and decision makers. For biodiversity initiatives such as LifeWatch ERIC, the IDCK also offers an important opportunity to make the often-invisible diversity of subterranean ecosystems more visible and to strengthen cooperation between research, monitoring and conservation.

Text by Nadja Zupan Hajna, Group picture by Valter Leban, taken during the first global celebration of the UNESCO International Day of Caves and Karst in Postojna, Slovenia.
More info and gallery: https://izrkp.zrc-sazu.si/en/novice/the-main-ceremony-marking-the-first-celebration-of-unesco-international-day-of-caves-and

MEDCONNECT, the Mediterranean Lighthouse of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”, launches in Limassol

Source: MEDCONNECT press release

Connecting blue innovators and scaling solutions across the Mediterranean: this is the mission of MEDCONNECT, the Mediterranean Lighthouse of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” officially launched on 29 September 2026 at the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in Cyprus.

At a time when the Mediterranean is under growing pressure from climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, MEDCONNECT aims to move promising innovations beyond the pilot stage and into real coastal environments, accelerating their deployment, financing and uptake across the region.

The public event took place at the Chamber’s premises in Limassol, Cyprus, opening the MEDCONNECT kick-off meeting on 29-30 September. The launch event included an institutional welcome, a presentation of MEDCONNECT, high-level diplomatic remarks by Ambassadors and representatives of Mediterranean countries participating in the project.
The two-day meeting was the first opportunity to bring the full partnership around the same table, align priorities and turn the project architecture into a shared programme of action.

The meeting was attended by Christos Arvanitidis, LifeWatch ERIC Chief Executive Officer, and Cristina Huertas-Olivares, Senior Scientific Officer at LifeWatch ERIC Statutory Seat.
LifeWatch ERIC leads WP9 “Innovation Ecosystem Capacity Building” and will be involved in: building and strengthening innovation ecosystems across the three Regional Hubs; enabling collaboration with 5-helix stakeholders and youth to drive investment and innovative solutions uptake; enhancing stakeholders’ capacities to adopt and scale innovations through targeted training; empowering off-takers to integrate innovations sustainably into their operations and services; fostering continuous multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure solutions are user-driven to guarantee sustainable basin socio-economic development.

Funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe and coordinated by the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), MEDCONNECT brings together 20 partners across the Mediterranean Basin. Over three years, the project will work through 14 national hubs and three regional living lab systems in Croatia, Cyprus and Spain, where 15 innovative solutions will be tested and refined under real coastal conditions. MEDCONNECT will also support access to public and private investment, digital monitoring, behavioural change and local capacity building, with the goal of scaling validated solutions and creating a lasting Mediterranean innovation ecosystem.

“MEDCONNECT marks more than the formal start of a European project: it is the beginning of a shared ambition for the Mediterranean,” said Gotelenne Piaton, MEDCONNECT Project Coordinator at CMMI. “Our goal is to connect actors across the basin, bring innovative solutions into real-world environments and create the conditions for them to be replicated and scaled.”

The two-day kick-off meeting brought together partners from more than 14 countries across the Mediterranean Basin, alongside representatives of CINEA and DG MARE, and concluded with a visit to the Port of Limassol and EUROGATE Container Terminal.

About MEDCONNECT
MEDCONNECT – Mediterranean Lighthouse Connectivity Platform for Scaling Up Solutions and Regional Partnerships – is the Mediterranean Lighthouse of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”. Funded by Horizon Europe and coordinated by the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), the three-year project brings together 20 partners from across the Mediterranean and Europe to accelerate the restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems and the transition to a climate-neutral, competitive blue economy. Working through national hubs and three regional living lab systems in Croatia, Cyprus and Spain, MEDCONNECT will refine and demonstrate 15 innovative solutions under real coastal conditions, mobilise public and private investment, deploy digital monitoring and promote behavioural change.
Its goal is to establish a permanent Mediterranean innovation ecosystem that turns validated solutions into financed deployments aligned with the Mission’s 2030 objectives.

