<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><br>




<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="NL-BE">
<div>
<div align="center">
<table style="width:525.0pt" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="700">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><img src="cid:image001.jpg@01CEECEA.226B1AB0" alt="Beschrijving: Science for the new regulation - Preliminary programme one day BENELUX conference on invasive species" height="114" width="700"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<h1><span>Date: April 2nd 2014</span></h1>
</td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<h1><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Ghent University - Academieraadzaal-Volderstraat 9 Ghent - Belgium</span></h1>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><img src="cid:image002.jpg@01CEECEA.226B1AB0" alt="Beschrijving: P:\publiek_bxl\koen_vanmuylem\html uitnodiging\lijn.jpg" height="4" width="700"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:149.25pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top" width="199">
<p><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB">Organising committee:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Tim Adriaens (INBO)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Pieter Boets (UGent)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Etienne Branquart (DEMNA)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Jim Casaer (INBO)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Peter Goethals (UGent)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Olivier Honnay (KULeuven)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Gregory Mahy (Ulg)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Ben Somers (KULeuven)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt">Sonia Vanderhoeven (BBP)</span></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt">Hugo Verreycken (INBO)</span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:9.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" width="12">
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p>Schedule of the day:</p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">8.00-9.00: Registration</span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">9.00-9.10: Introduction by organising committee</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">9.10-9.40:
<a href="#142a32937b51f9f7_KEY1">Keynote 1</a></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB">9.40-10.40:
</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><a href="#142a32937b51f9f7_KEY1"><span lang="EN-GB">Session 1: Pathway analysis and spread of invasive species</span></a></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">10.40-11.00: Coffee break</span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">11.00-12.00: Pitching oral presentations</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">12.00-13.15: Sandwich lunch and poster session</span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">13.15-13.45:
<a href="#142a32937b51f9f7_Key2">Keynote 2</a></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB">13.45-14.45:
</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><a href="#142a32937b51f9f7_Key2"><span lang="EN-GB">Session 2: Impact and risk assessment of invasive species
</span></a></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB"></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">14.45-15.10: Coffee break</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">15.10-15.40:
<a href="#142a32937b51f9f7_KEY3">Keynote 3</a></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB">15.40-16.40:
</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><a href="#142a32937b51f9f7_KEY3"><span lang="EN-GB">Session 3: Control, management and mitigation of invasive species</span></a></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB">16.40-17.00: Summary and closing of the day</span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">17.00-18.00: Reception</span></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%">
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><a name="142a32937b51f9f7_KEY1">Session 1</a></p>
<p><img src="cid:image003.jpg@01CEECEA.226B1AB0" alt="Beschrijving: P:\publiek_bxl\koen_vanmuylem\html uitnodiging\Key1_KL.jpg" border="0" height="130" width="195"></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><span><span style="font-size:13.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Pathway analysis and spread of invasive species</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Due to increased worldwide trade and human activities, species are transported around the globe. Deliberate and accidental introductions of alien invasive species
 via shipping, pet trade, stockings and escapes are considered the most important causes of the observed exponential increase in alien species worldwide. Once alien species are introduced it is very hard and costly to eradicate them. Therefore, it is important
 to determine a priori which species can establish and what impact they have on the ecosystem via for example horizon scanning.
