Thank you to all the delegates that attended the Symposium. Recordings of selected talks will be available in approximatly 2-3 weeks.
Publishing your work with the New Phytologist Foundation
If you have questions about publishing your work in the New Phytologist Foundation journals New Phytologist and Plants, People, Planet, we encourage you to take the opportunity at the symposium to talk to the Managing Editor of New Phytologist, Helen Pinfield-Wells, and journal Editors in attendance (Owen Atkin, Charlotte Grossiord, Tracy Lawson, Belinda Medlyn, Carl Ng, Richard Norby, Maarja Öpik, Sasha Reed and Nathalie Verbruggen). We have put together a showcase of recently published New Phytologist and Plants, People, Planet papers on the theme of extreme heat that will be of interest to delegates.
With 2024 marking the hottest year on record and heatwaves now affecting over 10% of Earth’s land, understanding and mitigating the effects of extreme heat is more urgent than ever. Join us to discuss shaping strategies to extend the thermal limits of life and safeguard the future of our ecosystems.
Background
Extreme heatwaves are becoming more frequent, intense, and widespread, threatening biodiversity, food security, and ecosystem stability. Since mid-2023, temperatures have exceeded 50°C in multiple countries, prompting the UN to declare heatwaves a climate emergency. While the effects of extreme heat on human health and urban environments are increasingly studied, its impacts on natural and agricultural landscapes remain poorly understood. Without adaptive intervention, future heatwaves could drive collapses in key ecosystem functions, endangering productivity, biodiversity, and economic security.
This symposium will unite experts across a range of disciplines to explore how extreme heat affects plants and other ectothermic organisms that underpin ecosystem productivity.
Discussions will focus on:
Adapting plant metabolism to heat stress: how does heat stress affect plant metabolism, how have organisms adapted in hot environments, and what potential adaptation options are there?
Water use to mitigate heat stress: how do plants use water to avoid heat stress, what options are there for efficient water use to minimise heat stress.
Adapting life history to heat stress: how do organisms use phenology to avoid heat stress, considering e.g. sensitivity of reproductive phase to heat and changes in the timing of plant growth.
Biotic interactions under heat stress: how are biotic interactions affected by heat stress, how can we use biotic interactions to increase resilience to heat?
Microclimate management to mitigate heat stress: how do temperatures vary within natural and managed ecosystems, how do organisms use microclimates to avoid heat stress, what adaptation options are there to modify microclimates?
Organising Committee
Owen Atkin, Australian National University, Australia (Chair)
Cristina C. Bastias, University of Córdoba, Spain
Andrew Feldman, NASA / University of Maryland, USA
Kevin Hultine, Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden, USA
Belinda Medlyn, Western Sydney University, Australia
Adrienne Nicotra, Australian National University, Australia
Rafael Villar, University of Córdoba, Spain
Invited speakers
Additional speakers will be selected from submitted abstracts.
News
47th New Phytologist Symposium: Extreme heat – poster prize winners
Congratulations to the poster prize winner, two runners-up and six honourable mentions at the 47th New Phytologist Symposium, Extreme heat, held in Córdoba, Spain, 2–5 June 2026.
1. Luiza Maria Aparecido | Physiological sensitivity of hybrid oaks to environmental stressors | University of Utah | USA |
2. Pieter Arnold | Resilience and sensitivity of photosynthetic tissue to increasing heat load | Australian National University | Australia |
3. Maxwell Bergström | Scorched, not senescent: When hot droughts burn leaves instead of aging them | EPFL | Switzerland |
4. Nicole Bison | Protein stability-function tradeoffs predict shape of thermal performance curves | The University of British Columbia | Canada |
5. Marion Boisseaux | Who wins and who loses under warming? Functional traits and distinctiveness shape demographic responses in mountain plant communities across the Northern Hemisphere. | CNRS | France |
6. Eva Anna Burgunder | Future climate conditions shift fungal communities and increase severity of soilborne diseases in table beets | University of Basel | Switzerland |
7. Erick Calderon-Morales | It is all about VPD: Disentangling the effects of temperature and VPD over residual conductance | Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University | Australia |
8. Francisco Javier Cano | Leaf width drives intraspecific differences in sorghum thermotolerance during extreme heat waves | Instituto de Ciencias Forestales (ICIFOR-INIA), CSIC | Spain |
Francesc Castanyer-Mallol | Novel Infrared‑Based Device for Simulating Plant Heatwaves Under Open‑Field Conditions *This will be an exhibit in the lobby | Agro-Environmental and Water Economics Research Institute (INAGEA) | Spain |
9. Lohengrin Cavieres | Elevational variation in high-temperature tolerance of native and exotic plant species in the Andes of central Chile | Universidad de Concepcion | Chile |
10. Martina Chacón | Beyond thermal and hydric limits: Xylem formation during prolonged stem shrinkage in a South American dryland tree | Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales (IANIGLA-CONICET), | Argentina |