Follow MEDCONNECT
Website: https://medconnect-lighthouse.eu
LinkedIn: @medconnect-eu | Instagram: @medconnect_eu

MEDCONNECT is part of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” and is funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101296089. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

SERE 2026: LifeWatch ERIC attends the European Conference on Ecological Restoration

SERE Conference 2026

Last week, members of LifeWatch ERIC Jorge Osman and Cristina Huertas-Olivares attended the SERE 2026 Conference, the 15th edition of the European Conference on Ecological Restoration, organised by the University of Brest’s Geoarchitecture Laboratory in close collaboration with SER-Europe and the ‘REVER’ network.

The main objective of this event was to share knowledge and strengthen links between stakeholders in ecological restoration, with a focus on ecological, social, and political considerations.

The conference tackled all aspects of restoration, across different types of ecosystems and territories, including some usually less well-integrated topics, such as the restoration of ecological networks (particularly dark infrastructure) and marine ecosystems.

Moreover, the scientific programme dedicated particular attention to the restoration of wetlands and coastal ecosystems, the application of European nature restoration legislation and the implementation of National Restoration Plans.

These topics are particularly relevant to the RECUP-DAS project, which aims to support the restoration and sustainable management of areas affected by mining activities, through an integrated approach that combines ecological restoration, monitoring, data management, and decision-support tools.

In this context, the participation in SERE 2026 provided an opportunity for LifeWatch ERIC members involved in the project to follow the latest developments, experiences and approaches in ecological restoration, and to exchange knowledge with researchers working across different ecosystems.

Jorge Osman, Scientific Project Manager, and member of the RECUP-DAS Project, attended the conference in Brest to learn from the international experiences presented during the event, including a specialised course on “Adaptive Restoration Planning Using DSS-AWERE”. The knowledge and methodologies gained through this training may prove valuable for the RECUP-DAS project, in particular in relation to the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of future ecological restoration actions in the areas affected by mining activities.

Attending SERE 2026 and the specialised training provided an opportunity to broaden the project team’s knowledge, explore relevant approaches, and strengthen connections with the wider ecological restoration community.

RECUP-DAS is co-funded by the European Union through the Andalusia ERDF Programme 2021–2027.

For more information, visit: https://sere2026.sciencesconf.org/?lang=en

LifeWatch ERIC joins ECSA 61: the Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association Conference 2026

ECSA 61 (2)

From 24 to 27 August 2026, a global, multidisciplinary community of researchers and professionals is gathering in Belgium to discuss the urgent challenges posed by the triple planetary crisis – climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution – with threats to biodiversity representing a particularly major concern for both the planet health and human societies.

This is, in fact, the focus of “ECSA 61: Bridging the gap between science and policy in estuarine and coastal marine biodiversity: the way forward“.

Organised by Elsevier and the ECSA Association, the conference features sessions and workshops across four main topics: Physics, Ecology, Biogeochemistry, and the Human Dimension. The focus is on international collaborative actions, in particular across maritime areas, where there is urgent need to assess and manage threats, and to plan future initiatives that ensure a sustainable use of estuaries, coasts, and seas.

Building on the results of several Horizon Europe projects, this is also an opportunity to showcase the most recent advances in coastal marine research, and their application for European and international policies. For the first time, ECSA 61 also includes a “Science-meets-Policy” day on 27 August, providing an opportunity to discuss research findings with managers and decision-makers.

LifeWatch ERIC members Joaquin Lopez-Lerida, Cristina Huertas-Olivares, Julio Paneque, and CEO Christos Arvanitidis are attending the conference, contributing to two Special Sessions and presenting two posters:

In the Special Session “Toolboxes and Decision Support Systems for marine and estuarine management needs, uses and misuses”, chaired by Anita Franco (International Estuarine and Coastal Specialist Ltd, UK), they present the MARBEFES project toolbox, which integrates ecological, economic, and social analyses of marine biodiversity, together with the project partners.

