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IUBS 35th General Assembly triennial programmes

The 35th IUBS General Assembly

will be held from 9th to 13th June 2026 at the National Science Seminar Complex, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

IUBS first invited its Members to submit proposals for scientific programmes for the 2026–2029 triennium. IUBS scientific programmes aim to address international and interdisciplinary biological questions through collaborative activities, including workshops, networking initiatives, and publications. These programmes are supported through seed funding.

IUBS Members actively contributed by suggesting projects which will be submitted to the collective vote of the membership during the General Assembly (GA).
 
The applications received are presented below. The first section includes new proposals, while the second section presents projects requesting renewal.

Below are the proposed titles for the 2026–2029 triennial programmes, along with concise summaries highlighting their key priorities and scope.

Members are also welcome to express their interest in contributing to specific projects and potential collaboration, by contacting the IUBS secretariat. Full applications will be circulated to Members in advance of the General Assembly.

Bark Macrostructure Diversity Across Six Biomes: Integrating Anatomical Foundations with Ecological and Evolutionary

  Bark, a conspicuous interface between plants and their environment, remains understudied in the diversity of its external structure. The ecological and evolutionary roles of bark texture, peeling, and related macromorphological traits lack broad comparative assessment, and links between external morphology and microstructure remain unclear.

This project will analyse global patterns in the diversity of bark macromorphological traits across six biomes on different continents, integrating anatomical, ecological, and evolutionary data. It aims to resolve the anatomical basis of bark variation and its relationships with growth form and environment. By advancing a global collaborative framework, the project will strengthen bark research and improve predictions of vegetation responses to environmental change.

Forest Landscapes, Biodiversity and Social Resilience

Recent years have seen the emergence of forest landscape restoration and other nature-based solutions as mechanisms for addressing challenges including biodiversity loss, conserving and sustainably managing ecosystems to enhance human well-being and ecosystem health. In spite of their promise, the transition towards nature-based solutions is being hampered by a range of constraints. In this proposed study, we seek to address this challenge by convening an international expert panel to identify the knowledge and institutional barriers impeding the effective implementation and monitoring of forest landscape restoration and other nature-based solutions and their impacts on ecosystems and people. The panel also aims to propose policy interventions for enhancing positive ecological and social outcomes.

The DSI Scientific Network

DNA and RNA sequence data stored in public databases are essential for biological research, but their use is being shaped by multiple evolving international benefit‑sharing regimes. Ongoing negotiations in UN fora, including the CBD, BBNJ, ITPGRFA and WHO, seek to improve equitable sharing of benefits stemming from the use of sequence data. This will likely lead to new requirements and procedures for data users and data managers. The lack of harmonization across legal systems, combined with limited awareness among scientists, could impact research collaborations and could create non-compliance risks. This project will analyse differing sequence data benefit‑sharing frameworks and develop case studies illustrating the practical challenges facing researchers. Outputs will include webinars, policy briefs, and a side event at the Convention on Biological Diversity to support informed, fair scientific practice.

Toward an Integrated Climate–Biodiversity–Health (CBH) Framework

Climate change is rapidly reshaping the spatial distribution of biodiversity, with growing but fragmented evidence of consequences for human health. This programme develops an integrated Climate–Biodiversity–Health (CBH) framework that places climate-driven biodiversity redistribution at the center of health risk analysis. By aligning concepts across ecology, biogeography, and health-related sciences, the programme aims to clarify how ecological redistribution processes translate into differential health outcomes across regions and populations. Through international workshops, working groups, and synthesis outputs, the programme will provide a shared conceptual foundation to support future interdisciplinary research and collaboration at the interface of biodiversity change and human health.

Grand challenge: Education on Chemical Ecology in the Anthropocene

The importance of understanding the impact of the Anthropocene on Chemical Ecology cannot be overstated. Atmospheric pollution is affecting the chemical communication between plants and pollinators with impacts on agricultural and horticultural production. Ozone is changing chemical signals that plants use to communicate with other plants. This project attempts to get students involved in understanding not only chemical ecology but anthropogenic effects on inter- and intra-kingdom chemical communication by practical exercises and by posing questions that need to be answered.

Open Biodiversity and Health Big Data 

In response to the appeal “Open Data in a Big Data World”, the Open Biodiversity and Health Big Data (BHBD) Initiative was first approved by IUBS in 2017, and then turned into an IUBS scientific programme since 2019. The aim of the programme is to develop the BHBD Alliance as a world-wide open platform for the integration, translation and sharing of biodiversity and health big data, as well as to build the principles and mechanisms for global data sharing in accordance with laws and ethics of member countries. We advocate your positive support and participation in this programme to develop necessary solutions to open data sharing to the greatest extent.

Pastoralism as a global herbivory socio-ecosystem

Mammalian herbivores are known to have dominated terrestrial ecosystems for the last 15 million years, while pastoralism is known to be the most widespread land use. Recent developments in better mapping the extent and action of pastoralist groups, as well as identifying equivalent ecosystem function actions, have revealed the importance of covering key knowledge gaps. This programme aims to better characterize the huge gap around pastoralism in forests and wetlands, as well as to better identify the niche replacement happened from the Pleistocene extinction of megafauna to the use of livestock, and the sustainability challenges posed by its abandonment.

Zoonotic Disease Coordination Network

Under the influence of global change, seasonal and transboundary animal migrations are further elevating the risks of zoonotic disease. It is therefore essential to strengthen international cooperation and establish a global research network, monitoring system, and joint prevention and control mechanism for zoonotic diseases. One Health emphasizes the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and environmental health. It is widely recognized as an essential approach to addressing the major global challenge of frequent infectious zoonotic disease outbreaks and pandemics. This programme plan to setup an international network for studying zoonotic diseases under the framework of One Health, so as to reveal the transmission pattern and dynamics among wildlife, domestic animals, and human beings of key zoonotic diseases, and to provide advices or knowledge to governments and the public for disease prevention and control.