Our planet is in the midst of a rapidly changing, human-dominated era, often referred to as the Anthropocene. 

Climate and biodiversity are being altered in complex ways. There are winners, but also several losers among plants, animals, microorganisms and entire ecosystems. Changed abiotic and biotic conditions have profound impacts on life from biomolecules to the entire biosphere and all levels of biological organization in between (organisms, populations, species, communities and ecosystems).

Ecologists and evolutionary biologists face the fascinating challenge of documenting and ultimately understanding these changes. 

Therefore, the Ecology and Biodiversity Section (ELI-V) of the Earth and Life Institute of UCLouvain organizes a two-days symposium on this exciting and complex scientific field: Ecology and Evolution in the Anthropocene. 

With a selection of great keynote speakers, an open call for talks and posters, and a concluding debate, the symposium will offer a very educational and stimulating program on April 29 and 30, 2026. 

Keynote speakers: Jan Christian Habel, Ellen Decaestecker, Ruben Evens 

Jan Christian Habel is a Full Professor in the Department of Environment and Biodiversity at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (Austria), where he leads the Evolutionary Zoology research group. 

Ellen Decaestecker is Full Professor at the Biology Department of KU Leuven and chair of the Interdisciplinary Research Facility Life Sciences at campus Kortijk. 

Ruben Evens is Assistant Professor at UCLouvain and head of the Nox’alis research group, which focuses on terrestrial ecology and biodiversity conservation. 

To learn more about the speakers, read their biographies here. 

Program

Wednesday 29 April

Thursday 30 April

Each talk will consist of 12 minutes of presentation followed by 3 minutes of discussion and Q&A.

We will close the conference with a dialogue on academia and the future of ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation in a rapidly changing world. The conversation will focus particularly on opportunities, challenges and even struggles for young researchers. We do not shy away from sensitive themes such as work-life balance. 

The dialogue will be held between a young academic, Eli Thoré (UNamur) and a professor with more experience in academia, Ellen Decaestecker (KULeuven) and will be moderated by Hans Van Dyck (UCLouvain). The audience will also be able to ask questions or join in the exchange of ideas and experiences.

Registration

Please register by filling out this Forms.

Deadlines:
Deadline for registration: 16/04/2026
Deadline for poster submission: 16/04/2026

Registration Fee: 80€
It includes:
- Access to the full two-day symposium
- Coffee, tea, cold drinks, and snacks during refreshment breaks
- One lunch
- A closing drink at the end of the first symposium day

Organizers

This symposium is organized by members of the Ecology and Biodiversity Pole (ELI-V) of the Earth and Life Institute of UCLouvain (Belgium). ELI-V brings together researchers studying the evolution, functioning, and diversity of living organisms across biological scales. 

The group’s research focuses on how species interact with their environments and how ecological and evolutionary processes shape biodiversity in both natural and human-dominated systems. At an applied level, ELI-V contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and the development of sustainable solutions in agriculture, forestry, and urban ecosystems.
 

Organizing committee:
Angelot Dominique
Baeckens Simon *
Darja Margaux *
De Laender Frederik* (UNamur)
Deconinck Stephane
Destierdt Wendy *
Ferauge Brigitte
Mauro Nicola *
Van Dyck Hans *

* Members of the scientific committee

If you have any questions about the event, please contact us at this address: stephane.deconinck@uclouvain.be. 

Find information on how to get to the conference venue here.