11. Han Chen | Asymmetric constraints of leaf thermal tolerance on geographic patterns of evergreen and deciduous plants | South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences | China |
12. Tino Colombi | Go big or go many? Physiological controls of carbon retention in roots under warming | University of Nottingham | United Kingdom |
13. Inmaculada Criado-Navarro | Linking soil metabolomics with biotic components to understand functional adaptation in biological soil crusts | Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible (IAS-CSIC) | Spain |
14. Virginia Crisafulli | Microclimatic Refugia: Canopy Plants as Thermal Buffers | Centro de Investigaciones Sobre Desertificación (CIDE, CSIC-UV-GV) | Spain |
15. Margaux Didion-Gency | Keeping it cool: How leaf morphology modulates thermal safety | Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Center (CREAF) | Spain |
16. Mateus Fabbris | Estimating Vcmax Temperature Dependence: A Novel Approach | University of São Paulo (USP) | Brazil |
17. Hafiz Umar Farooq (unable to attend) | Seed yield under field heat stress is associated with seed number and harvest index rather than seed size in interspecific quinoa populations | King Abdullah University of Science and Technology | Saudi Arabia |
18. Sophie Fauset | How do mature penduculate oak (Quercus robur) tree canopies respond to heat waves and elevated CO2? A study on canopy temperature and leaf heat tolerance. | University of Plymouth | United Kingdom |
19. Alice Gauthey | Contrasting effects of elevated CO2 on oak seedling photosynthesis during single and consecutive heatwave events | University of Birmingham | United Kingdom |
20. Oula Ghannoum | Thermal and heat-shock responses of photosynthesis in Sorghum with contrasting leaf width | Western Sydney University | Australia |
21. Anna Haigh | Hotter than hot: Using passive heating in a Douglas-fir canopy to assess the effect of extreme heat on photosynthesis. | Oregon State University | USA |
22. Brandon Hastings | Honami dynamics and crop photosynthesis in a warming, turbulent atmosphere | University of Nottingham | United Kingdom |
23. Cross Heintzelman | Balancing heat and drought tolerance: evidence for physiological trade-offs in Quercus ilex | École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne | Switzerland |
24. Hampus Holmberg | Native tree species shows divergent strategies in leaf and branch level water economy but no acclimation along an elevational gradient in Rwanda | University of Gothenburg | Sweden |
25. Akhil Javad | Ineffective transpirational cooling threatens dry tropical forest leaves | University of Leeds | United Kingdom |
26. Kiyosada Kawai | Leaf heat tolerance predicts photosynthetic and survival responses to experimental heat extremes in 18 dipterocarp species in Peninsular Malaysia | Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences | Japan |
27. Tanaka Kenzo | Temperature dependence of leaf gas exchange and growth traits in tropical montane forest trees in Peninsular Malaysia | Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences | Japan |
28. Leonidas Kougiteas | Exploring patterns of molecular alteration in oilseed rape under recurring heat events. | UNICAEN, INRAE, UMR 950 EVA | France |
29. Andrew Kowalski
| Physical mechanisms of stomatal gas exchanges at very high temperatures | University of Granada | Spain |
30. Pia Labenski | Predicting forest responses to compound heat-drought extremes using a process-based modelling framework | Karlsruhe Institute of Technology | Germany |
31. Lucrezia Laccetti (unable to attend) | The genomic basis of germination sensitivity to thermal extremes across the geographical range of the cliff species Brassica incana | University of Naples Federico II | Italy |
32. Xuelei Lai | A temperature-dependent protein phase transition underlies bidirectional cold and heat stress tolerance in rice | National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement | China |
33. Aneesh Lale | Rice root system architecture shows adaptive responses to high temperature stress | University of Nottingham | United Kingdom |
34. Fernando Alfredo Lattanzi | Summer survival of temperate forage grasses in subtropical climates: the roles of thermal and water stress. | INIA | Uruguay |
35. Qiannan Leng | Contrasting heat tolerance strategies and productivity of evergreen and deciduous angiosperm forests | South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences | China |
36. Igor Lima | The thermal cost of fast living: Acquisitive strategies trade heat tolerance for rapid growth in tropical trees | University of São Paulo | Brazil |
37. Hui Liu | Leaf habit-based thermal tolerance of woody species: from ecophysiology to biogeography | South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences | China |
38. Yao Liu | Irrigation strategy to enhance seedling resilience to compound heat-drought events in tree nurseries | Northumbria University | United Kingdom |
39. Rosana López | Warming constrains phenotypic plasticity and alters drought–shade trade-offs in European beech seedlings | Universidad Politécnica de Madrid | Spain |
40. Na Luo | Understanding leaf thermal tolerance from a carbon allocation perspective | South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences | China |
41. John Mackenzie | Maintaining rubisco concentration linked to better photosynthetic performance in wheat following a simulated heatwave | The Australian National University | Australia |
42. Surbhi Mali | Source-derived signals determine sink productivity under heat stress in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) | CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) | India |
