The Baltic Sea region is well-known for its long tradition in aquatic ecology which is being developed by new and new generations of researchers. This region is also well-known for its successful international cooperation in marine environmental science and management. These nice traditions – excellence in science and close international cooperation – are intimately interrelated.
The first and the second regional student conferences “Biodiversity and Functioning of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Baltic Sea Area” which were arranged by the KU CORPI Phd students in October 2004, Palanga, Lithuania and in October 2006, Klaipeda, Lithuania proved to be very successful junior scientific forums. Nearly 100 participants from nine Baltic Sea countries presented their first research results in a friendly student atmosphere; they listened to the key note lectures given by prominent scientists, the scientific sessions alternated by festive evenings with guitar playing, singing and dancing. Many students made new friends in different countries, many new contacts were established, and these contacts last long after the Conference. Arranging the third student regional conference we hope to develop Baltic regional traditions, stimulate scientific exchange and cooperation in our region.
3rd International Student Conference „BIODIVERSITY AND FUNCTIONING OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION“ take place in Juodkrante, Klaipeda, Lithuania on 9-13 october 2008. The conference contained 48 students’ presentations (22 oral and 26 poster). Students from 10 different countries (Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine) take part at conference. Three key lectures: Science-based management of European transitional waters and coastal and marine areas, Evoliution of the Biosphere: a new view on functional and structural aspect, and Concept of bentic habitats: recent developments, applications and future perspectives were given by Prof. Mike Elliot (Institute of Estuarine & Coastal Studies, University of Hull, UK), Dr. Ravil Zeleev (Kazan State University, Russia) and Dr. Darius Daunys (CORPI Klaipeda University, Lithuania).
This multidisciplinary conference covered various aspects of marine environmental research: from molecular ecology of aquatic organisms, biodiversity and functioning of the plankton and benthos communities to the modeling of the ecosystem processes.