</span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB"><br>
<span>In this session we welcome talks addressing the following questions: What are the main vectors of species introductions outside their native geographic area and what are the mechanisms behind successful introductions? Are the initial
 environmental and biological conditions determining the success of the species? How do these species spread once they are introduced and what facilitates or hampers their dispersal? Can we develop an early detection system that helps us to prevent new introductions
 or to avoid the further dispersal of already established ones?</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><span lang="EN-GB">KEYNOTE 1</span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Prof. Rob Leuven
</span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#0099ff" lang="EN-GB"><br>
<span>(Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB">
</span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt" lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:9.0pt" lang="EN-GB">Disentangling the spread and mechanisms of alien invasive species</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt" lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%">
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><span><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Session 2</span></span></p>
<p><img src="cid:image004.jpg@01CEECEA.226B1AB0" alt="Beschrijving: P:\publiek_bxl\koen_vanmuylem\html uitnodiging\key2.jpg" border="0" height="130" width="195"></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB">Impact and risk assessment of invasive species</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:13.5pt"><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Several alien invasive species are known to have an effect on ecosystem structure and functioning. Although there is often an impact observed, the mechanisms
 behind the impact are often not quantified or fully understood. </span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB"><br>
<span>Assessing and predicting the impact and risk of potential alien invasive species is essential since it can help to determine which species might cause problems once they are introduced into the new environment. In this way, targeted
 actions can be undertaken to prevent further environmental degradation due to species introductions. Talks on experiments, field data analyses as well as conceptual work related to impact and risk assessment of alien invasive species are welcomed in this session.</span></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB"></span></p>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><span lang="EN-GB">KEYNOTE 2</span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Prof. Jamie Dick
</span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#0099ff" lang="EN-GB"><br>
<span>(Queens University, Belfast, Ireland)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt" lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><span lang="EN-GB">Advancing impact prediction in invasion ecology with a functional response approach</span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%">
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><span><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Session 3</span></span></p>
<p><img src="cid:image005.jpg@01CEECEA.226B1AB0" alt="Beschrijving: P:\publiek_bxl\koen_vanmuylem\html uitnodiging\key3.jpg" border="0" height="130" width="195"></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p><span><span style="font-size:13.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Control, management and mitigation of invasive species</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Due to the increasing number of alien invasive species established worldwide, control, management and mitigation are recently put forward on the agenda of policy
 and decision makers in Europe as well as in the rest of the world. Several measures have been taken such as ballast water control to prevent new introductions or to avoid the spread of already introduced ones. Management actions are, however, complicated because
 many different stakeholders are involved and the suggested measures and legalisation are not always that effective. Successful eradication actions of invasive species or public awareness campaigns have shown that management of invasive species is necessary.
 In this session we welcome talks that elaborate on how science can help to contribute to a good policy regarding invasive species management. Besides a good policy it is important to investigate how we can make our ecosystems more resilient to invasions or
 how restoration actions can contribute to combat invasive species. </span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><span lang="EN-GB">KEYNOTE 3</span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">Dr. Joe Caffrey
</span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;color:#0099ff;font-weight:normal" lang="EN-GB"><br>
<span>(Inland Fisheries Ireland, Ireland)</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt" lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><span lang="EN-GB">Control and management of freshwater invasive species in Ireland</span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height:20.25pt">
<td colspan="4" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;height:20.25pt" valign="top">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%">
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" style="background:white;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p><b><span style="color:#3399ff" lang="EN-GB">Practical details and deadlines:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB">The conference is open to anyone active in the field of invasion ecology (students, academics, decision makers, managers, stakeholders, policy makers). Registration is free for students,
 for other participants the registration fee is 15 euros. Please send an email to
</span></span><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt"><a href="mailto:sigrid.schuermans@ugent.be" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">sigrid.schuermans@ugent.be</span></a></span></span><span><span style="font-size:7.5pt" lang="EN-GB"> to register
 before March 14, 2014.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB">There will be the opportunity to submit abstracts for:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB"><span>1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">    
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB">Oral presentations (15 min presentation + 5 min questions)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB"><span>2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">    
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"" lang="EN-GB">Pitching oral presentations (5 min to introduce a poster)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><span>3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">    
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Posters without oral presentation</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB">Please indicate which type of presentation you would like to give and in which session.
<br>
Abstracts should be no longer than 1 page (font size 12) with indication of:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><span>1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">    
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Title</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><span>2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">    
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Contact details and email</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><span>3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">    
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Abstract</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><span>4.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">    
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Preferred session and presentation type</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB">The deadline for abstract submission is January 31, 2014.
<br>
All abstracts will be reviewed by a scientific committee. Notification of abstract submission will be done before February 20, 2014.<br>
Abstracts can be sent to </span><a href="mailto:sigrid.schuermans@ugent.be" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB">sigrid.schuermans@ugent.be</span></a><span lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><img src="cid:image006.jpg@01CEECEA.226B1AB0" alt="Beschrijving: P:\publiek_bxl\koen_vanmuylem\html uitnodiging\LOGOS.jpg" border="0" height="85" width="700"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" valign="top">
<p> </p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:354.75pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" width="473">
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:3.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt" width="4">
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(102,51,102)"></span></div></div></div></div>