ID: 613 / 40

Category: Symposia

Track: Pending

Proposed Symposium Title: GENOMIC APPROACHES TO UNDERSTANDING THE ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF SYMBIOTIC AND NON-SYMBIOTIC MICROALGAE

Abstract: The past years have seen a burst of genomics studies addressing the ecology and evolution of green algae. Especially the unicellular and terrestrial forms are fascinating models for understanding stress tolerance, evolutionary transitions, and symbiotic interactions. Indeed, many microalgae are at the center of extant ecosystems, facilitating key biological processes. Still, our understanding of algal diversity, ecological function and evolution remains limited. This symposium will host contributions dedicated to understanding genome content and function of single-celled green algae, e.g. in the context of ecological diversification and specialization, environmental adaptation, and symbiosis. We will consider symbiotic microalgae, such as the photobionts of lichens, as well as free-living species. Keywords: diversity, lichens, photobionts, signaling, symbiosis

Speaker 1: Francesco dal Grande, University of Padova: "The photobiont cookbook: phylogenomics-informed recipes to make lichen-palatable algae” .

Speaker 2: Pavel Skaloud, Charles University of Prague: How to find the right partner? Omics approaches unveil the mysteries behind the formation of lichen symbiosis.

Speaker 3: Patricia Moya, University of Valenci: "Symbiotic microalgal genomes reappraise lichens as biomonitors for forest health"

Topics (Up to three): Mycology and Lichenology

Topic 2: Comparative Genomics / Transcriptomics

Topic 3: Ecology and Plant Communities

Justification: This symposium invites the most updated contributions in a field of research that has recently developed to understand the ecology and evolution of symbiotic (including the still poorly investigated lichen photobionts) and free-living microalgae.