PROGRAM OUTLINE (Preliminary)
Sunday, June 21
LOCATION: Jardín Botánico Atlántico de Gijón
- 8:30 – 16:00 Pre-Symposium workshops (meeting point)
- 16:00 – 18:00 Guided visit to the botanical garden
- 18:00 – 20:00 Welcome reception
- 18:00 – 20:00 Registration
Monday, June 22
LOCATION: Venue – Laboral, ciudad de la cultura
- 8:30 Registration
- 9:00 – 18:00 Keynotes, parallel sessions, and breaks
- 18:00 Special meetings (working groups, journals, etc.)
Tuesday, June 23
LOCATION: Venue – Laboral, ciudad de la cultura
- 8:30 Registration
- 9:00 – 18:00 Keynotes, parallel sessions, and breaks
- 18:00 Special meetings (working groups, journals, etc.)
Wednesday, June 24
MID-SYMPOSIUM EXCURSIONS
(Meeting point to be announced)
Thursday, June 25
LOCATION: Venue – Laboral, ciudad de la cultura
- 8:30 Registration
- 9:00 – 18:00 Keynotes, parallel sessions, and breaks
- 18:00 Special meetings (working groups, journals, etc.)
- 20:30 – 22:30 Symposium dinner
Friday, June 26
LOCATION: Venue – Laboral, ciudad de la cultura
- 8:30 Registration
- 9:00 – 18:00 Keynotes, parallel sessions, and breaks
- 18:00 – 18:30 IAVS General Assembly
- 18:30 – 19:00 Closing ceremony
PLENARY SPEAKERS
Mark Vellend
Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
Biodiversity change and adaptive dynamics in plant communities
Begoña García
Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC), Spain
Collaborative Science: an essential tool for monitoring biodiversity dynamics
Fernando Maestre
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Beyond the barren image: The unexpected diversity of dryland vegetation
Jens-Christian Svenning
Aarhus University, Denmark
Vegetation Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere: Integrating Ecology, History, and Futures
(Alexander Humboldt IAVS award talk)
Glenda Mendieta
Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
From canopy to conservation: Rethinking vegetation through vascular epiphytes
José Carrión
University of Murcia, Spain
Paleoart and Paleovegetation: Overcoming Plant Blindness in the Iberian Record
Mariana García Criado
Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Spain
A warm tundra: Plant diversity dynamics across Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems
Roshanak Darvishzadeh
University of Twente, The Netherlands
Monitoring Essential Biodiversity Variables from Space
WORKSHOPS
All workshops will take place on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with the meeting point at the main door of the Jardín Botánico Atlántico of Gijón.
Workshops are free of charge for all registered participants of IAVS 2026. Please note that space is limited and seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis during registration.
Workshop 1 – Belowground workshop IAVS 2026
Organizers: Jitka Klimesova (Jitka.klimesova@ibot.cas.cz), Jana Martinkova (jana.martinkova@ibot.cas.cz)
Schedule: from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 15:30
Places: 20
Description: For plant growth, the belowground plant organs are crucial as they reflect different strategies and functions (being woody or herbaceous, being clonal or non-clonal). We will start the morning session with short introduction explaining how plants grow in ontogeny (from seed to adulthood and death) and in a season (from spring sprouting to autumn shedding). After the introduction we will go to the field to dig up plants to see different belowground organ types and strategies (prepare to use a spade and get dirty). In afternoon session, we will present case studies about ecology of belowground organs and discuss the topic highlighting gaps in our knowledge.
Requirements: none
Workshop 2 – Joint Species Models Workshop: the HMSC Package
Organizers: Teresa Morán (moranteresa@uniovi.es)
Schedule: from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 16:00
Places: 15
Description: This workshop will introduce joint species distribution models as a tool for studying community assembly. We will focus on the Hierarchical Models of Species Communities (HMSC) approach, which enables the quantification of species–environment relationships while incorporating their functional traits and phylogenetic relatedness. The workshop combines theoretical foundations with hands-on exercises using the HMSC package. At the end, participants will:
- Acquire a working knowledge of community assembly concepts.
- Gain basic experience with the HMSC package.
Requirements: Bring a laptop with R, RStudio installed. Previous knowledge of basic R language.
SOCIAL PROGRAM
Welcome cocktail and early registration
Meet other participants and taste local cheese and cider
- When: Sunday, 21 June, 18:00 – 20:00h
- Where: Jardín Botánico Atlántico de Gijón (main door)
- How much: included with registration (symposium badge required)
San Juan en la playa
Join Gijón citizens in celebrating the summer solstice with a big fire
- When: Tuesday, 23 June, from 20:00h onwards (be careful, the next day is the excursion)
- Where: Playa de Poniente (Poniente Beach). Meeting point to be announced
- How much: You should bring your own food and drinks to the beach!
Symposium dinner
A traditional Asturian “espicha” (convivial meal with cider)
- When: Thursday, 25 June, 20:00h – 22:00h
- Where: Museo del Pueblo de Asturias. Meeting point to be announced.
- How much: included with registration (symposium badge required)
Music Jam
Celebrate the IAVS community with international music
- When: Friday, 26 June, from 20:00h onwards
- Where: Neighbourhood of “Cimadevilla”
- How much: You should buy your food and drink (plenty of bars and restaurants)
