Call for Abstract: International pond conference 2024

Please submit your abstract for one of the following conference themes:

-Science

These sessions will be aimed at freshwater scientists

Ponds and regulation of climate

• pond carbon storage, greenhouse gas emissions, other relationships (e.g. pond cooling of urban areas)
• pond biodiversity and climate: Relationships between pond biodiversity and climate change - where climate is a main focus of the results.

The value of ponds and pondscapes for biodiversity

Including inter alia their value for rare and endangered taxa, and their value compared to other freshwater habitat types.

Threats to pond diversity

The main factors affecting pond biodiversity. Talks could focus on threats to specific pond types (e.g. temporary ponds, alpine ponds), and/or specific species/groups. Multi-factorial studies which include climate as a minor element can be included here.

Modelling and assessment of ponds

Modelling and mapping ponds, pond environments or biota, links to landscape change and development of scenarios that assist with pond and pondscape assessment.

Ponds’ contributions to regulatory and support services

The role of ponds in providing ecosystem services, such as:

• regulation of hazards and extreme events
• regulation of freshwater quantity
• regulation of freshwater quality
• pollination, food and feed
• ponds’ contribution to wellbeing

The outcomes of research into ways that ponds benefit people in terms of their holistic well-being

for example:

• physical and psychological experiences
• learning and inspiration
• supporting identities.

-Practitioner focused research that helps practitioners

This session focuses on how lessons learnt from pond science can be practically applied to inform and support the practices of land managers and advisors

Maintaining and increasing pond biodiversity

Evidence-based ways to maintain or increase pond biodiversity (pond species, biotic groups, or assemblages). Talks may be specific to particular pond types e.g. temporary ponds. Includes:

• increasing biodiversity value through physical pond creation and management
• practical implications from improved understanding of factors that influence biodiversity value such as how to improve water quality (e.g. buffer zones), manage shade, grazing, manage surrounding landscapes
• other information or lessons learnt relevant to practitioners: e.g. new survey and assessment tools, successful use of eDNA approaches.

Pond biodiversity benefits for the wider landscape

How to design, create or manage ponds or pondscapes to deliver biodiversity benefits to the wider landscape (e.g. pollinators, or freshwater biodiversity benefits more generally, including in the face of threats such as climate change).

Maximising the value of ponds as nature-based solutions

How ponds can be practically managed, located or designed to support and increase their value as nature-based solutions. Topics to consider:

• regulation of climate, water quality and quantity
• psychological, education, well-being etc.

-Ponds in policy and legislation

Sessions for policy makers, as well as practitioners and scientists with an interest in policy

Implications for policy for pond science

To further the integration of ponds into policy and legislation at national and international levels, particularly by understanding:

• the context – what's been achieved in policy terms so far.
• what are the gaps and what needs to be achieved?
• barriers to integration into policy.
• opportunities and routeways.
• finance and cost-benefits.

Country-based examples should ideally focus on routeways that brought success and generalisable lessons learnt.