Plants and Global Change
The 121st SBI Congress aims to tackle the complex issue of how global changes impact the plant world. This will be achieved by holding a series of thematic symposia to showcase the latest scientific findings in this area. Global changes impact plants and plant communities in various ways. These include rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns and an increase in extreme weather events and wildfires. These drivers jeopardise biodiversity by inducing altered phenology, water and heat stress, shifts in species distribution, and an increased risk of extinction for the most vulnerable species. Furthermore, such stressors compromise photosynthetic efficiency and carbon sequestration capacity, rendering species increasingly susceptible to biotic threats and environmental pollutants.
Scientific committee
Antonella Canini (Università di Roma Tor Vergata); Barbara Baldan (Università di Padova), Anna Maria Mercuri (Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia), Gianni Sacchetti (Università di Ferrara), Giovanni Spampinato (Università di Reggio Calabria), Roberto Venanzoni (Università di Perugia), Giuseppe Venturella (Università di Palermo), Carmelo Maria Musarella (Università di Reggio Calabria), Giuseppina Alongi (Università di Catania), Gianni Bedini (Università di Pisa), Giulia Caneva (Università di Roma Tre), Daniela Ciccarelli (Università di Pisa), Annalena Cogoni (Università di Cagliari), Gianniantonio Domina (Università di Palermo), Gabriele Galasso (Comune di Milano), Marta Galloni (Università di Bologna), Salvatore Lenucci (Università del Salento), Guido Lingua (Università del Piemonte), Stefano Loppi (Università di Siena), Alessia Masi (Sapienza Università di Roma), Simone Orsenigo (Università di Pavia), Alessio Papini (Università di Firenze), Ferrucci Poli (Università di Bologna), Leonardo Rosati (Università della Basilicata), Francesco Tarantino (Lecce), Solveig Tosi (Università di Pavia)
Organizing committee
Giovanni Spampinato, Carmelo Maria Musarella, Serafino Cannavò, Valentina Lucia Astrid Laface, Antonio Morabito, Miriam Patti.
Global Change and Plant Responses
> Understanding the impacts of climate and environmental shifts on plant diversity and ecosystems
> Exploring scientific advances to mitigate risks and support conservation strategies
> Addressing threats such as extreme events, biodiversity loss, and reduced ecosystem resilience
Our conference starts in
Preliminary program
The congress will take place from September 2nd to 5th, 2026, at the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria, featuring symposia, lectures, and parallel sessions on plant science and biodiversity.
The program includes keynote talks, scientific communications, public events, and social activities, fostering discussion and collaboration among participants.
Each day is structured with thematic sessions, coffee breaks, and networking opportunities, concluding with a field trip in the Aspromonte National Park.
For detailed information on sessions and timings, please access the full program above.
Contacts
Conference location
Reggio Calabria RC