43. María José Marcos Palacios | Photosynthetic traits: early warning indicators of oak decline due to water stress in the Iberian Peninsula | University of Córdoba, | Spain |
44. María Isabel Márquez-Pérez | Resilience of woody fungal pathogens under water stress and ecophysiological responses of olive trees | University of Cordoba | Spain |
45. Kali Middleby | In situ evidence for a critical temperature threshold driving stomatal re-opening and widespread photosynthesis-conductance decoupling in tropical trees | French National Institute for Research and Development | France |
46. Yan Moraes | Revealing the thermal limits of gas exchange in giant tropical trees | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
47. Bryn Morgan | Co-regulation of water use and canopy temperature in desert trees | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | USA |
48. Joy Ojo | Leaf hyperspectral reflectance predicts grain yield in heat-tolerant wheat | University of New England | Australia |
49. Enrique Ostria | Integrated physiological, metabolic, and transcriptomic analysis reveals divergent heat stress responses in Chenopodium quinoa and Amaranthus cruentus. | Universidad de Concepción | Chile |
50. Sona Pandey | Heat stress responses in heat-tolerant c4 crops: Insights from Setaria and Sorghum | Donald Danforth Plant Science Center | USA |
51. Elisa Pellegrino (unable to attend) | Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi buffer crop performance under thermal extremes: a global meta-analysis | Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna | Italy |
52. Antonio J. Pérez-Luque | Optimal partitioning drives carbon allocation responses to climate in Mediterranean pine reforestations | Institute of Forest Sciences (ICIFOR) INIA-CSIC | Spain |
53. Hegarty Philip | Heat-driven evaporative demand intensifies transpiration sensitivity to soil drying in European beech | Technical University of Munich (TUM) | Germany |
54. Pravarthika Prakash | Investigating the interplay between auxin and pH in fine-tuning root growth responses to heat stress | University of Nottingham | United Kingdom |
55. Renee Prokopavicius | Predicting cumulative heat damage of Eucalyptus species under experimental heat plus drought stress | Western Sydney University | Australia |
56. Marjaana Rantala | Prolonged daily heat exposure impairs photosynthetic electron transport in Arabidopsis thaliana | University of Turku | Finland |
57. Iida-Maria Rantanen | Impact of long-term heat stress on photosystem II repair dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana | University of Turku | Finland |
58. William Reinar | Mutation load and adaptation under chronic heat in Arabidopsis thaliana | University of Oslo | Norway |
59. Sami Rifai | Evaluating the consistency of diurnal trends of vapour pressure deficit across terrestrial ecoregions | Adelaide University | Australia |
60. Ginés Rodríguez-Castilla | Forest multifunctionality declines along temperature and aridity gradients in Mediterranean regions | University of Córdoba | Spain |
61. Milagros Rodriguez-Caton | Thermal thresholds for carbon assimilation decline in the wet tropical forest of Costa Rica | IANIGLA-CONICET | Argentina |
62. Nadine Ruehr | From heat stress to recovery: Water availability determines tree resilience to extreme temperatures | Karlsruhe Institute of Technology | Germany |
63. Robert Sharwood | Increasing heat resilience of photosynthetic carbon assimilation to improve crop productivity | Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University | Australia |
64. Camille Sicangco | Weighing the options: a test of alternative stomatal optimisation models at high temperatures | Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University | Australia |
65. Ilaine Silveira Matos | Heat impacts on leaf-level tolerance to drought | Adelaide University | Australia |
66. Matthias Stegner | Heat-dose tolerance in tropical plants | University of Innsbruck | Austria |
67. Harihar Jaishree Subrahmaniam | Beyond lethal thresholds: dynamic heat-stress traits reveal adaptive genetic variation in wild Arabidopsis thaliana | University of Hamburg | Germany |
68. Sonia Vega-Rosete | Climate-origin distance and functional traits predict heat tolerance of urban trees under climate warming | University of Córdoba | Spain |
69. Yang-Si-Ding Wang | Efficiency-safety tradeoffs in leaf carbon, hydraulic and thermal traits: economics and safety as hubs | South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences | China |
70. Eduardo Zelada | Evaluating UV-B seed priming effects on vegetative tomato heat tolerance | Lancaster University | United Kingdom |
71. Jana Zeppan | Rethinking thermal tolerance: Seasonal dynamics and exposure duration shape leaf thermal safety margins in temperate trees | Karlsruhe Institute of Technology | Germany |
| Thermal signals of drought stress: predicting forest decline under extreme heat conditions | University of Córdoba | Spain |
Symposium venue
The symposium will take place at the Rectorate building of the University of Cordoba
Address: Av. de Medina Azahara, 5, Poniente Sur, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
Travel
Getting to Cordoba
Cordoba is well linked to other major Spanish cities by high-speed train, and inter-city buses. Further information is available at the Cordoba tourism website: https://www.turismodecordoba.org/transport#
By Air
Cordoba has a small airport (Airport code ODB), but you will find significantly more flight options from other regional airports.
