CAPERmed
Mediterranean Basin ecosystems, their unique biodiversity, and the key services they provide are currently at risk due to air pollution and climate change (Ochoa-Hueso et al., 2017). Particularities of air pollution in this region include high ozone levels due to high air temperatures and solar radiation, the stability of air masses, and dominance of dry over wet nitrogen deposition. Moreover, the unique abiotic and biotic factors (e.g. climate, vegetation type, relevance of Saharan dust inputs) modulating the response of Mediterranean ecosystems at various spatio-temporal scales make it difficult to understand, and thus predict, the consequences of human activities causing air pollution in the Mediterranean Basin. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement coordinated research and experimental platforms along with wider environmental monitoring networks in the region.
Through a coordinated effort, the Mediterranean scientific community can fill the gaps and reach a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying the combined effects of air pollution and climate change in the Mediterranean Basin (Ochoa-Hueso et al., 2017).
CAPERmed aims to bring together people working on air pollution in Mediterranean ecosystems in order to coordinate expertise for quantifying current impacts and identify future challenges. CAPERmed provides a successful platform to discuss how Mediterranean’s ecosystems respond to threats from air pollution for the benefit of researchers, students, Agency and Conservation staff.
CAPERmed 2021 encourages submissions from all aspects of research dealing with Environmental status and health of Mediterranean plant ecosystems following 3 sessions:
- 1. Monitoring, biomonitoring and modelling: advances and limitations.
- 2. From the organism to the ecosystem: impact of pollution and climate change.
- 3. Environmental policies, human health and sustainability.