In the Special Session “Environmental DNA for coastal and estuarine biodiversity monitoring and assessment: connecting scientific innovation with policy needs”, chaired by Jan Pawlowski (Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland), and Raffaele Siano (Ifremer DYNECO, France) they present tools for integrating citizen scientists into genomic observatories, to enhance coastal marine biomonitoring and ecological assessment, as well as operational eDNA workflows for biodiversity monitoring in coastal ecosystems within LifeWatch ERIC.

They also present the following posters: “Integrating decision support systems and toolboxes through the European Research Infrastructure Consortium LifeWatch”, and “From eDNA metabarcoding to operational marine biodiversity products: workflows within LifeWatch ERIC”.

Finally, they will also take part in the General Session on “Coastal and estuarine biodiversity and ecosystems”, on 26 August, where they will propose a holistic understanding of European marine biodiversity and the human communities that live within it.

For more information on this event and the full programme, visit: https://www.estuarinecoastalconference.com

Wetland restoration projects join forces and speak to policy: read the joint White Paper

wetlands projects joint white paper

Collaboration is at the hearth of real impact in research. It is especially encouraging when members of research projects work together, combining their expertise, scientific evidence, and practical knowledge to deliver a shared message with one strong, science-based voice.

We are glad to announce the release of a joint, landmark white paper from a group of EU-funded projects on wetlands restoration: RESTORE4Cs, ALFAWetlands, REWET, WET HORIZONS, ForPet, Wetland4Change, and Palus Demos.

The paper is called “Prioritising Wetland Conservation and Restoration in Europe | United voices for more policy impact”. It collects scientific evidence, policy analysis, and direct experience from research actions across Europe, with the shared objective to push for urgent and coordinated action to halt wetland degradation, and accelerate its restoration.

In particular, drawing on evidence gathered from the collaborating projects, the white paper has identified four priority areas for policy action:

  • Improving policy coherence across sectors
  • Mobilising public and private financing
  • Enabling landscape scale implementation
  • Strengthening monitoring systems and stakeholder participation

You can read more information and download the full document here:

https://www.restore4cs.eu/sister-projects-release-joint-white-paper-calling-for-stronger-eu-action-to-protect-and-restore-europes-wetlands

Participating projects:

15th International Polychaete Conference: the role of RIs in Polychaete Biodiversity Science

IPC15 Conference

From 27 to 31 July 2026, the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum of Frankfurt (Germany) is hosting the 15th International Polychaete Conference (IPC15), bringing together researchers and students working on all aspects of polychaete biology.

From systematics and morphology, to ecology, physiology, development and evolution, each day of the conference is centred around a specific aspect of polychaete research, and is introduced by a keynote talk:

  • Thomas Bartolomaeus, from Bonn University in Germany, introduces “Morphology and Physiology”;
  • Joana Zanol, from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, introduces “Taxonomy, Systematics and Phylogenomics”;
  • Monika Bright, from Vienna University in Austria, introduces “Ecology, Biodiversity & Conservation”;
  • Elaine Seaver, from Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience – USA, introduces “Model Annelids & Evo-Devo”.

The programme includes 15-minute contributed sessions and a poster exhibition. Christos Arvanitidis, LifeWatch ERIC’s CEO, is attending the Conference and presenting the abstract “From Ecology to Omics: Dataset Publication and the Role of Research Infrastructures in Polychaete Biodiversity Science“, a work involving also Daniel Martin and Rafael Sardá from the Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB, CSIC), Spain.

The talk analyses current shifts in the way marine biodiversity knowledge is produced, disseminated, and reused, taking Polychaete research as an ideal model for the investigation of these dynamics. According to this comparative analyses, genetic/genomic datasets are associated with substantially higher publication growth rates than conventional ecological datasets, particularly since the 2000s. These patterns may suggest a stronger amplification potential of properly published, standardised, interoperable, and reusable datasets, where FAIR-compliant publication practices, and the facilitating role of Research Infrastructures, have the potential to enable long-term scientific reuse of knowledge. The full abstract is available in the IPC15 Book of Abstracts.

