16th edition of the Deep-Sea Biology Symposium

The deep-sea is the largest ecosystem on Earth. It harbours an impressive biodiversity and provides a great amount of resources yet, it is also the least explored and understood. There is an urgent need of rapid technological developments to access, investigate, understand and protect this unique and remote environment. Furthermore, in the last few years anthropogenic pressures in the deep sea raised exponentially and we are all aware that the deep sea is a treasure of biodiversity, resources and the last frontier on Earth for biomimicry.

The Deep-Sea Biology Symposium is a long-running series of symposia that has had huge influence on driving forward the science of deep-sea biology as well as inspiring a new generation of researchers. With 580 registered participants from 46 countries, the 16th DSBS will be held at Océanopolis in Brest from 12th to 17th September 2021. This hybrid event (both physical and online participation possible) will offer 214 presentations organised in 2 parallel sessions, 175 posters, 8 keynote speakers, a round table with scientists, stakeholders and companies about deep-sea biomimicry (in collaboration with CEEBIOS) and a side student workshops. A unique effort of 89 grants was performed by 16DSBS sponsors in order to make this event accessible to developing countries.

The 16th DSBS scientific sessions will cover:

- Conservation topics and stewardship (natural/anthropogenic impacts, conservation, governance);
- Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (biodiversity patterns, species distribution, function);
- Life-history traits and population connectivity (reproductive ecology, larval development and dispersal, and population connectivity);
- Access to deep sea (technological and methodological advances to access and investigate deepsea life, including observatories and cutting edge technologies –e.g. A.I. and omics);
- Deep-sea biomimicry (discovery of new technologies inspired by deep-sea biological solutions)

The 16th DSBS will be wellsprings of cooperation and formation of new research groups and projects, providing the opportunity for members of the international deep-sea science community to discuss and present their latest research results.

For further information, please visit: https://wwz.ifremer.fr/16dsbs/