From Malaga Airport you can take a local train or taxi to Málaga Central Station, and then get the high-speed train to Cordoba, which takes 45-50 minutes. (please note train time may be longer due to train speed restrictions)
From Seville Airport you can take a local bus or taxi to Seville Central Station and then get the high-speed train which takes 35-40 minutes
From Madrid Airport you can take a local train or taxi to Puerta de Atocha Station in Madrid, and then get the high-speed train to Cordoba, which takes 1h 40 minutes – 2 Hours. (please note train time may be longer due to train speed restrictions)
Accommodation
Delegates are responsible for making their own accommodation bookings.
Invited speakers - please refer to your invited speaker information for further details about your accommodation, or contact the Events and Promotions Manager.
Please be cautious of any third-party emails that claim to arrange accommodation for the symposium. We do not work with third parties, and these are often spam or fraud emails. Please let us know if you receive anything like this.
Local hotels
Cordoba has a large number of hotels and accommodation options. Below are a few options that are within walking distance of the Rectorate building.
Sercotel Córdoba Medina Azahara, Address: Av. de Medina Azahara 7, Cordoba, Spain, 14005
Located 100m from the symposium.
Hotel Mezquita Center, Address: Bulevar Hernán Ruiz 4, 14005, Cordoba
Located 350m from the symposium venue. Delegates booking directly with the hotel can receive a 12% discount from the best available rate by using the discount code: "NPS47010626". This code is subject to availability, and must be booked at least two weeks in advance.
Hotel Riviera Córdoba, Address: C/Plaza de Aladreros, 3, 14008, Córdoba
Located 500m from the symposium venue
NH Córdoba Califa, Address: Lope de Hoces, 14, 14003 Cordoba
Located 700m from the symposium venue.
Below we set out some frequent questions that participants have. If your question is not listed below, please contact the Events and Promotions Manager.
This will be updated with further information in due course.
The symposium will take place at the Rectorate building of the University of Cordoba
Address: Av. de Medina Azahara, 5, Poniente Sur, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
The symposium will start with Lunch at noon on Tuesday 2 June, with sessions starting at approximately 13:00.
The symposium will conclude at 13:00 on Friday 5 June, and will be followed by Lunch.
A full draft programme will be published in April.
2nd February - Deadline to submit a travel grant application, submit an abstract to be considered for a selected speaker slot and last day of the early bird registration discount
2nd March - Deadline to submit a poster abstract
If a delegate is no longer able to attend, they should inform Christine Phillips, Events and Promotions Manager, immediately. The delegate can opt to transfer their registration to another delegate, or request a refund. Refunds of registration fees will be provided where the delegate place is able to be re-sold. Service fees will not be refunded. If a delegate has paid via an offline payment invoice/bank transfer a €20 admin fee will be deducted from any refund. Please note that cancellations received with less than 14 days' notice are unlikely to be able to be resold.
Where a delegate is presenting a poster and is unable to attend they can request that a co-author can present the poster on their behalf. The delegate place can be transferred to the co-author.
Should circumstances beyond our control force the cancellation of the symposium, the New Phytologist Foundation is unable to accept liability for any additional costs incurred, including travel costs, and delegates are strongly encouraged to take out appropriate travel insurance to cover them in the event of cancellation.
