14–17 October 2026, Varna, Bulgaria 20 years LTER-Bulgaria as part of eLTER
About THE CONFERENCE
Join us in Varna, 14–17 October 2026, for the LTER-BG International Scientific Conference 2026 that will bring together scientists, environmental experts, practitioners, decision- and policy-makers, stakeholders, and LTER site and platform coordinators and team members. Basing on the whole system approach characteristic for the Integrated European Long-Term Ecosystem, critical zone and socio-ecological Research Infrastructure (eLTER RI), the conference aims to share findings, explore challenges to the future of long-term ecosystem research, as well as to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and strengthen the science–policy–society interface.
The conference will provide a platform to reflect on past achievements, discuss current challenges, and explore future perspectives for long-term ecosystem research in the context of global environmental change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability transitions. Contributions addressing terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, critical zone, and socio-ecological systems are welcome. Particular emphasis will be placed on studies that leverage long-term data to examine ecosystem dynamics, resilience, and responses to environmental change.
The conference is organised by the Bulgarian Long-Term Ecosystem Research network (LTER-BG), which celebrates 20 years of coordinated long-term ecosystem observation and research, with the support of eLTER RI and Pensoft Publishers.
LTER-BG receives funding from the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure, coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria.
CONFERENCE TOPICS
1. Monitoring and Understanding Ecosystem Dynamics
Long-term evidence of ecosystem change, resilience, and functioning under changing climate. Standardized observations, whole-system research and monitoring of pressures.
2. Ecosystem Services and Stakeholder Engagement in Long-Term Ecological Research: What We Lose When We Win
Trade-offs, synergies, and socio-ecological implications of ecosystem use. Co-creating knowledge, building trust, and linking science with decision-making.
3. Ecosystem Restoration and Nature-Based Solutions
From degraded landscapes to resilient futures: scientific foundations and practical pathways to alleviate biodiversity loss.
4. Emerging Technologies in Ecosystem Research, Data Management, and Open Science in eLTER
Remote sensing, sensors, AI, semantics, and other innovative tools. Standards, FAIR principles, interoperability, and the future of ecological data infrastructure