BACKGROUND

The Southeast Asian region covering Sundaland, Wallacea, Philippines, and Indo-Burma is unusually high in biodiversity and endemicity. Areas with pristine environments as well as cities hold an enormous potential of undiscovered species. Valuable resources which have yet to be explored from the area provide an ecosystem function and services to support human welfare. One such resource is the peatlands found in nearly all countries across Southeast Asia.

Global climate change that is able to cause the extinction of biological resources is accelerated by human impact, which includes excessive exploitation of biological resources, an introduction of foreign species, and habitat conversions. An ecosystem sensitive to conversion is peatlands.

With their expertise, scientists can develop research projects to explore biological resources available through biotechnology in maintaining biodiversity while utilizing it for human welfare.

THEME

Bridging SEA Scientists in Managing Peatland and Biodiversity through Biotechnology

PURPOSE

The most efficient way to collect ideas and action plans is to organize scientific meetings aimed at building a network of biodiversity researchers in the Southeast Asia + region, to increase the researcher's contribution in maintaining environmental quality and biodiversity, as well as exploring biological resources through the utilization of bioresources with biotechnology to support biodiversity for human welfare.

1. Peatland: Recent status and future management.
   The existence of peatlands that cover protected areas and land for cultivation as a hydrological unity and ecological function need to be managed sustainably to support the improvement of people's welfare, and quality of human life and environment. This symposium embodies one of BRG's functions of disseminating scientific information and education related to peatland restoration to all stakeholders.
2. Biotechnology: the use of bioresources and securing biodiversity.
   Exploring the potential of biological resources for human welfare can be achieved through the use of biotechnology while preserving biodiversity. The symposium becomes a biotechnology-based communication research forum in the sustainable use of bioresources.
3. Ecosystem health in support of sustainable ecosystem services.
   The sustainability of ecosystems is highly dependent on its health. Healthy conditions can be maintained if the processes function normally. This symposium is a communication forum of research related to health and ecosystem services.
4. Discovery of biodiversity and their evolution in a degraded ecosystem.
   With its immense biodiversity, Southeast Asia faces a rapid physical development that alters the functioning of ecosystems, which results in biodiversity change. This symposium accommodates the results of biodiversity research, population connectivity, and evolution.

Date and Venue

The event will be held in Java Heritage Hotel Purwokerto Indonesia (please see the Google Map below).