Organised by the CIM, this will be the first time the iMarCo conference is held outside France. The event will address the major challenges related to the connectivity between rivers, estuaries, seas and oceans
From 2 to 4 September 2026, the city of Vigo will host the VIII International Marine Connectivity Conference (iMarCo 2026), an international scientific meeting that will bring together researchers, institutional representatives, and experts in ecology and environmental management from different countries at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Vigo (MARCO). The conference will address the major challenges associated with aquatic ecosystem connectivity in the context of global change.
The conference is coordinated by Andreu Blanco, researcher at the Future Oceans Lab of the Marine Research Centre (CIM), University of Vigo. The organising committee also includes Carlos García de Leaniz, ATRAE researcher in the FreeFlow group at CIM; Alexandre Alonso Fernández, from the Inmare group at the Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC); and Laura García Peteiro, from the EsMaBa group at IIM-CSIC.
Ecological connections between marine and freshwater ecosystems
Under the theme “Connectivity across water realms for ecosystem resilience”, iMarCo 2026 will focus its scientific programme on the study of ecological connections between marine and freshwater ecosystems and on analysing how these interactions shape biodiversity, species dynamics, and the resilience of aquatic ecosystems in the face of environmental and climate pressures.
This edition marks a milestone for the conference, as it will be the first time iMarCo is held outside France and the first edition to expand its traditionally marine focus towards an integrated Aquatic Nexus perspective, incorporating both marine and freshwater connectivity as cross-cutting themes.
Aquatic connectivity refers to the exchange of organisms, nutrients, matter and energy among different water bodies, including rivers, estuaries, coastal areas, seas and oceans. These ecological connections play a fundamental role in ecosystem functioning, species distribution and the provision of essential ecosystem services.
Among the highlights of this edition will be a dedicated session on tracking technologies for aquatic organisms, featuring researchers associated with the European Tracking Network (ETN). This session will showcase recent advances in monitoring the movements of tagged aquatic organisms and demonstrate the potential of these technologies to better understand migration patterns, habitat use and ecological connectivity across aquatic environments.
The scientific programme will also include sessions on movement ecology, connectivity modelling, governance and management of connected ecosystems, and a cross-cutting session dedicated to the effects of climate change on biodiversity and aquatic ecosystem resilience. This session will explore how increasing temperatures, extreme events and oceanographic changes are altering species distributions and ecological connections between different aquatic environments.
The programme will feature plenary lectures, scientific sessions, panel discussions and collaborative activitiesdesigned to promote interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and foster international scientific cooperation around the challenges of aquatic ecosystem connectivity.
The Marine Research Centre (CIM) holds the CIGUS recognition awarded by the Regional Government of Galicia, acknowledging the quality and impact of its research. Its activities are co-funded by the European Union through the FEDER 2021–2027 Programme.
Source: DUVI
