On 5th and 6th November, around 130 speakers, 19 organisations representing universities, scientific institutions, and research centres, alongside four internationally renowned keynote speakers, will gather at MUSE – Science Museum in Trento for EuBiReCo 2026: the Euregio Biodiversity Research Conference. Co-organised by MUSE – Science Museum and the Edmund Mach Foundation, the conference will focus on cross-border cooperation, emerging research frontiers, and strategies for protecting mountain ecosystems.

From artificial intelligence applied to ecological modelling to environmental DNA, and from satellite forests’ monitoring to the impact of glacier retreat on high-altitude biodiversity, scientific research is developing increasingly sophisticated tools to track ecosystems’ change and design actual conservation strategies. These form the core topics of EuBiReCo 2026, taking place on 5 and 6 November at MUSE in Trento. 
Hosted in Trentino for the first time, the conference brings together around 130 speakers and representatives from 19 Italian and international institutions, including universities, museums, research centres, and conservation organisations. Participating institutions from beyond the Euregio region include the University of Konstanz (Germany), the University of Oviedo (Spain), and MIT World Peace University (India).

Established in 2000 as a local initiative dedicated to zoological and botanical research in South Tyrol, EuBiReCo expanded its scope in 2024 to encompass the entire Euregio region, consolidating its role as a key platform for cross-border scientific cooperation between Tyrol and the Autonomous Provinces of Bolzano and Trento. The 2026 edition, co-organised by MUSE and the Edmund Mach Foundation, marks a further step forward in fostering research networks and joint programs to broaden knowledge of the natural heritage of the Alps and safeguard the mountain environments worldwide.

"Studying the complexity of Alpine biodiversity now requires advanced, integrated research tools, as well as the ability to bridge expertise, data, and insights across different disciplines. EuBiReCo provides an important platform to share scientific findings, align methodologies, and build lasting partnerships between institutions and territories, helping address the environmental challenges affecting the entire Alpine region" emphasize Francesco Rovero of MUSE and Damiano Gianelle of the Edmund Mach Foundation, co-chairs of the conference’s Scientific Committee.

Representing diverse research organisations across the Trentino–South Tyrol–Tyrol Euroregion, the Scientific Committee also includes Giulia Ferrari (Edmund Mach Foundation), Mauro Gobbi (MUSE), Cäcilia Lechner Pagitz (University of Innsbruck), Chiara Paniccia (EURAC Research), Thomas Wilhalm (South Tyrol Museum of Natural Sciences), and Giulia Tomasi (Rovereto Civic Museum Foundation).

Four sessions addressing key biodiversity challenges 

The scientific programme is structured into four thematic sessions, exploring Alpine biodiversity through an interdisciplinary, multiscale lens.

• Session 1: New tools for biodiversity assessment and Big Data management — Examines cutting-edge technologies such as remote sensing, robotics, environmental DNA (eDNA), bioacoustics, and camera trapping, alongside artificial
• intelligence applications in ecological research.
• Session 2: Alpine biodiversity hotspots and extreme habitats — Explores some of the mountain environment’s most distinctive and vulnerable ecosystems, from glaciers and peatlands to high-altitude ridges and subterranean caves.
• Session 3: Participatory and collaborative research — Focuses on the dialogue between science, citizens, local communities, and land managers, highlighting how knowledge-sharing supports effective environmental protection and impactfulresearch.
• Session 4: Biodiversity models and interactions: from genes to ecosystems — Investigates relationships across different organizational levels of life, from microscopic processes to macroecological dynamics, with a strong focus on conservation, nature restoration, and ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change and human pressures.

Internationally renowned keynote speakers

The programme features four distinguished keynote presenters:

• David Coomes, Professor of Forest Ecology and Conservation at the University of Cambridge (UK), will present a case study on the potential of remote sensing technologies—including airborne laser scanning and satellite imagery—to track how vegetation responds to human activities and climate change.
• Francesco Ficetola, Professor of Zoology at the University of Milan (Italy), will address glacier retreat, one of the most visible impacts of climate change, exploring how newly emerging terrestrial ecosystems evolve and how organisms colonise these environments across the Alps and globally.
• Tanja Straka, Lecturer in Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management at Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (Germany), will discuss human-nature interactions, wildlife-society relations, and how diversity within human communities influences conservation strategies.
• David Roiz, Associate Researcher at the Institute for Game and Wildlife Research (IREC, CSIC–UCLM, Spain) and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), will present on the eco-epidemiology of vector-borne diseases using a One Health approach that integrates environmental, climatic, and public health perspectives.

A platform for early-career researchers

Alongside the keynote addresses, the conference will highlight contributions from the broader scientific community through oral presentations and lightning speed-talks. Special emphasis will be placed on early-career researchers, whose contributions are essential for developing innovative methodologies and fresh perspectives on Alpine biodiversity.
Beyond scientific exchange, the conference aims to forge new collaborative ties among universities, museums, research centres, public bodies, and land management agencies.

 
 
Full programme and further information: muse.it

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