Thursday, July 9, 2026

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Room C2

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Details

The city of Leiden is home to a vibrant and growing network of researchers, institutions, and citizens dedicated to understanding and protecting biodiversity in urban and rural environments. This symposium, organized by the Leiden Biodiversity Network (LBN), highlights recent advances in conservation research carried out in Leiden and its surroundings, showcasing how science, technology, and community engagement can together promote resilient ecosystems in and beyond cities. The symposium brings together scientists from Leiden University and Naturalis Biodiversity Center to explore the many dimensions of conservation in densely populated areas. Presentations will address cutting-edge topics, including urban acoustics and the One Health approach to biodiversity conservation, demonstrating how soundscapes influence both ecological and human well-being. The Expeditie Stadsnatuur Leiden initiative will illustrate how citizen science can be scaled to engage thousands of residents in mapping urban biodiversity, contributing valuable data to global research networks. Additional talks will explore urban ecosystem services in the neighbouring cities, The Hague and Amsterdam, revealing how biodiversity supports climate adaptation and human health. Other contributions focus on soil microbial biodiversity in Leiden, shedding light on the invisible yet vital life beneath our feet and how this hidden biodiversity helps city trees survive drought. Finally, we have a presentation explaining how museum collections can serve as temporal archives, helping us understand long-term ecological change. Together, these diverse contributions exemplify how Leiden’s collaborative research ecosystem connects urban conservation efforts with regional and global sustainability goals. This symposium invites participants to discuss how integrated, multi-disciplinary approaches can make cities not only centers of culture and innovation, but also living laboratories for biodiversity conservation.

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Speakers and Presentation Titles

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Organiser