For more information about the conference, visit: https://polychaete-association.com/ipc15-frankfurt

Project RECUP-DAS members at the University of Huelva for the 3rd Executive Monitoring Committee meeting

RECUP-DAS Monitoring meeting

On 24 June, the Faculty of Experimental Sciences at the University of Huelva hosted the third Executive Monitoring Committee meeting for the RECUP-DAS project, an initiative co-funded by the European Union through the Andalusia ERDF Programme 2021–2027.

The aim of RECUP-DAS is to apply DAS (Dispersed Alkaline Substrate) technology to reduce the presence of metals resulting from acid mine drainage and to develop advanced scientific monitoring and digitalisation capabilities that will enable the assessment and tracking of the environmental recovery of the River Odiel.

The meeting was attended by Susana Benavides, Director-General for Water Resources at the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of the Regional Government of Andalusia, and Javier Marcial de Torre, Managing Director of the Andalusian Environment and Water Agency (AMAYA), organisations which are collaborating on the project alongside the University of Huelva and LifeWatch ERIC.

During the meeting, progress was reported on the design and planning of the new DAS plant planned for the area around Mina La Poderosa, as well as the status of the work that will enable a comprehensive assessment of its environmental impact. Among them are the development of an advanced environmental monitoring system; the integration and scientific analysis of data; and the development of digital solutions that will enable land-use managers and the scientific community to assess the progress of the environmental recovery of the river Odiel.

The day concluded with a visit to the laboratories of the Mineralogy and Environmental Geochemistry Unit at the University of Huelva, led by José Miguel Nieto, principal investigator of the Tharsis Group and a leading figure in the development and application of DAS technology in the Iberian Pyrite Belt.

About RECUP-DAS:

RECUP DAS is a project co-funded by the European Union through the Andalusia ERDF Programme 2021–2027, and launched in January 2026 as a result of a collaboration agreement between the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, the University of Huelva and LifeWatch ERIC. With a budget of 10.4 million euros, it falls under Specific Objective 2.9 of the Andalusia ERDF Programme 2021–2027, within Priority 2D STEP, which is aimed at promoting clean technologies, the ecological transition and the protection of biodiversity. As well as tackling a long-standing environmental problem linked to the discharge of water contaminated by mining activities into the ocean, the project incorporates a significant circular economy component. In this regard, research will be carried out into the reuse of solid waste generated following the treatment of acid mine drainage, as this waste may contain critical metals of strategic interest to Europe.

More info: http://lifewatch.eu/2026/01/28/recup-das

FAIR2Adapt secures EOSC Gravity funding and launches FAIR Solution webinar series

ROHub and FAIROs

FAIR2Adapt (https://www.lifewatch.eu/fair2adapt) is a multidisciplinary Horizon Europe project coordinated by LifeWatch ERIC, aiming to enable the development of comprehensive, and scientifically-sound climate adaptation strategies and plans, by transforming data into actionable knowledge.

The project has recently been selected for funding under the EOSC Gravity Inter Projects Grants call. The funded initiative, ROH-ON (https://eosc.eu/horizon-europe-projects/roh-on), will onboard two core FAIR Digital Object services -ROHub (https://www.rohub.org) and FAIROs (https://ostrails.eu/fairos) – into the EOSC Federation through the EOSC Polish Node (EOSC-PL) over the next six months.

Led by Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center (PSNC) and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), with LifeWatch ERIC contributing through its connection to the OSCARS-FIESTA project (https://oscars-project.eu/projects/fair-image-analysis-across-sciences), ROH-ON establishes sustainable FAIR infrastructure for the Climate Change Adaptation community. This creates a concrete onboarding pathway for further FAIR2Adapt services.

