Dear all, The MARES Consortium and EuroMarine Network are pleased to invite you to participate in the second Mares Conference on Marine Ecosystems Health and Conservation. Call for abstracts is open until the 7th September 2015 at www.maresconference.eu/submit/abstract <http://www.maresconference.eu/submit/abstract> Early bird registration is open until the 29th October 2015 at www.maresconference.eu/registration <http://www.maresconference.eu/registration> The second Mares Conference will be held from 1st- 5th February, 2016 in Olhão, Portugal and is expected to attract around 200 attendees from across the world. It presents a unique opportunity to bring together marine researchers, scientists, educators and policymakers to address the key issues regarding marine ecosystems health and conservation. The conference will be dynamic and innovative, by providing a mixture of oral presentations, scientific exhibitions and training workshops. Throughout the conference scientific sessions and exhibitions, the following six thematic subjects will be explored and keynote speakers will present on each theme: • Future oceans: temperature changes - hypoxia - acidification - Professor Jean-Pierre Gattuso • Understanding biodiversity effects on the functioning of marine ecosystems - Professor Steve Widdicombe • Biological invasions - Professor Anna Occhipinti Ambrogi • Natural resources: overexploitation, fisheries and aquaculture - Dr Jake Rice • Ocean noise pollution - René Dekeling • Habitat loss, urban development, coastal infrastructures and marine spatial planning - Dr Tundi Agardy Further details regarding the conference venue, keynote speakers, scientific programme and training workshops are available on the Mares Conference webpage or visit the conference Facebook page. We look forward to seeing you in Olhão. Kind regards, On behalf of the organising committee, Katherine Brownlie Mares Conference Coordination Office Ghent University Marine Biology Research Group Krijgslaan 281/S8 B-9000 Gent, Belgium Phone: +32 9 264 85 26 <mailto:info@maresconference.eu> info@maresconference.eu <http://www.maresconference.eu/> www.maresconference.eu