Confdetail203 : European Science Foundation

ESF-FWF Conference in Partnership with LFUI

REDUCED NITROGEN IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Chaired by

CHAIR:

Jan WillemErismanE-Mail: Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN)Biomass, Coal & Environmental ResearchPettenNetherlands

http://www.ecn.nl/en/

CO-CHAIR:

http://www.ecrr.org.uk/m_ceh.shtml

Dates

14-18 October 2006

Location

Universitätszentrum Obergurgl, Ötz Valley, near Innsbruck, Austria
The Obergurgl University Centre is located at an altitude of 1940 metres, in the highest glacial village in the Tyrol, at the end of the Ötz Valley and surrounded by numerous three-thousand metre peaks. Group transportation will be arranged from/to Innsbruck railway station, via Innsbruck airport, on arrival and departure days.

Final Programme & List of Accepted Participants

Nitrogen, contained in amino acids, proteins, and DNA, is necessary for life. While there is an abundance of nitrogen in nature, almost all is in an unreactive form (gaseous nitrogen, N2) that is not usable by most organisms. In the absence of human intervention, the supply of reactive nitrogen in the environment is not sufficient to sustain the current abundance of human life. Thus humans learned in the early 20th century how to convert gaseous N2 into forms that could sustain food production. Over 40% of the world’s population is here today because of that capability. The least known part of the nitrogen cycle is the reduced nitrogen form. Reduced nitrogen, such as ammonia, ammonium and amines are essential in food production, in ecology and also in the environment. Emissions of ammonia to the atmosphere can contribute to particulate matter formation affecting human health, contributing to eutrophication and acidification of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems after deposition and to nitrous oxide formation, contributing to the greenhouse effect. The scientific basis for reduced nitrogen in ecology and the environment needs to be strengthened. This conference is the first major step to develop this basis.

The conference aims to bring together scientists with diverse backgrounds to foster cross-fertilisation and the generation of new ideas.

Topics will include:

Reduced nitrogen in the earlier atmosphere and its relation to creating life on earth;
Processes creating reduced nitrogen in the biosphere (plants, soil, biological fixation);
Reduced nitrogen cycling in vegetation, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems;
The role of reduced nitrogen in the sea/ocean;
Reduced nitrogen and animals; Humans and reduced nitrogen; Atmospheric chemistry;
Environmental effects of reduced nitrogen;
Atmosphere/biosphere exchange; The role of reduced nitrogen in the nitrogen cycle;
The interaction with other biogeochemical cycles (S, C, H, O, P).

In addition to invited lectures, there will be poster presentations, selected from abstracts.

Final Programme PDF (65 KB) Last Updated 9-October-2006
List of Invited Speakers & Accepted Participants

Group Transportation & Practical Information Guide

Detailed information on all practical aspects of the conference (access to site, guidelines for travel reimbursement, registration & fee payments, accommodation...) is available from the Practical Information Guide. Please read it fully and carefully...

GROUP TRANSPORTATION

On Saturday 14 October, two coaches will be arranged from Innsbruck airport - via Innsbruck railway station - to the University Centre in Obergurgl. Bus departure times will be as follows:
- from Innsbruck station: 15.45 - 18.15
- from Innsbruck airport: 16.00 - 18.30
Group transportation back will be organised in a similar way on Wednesday 18 October. Departures will be at:
- to Innsbruck airport: 08.00 - 09.00
- to Innsbruck station: 08.00 - 09.00

Practical Information Guide PDF (130 KB) Last Updated 1-September-2006

Conference Fees

Fees (1)	What the fees cover
EUR 620	conference, meals and single room
EUR 580	conference, meals and twin OR double room (2)
EUR 520	non-resident: conference, meals (no room)
(1) A 100 EUR supplement is charged on any payment received after the deadline (4 weeks prior to the conference) (2) Board & lodging for accompanying guests (in double room with conferee) must be arranged and paid to the hotel.

Registration Form

All participants - including speakers & session chairs - are kindly expected to confirm their attendance (and, when applicable, to pay the conference fee) by filling in a Registration Form.
Closing date for registration & fee payment: 15 September 2006