In parallel, FAIR2Adapt launched its FAIR Solution webinar series, offering practical insights into the FAIR tools and workflows developed as part of the project. Recent episodes cover the FAIRification of urban flood risk data across Hamburg and Bremen; the use of the TIB Knowledge Loom and Knowledge Dashboard to transform scientific findings into actionable insights for city planners; and an AI-assisted literature review and claim-extraction pipeline that will support Portugal’s National Adaptation Hub.

Additional webinars will be released in the coming months.
Watch the full series on the FAIR2Adapt YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EOSCFair2Adaptproject

Highlights from BEeS 2026: Four days of biodiversity science in Plovdiv

BEeS 2026 Conference

From 7 to 10 July, the biodiversity and ecosystem research community gathered in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, for LifeWatch ERIC’s Biodiversity and Ecosystem eScience Conference (BEeS 2026), bringing together 216 registrants from 28 countries (and co-located with LifeWatch ERIC’s General Assembly).

Across four days of scientific exchange, discussions, and hands-on activities, researchers and infrastructure experts explored how digital technologies (including artificial intelligence) have the potential to shape the future of biodiversity and ecosystem research.

As LifeWatch ERIC’s flagship event, each edition of BEeS is hosted by one of its Distributed Centres, and this year the spotlight was on LifeWatch Bulgaria, with the conference taking place at the Agricultural University – Plovdiv (AUP). The event opened with welcoming remarks from AUP Rector Prof. Boryana Ivanova, and Vice-rector Prof. Dimo Atanasov, alongside Prof. Alberto Basset, Interim Director of LifeWatch ERIC’s Service Centre, and Christos Arvanitidis, LifeWatch ERIC’s CEO.

The expertise of the Bulgarian Distributed Centre inspired many of this year’s conference topics, and provided the ideal setting for the official launch of the LifeWatch ERIC’s Thematic Service Working Group on Agroecology. During this pre-conference session on 7 July, the Working Group members worked together to align agroecological priorities and digital services, and to define the future roadmap and action areas of the WG.

The pre-conference programme also included updates from the other Thematic Services Working Groups: an open discussion with coordinators presenting their current activities and exploring future priorities.

From 8 to 10 July, the conference moved into its main scientific programme with 5 keynote sessions from Prof. Tatyana Bileva (Agricultural University Plovdiv), Dr. Dessislava Dimitrova (IBER-BAS), Prof. Carl Beierkuhnlein (University of Bayreuth/Universidad de Granada), Prof. Vladislav Popov (Agricultural University Plovdiv) and Dr. Anne Fouilloux (LifeWatch ERIC). The Key Notes focused on biodiversity conservation, responses to climate change, agroecology, as well as new frontiers for eScience. The speakers bios and summaries of each keynote are available here: https://www.lifewatch.eu/bees-2026-meet-the-speakers.

The contributed programme featured 70 talks distributed over several parallel sessions covering 12 scientific topics (the Book of Abstracts will be published and announced soon!). These contributions showcased the wide breadth and ranges of application of current biodiversity and ecosystem research, from ecological and environmental modelling, to data infrastructures and emerging digital tools. Presentations slides (only those where permission for publication has been granted by the authors) are available online on this page: https://www.lifewatch.eu/bees-2026-presentations.

Beyond the contributed sessions, BEeS 2026 offered opportunities for practical learning and community engagement. Participants joined 6 Masterclasses, 11 Training Sessions, a documentary screening, networking sessions, and the BioBEeS, a citizen science bioblitz dedicated to documenting Bulgaria’s animal, plant and fungal biodiversity. The initiative, launched by LifeWatch Italy, concluded during the conference Social Dinner with the announcement of the two winners: Lorenzo Braga and Sara Strah.

Acting as a platform for international collaboration in biodiversity and ecosystem research, BEeS 2026 has raised many positive comments among participants. One of them, shared in the post-conference feedback read: “This conference demonstrated that to save nature, we must first understand it in detail. Thanks to platforms like LifeWatch ERIC, science now has the digital senses to decipher ecological crises and offer real, timely technological solutions”.

We are already looking forward to the next edition. Until then, stay tuned for updates!