1^st Conference on Multiple Global Change Factors and Plant Invasions

We will be hosting the first conference on "Multiple Global Changes on Plants" at University of Konstanz, in cooperation with International Max Planck Research School for Quantitative Behaviour, Ecology & Evolution (IMPRS-QBEE) from 30 March to 2 April, 2026.

Motivation

Numerous global change factors (GCFs) have been revealed around the world, such as heatwaves (Grant et al. 2025), environmental pollution (Cottom et al. 2024; Hou et al. 2025). As an important component of global change itself, plant invasion is also affected by other GCFs (Liu et al. 2017). While multiple GCFs frequently influence the ecosystem together, most studies focused only on single or two GCFs (Rillig et al. 2019, 2023; Speißer et al. 2022; Zhou et al. 2024).

Limitation of the field

Although significant progress has been made in this field, many important questions remain unanswered. Since each research team has its own strengths and limitations - for example, our team is proficient in greenhouse and garden experiments but experience in field-based pollination experiments is limited. Therefore, collaboration with other groups may be essential to effectively address these challenges. It is also unrealistic for any single team, including ours, to carry out all the necessary experiments alone. Therefore, a focused yet specialized conference will bring together scientists and early-career researchers who study the ecological impacts of multiple global change factors on plant performance.

Our goal

We want to foster collaboration, share cutting-edge research, and discuss new approaches to understanding and predicting plant responses in a rapidly changing world. Through talks, posters, and discussions, participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, establish partnerships, and explore future directions in global change and plant ecology.

The conference will take place from March 30 to 2 April in Konstanz, Germany, a beautiful city located on the shores of Lake Constance and near the Swiss border. Konstanz offers both inspiring natural surroundings and convenient accessibility.

We warmly welcome researchers at all career stages to join us in Konstanz for an engaging and inspiring scientific meeting!