Prizes will be awarded for the best posters. All registered delegates and speakers can vote for the best poster, with a prize of €200 for the top poster and €100 for a runner up. Poster prize winners will be announced in the final session.
You cannot vote for your own poster, or posters where you are listed as a co-author.
It is the delegates responsibility to check the entry requirements for their nationality. The EU is currently rolling out a new Entry/Exit System (EES) for non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay.
Further information is at the EES website.
The new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, so should not be required in June 2026.
Applying for a visa
Spain is within the Schengen area. Further information about Schengen visas. Check with the Spanish Embassy in your home country for further information on visa applications.
Passport validity requirements
Spain follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must:
have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)
Please ensure you have checked if you require a visa to enter the EU. The New Phytologist Foundation can supply a letter of invitation to support a visa application once the delegate has registered and paid their full registration fee, or have been awarded a fee waiver.
You can request a visa invitation letter when registering, and you will then be sent a secure form to provide your passport information
We have a limited number of travel grants and fee waivers available. You must submit an abstract by the travel grant deadline of 2nd February to be considered.
Travel grants and/or fee waivers are available to PhD candidates and early career researchers with fewer than 5 years' experience post PhD. This can be extended to researchers with more than 5 years experience where they are based in a country that is classed as low or middle income by the World Bank, and would be unable to attend without a travel grant. Travel grant amounts will vary, as they are based on the travel costs for each recipient.
Travel grants and fee waivers will be awarded based on the scientific merit of the abstract submitted. The financial need of the participant will also be taken into account.
To apply for a travel grant, in addition to your abstract you should submit:
A brief (no more than 200 word) statement indicating your reasons for wishing to attend and how you hope the meeting will enhance your career/research.
A CV, which includes academic details, publication history, presentations given, awards and any other information to support your application.
A supporting letter from a scientist who has agreed to act as a reference for your application, this can also be emailed directly to np-symposia@lancaster.ac.uk by 2nd February 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact the Events and Promotions Manager, Christine Phillips at np-symposia@lancaster.ac.uk
You are encouraged not to wait until the outcome of your travel grant application to register, but to register early with the early bird rates. If you are unable to pay the registration fee upfront, you can select the option to pay by invoice, and the invoice payment can be delayed until after the travel grant applications are reviewed. Should your application be successful, your registration fee will be refunded, or the amount of your registration fee can be added to your travel grant reimbursement. If your application for a travel grant and/or fee waiver is unsuccessful, and you choose not to attend, you will have two weeks from being notified in which to cancel your place and receive a refund of your delegate fee (minus any Oxford Abstract fees).
Claiming a travel grant or travel contribution
When a travel grant, sometimes referred to as a travel contribution, has been awarded, the payment of the travel grant will not be issued until after the event.
The New Phytologist Foundation will have set a specific amount for the travel grant. No receipts are required to claim the travel grant. This allows the travel grant recipient to arrange their travel to best suit their needs.
Where possible, we encourage travel grant recipients to combine their travel to the event with other activities to make better use of the carbon footprint of attending the meeting.
The payment of a travel grant can be to the recipient's institution, or to their personal bank account, and will be made by a bank transfer. Travel grant recipients will receive a link to a secure form to provide their bank details to arrange the payment of the travel grant. Institutions may send an invoice for the amount of the travel grant to the New Phytologist Foundation. Please contact np-finance@lancaster.ac.uk with any questions about invoices.
If paying for their travel in advance will cause the attendee to experience a significant financial burden, or if the delegate will have difficulty in receiving a bank transfer from the UK, please contact the Events and Promotions Manager to discuss alternative options.
If the delegate is unable to attend the event, generally the travel grant will not be paid. Delegates are encouraged to take out travel insurance to cover them should they be unable to attend. Any request for a travel grant to be paid following non-attendance will need to be approved by the Executive Editor. We will request confirmation of travel expenses with receipts in these circumstances, as well as proof that the travel costs could not be refunded.
We strongly recommend that all attendees have appropriate travel insurance for their trip, including cancellation cover and medical insurance. We encourage you to check if travel insurance is provided by your university/institution.
The New Phytologist Foundation celebrates diversity, and we expect participants in our meetings to be respectful, considerate and supportive of each other, to offer constructive critiques and embrace the variety of opinions on offer. New Phytologist Foundation events are an opportunity to share, develop and broaden our viewpoints within a safe and inclusive setting.
The New Phytologist Foundation has established a set of core principles that outline the standards expected of individuals involved in the Foundation’s activities, including symposia and workshops. We strive to treat all individuals with respect and promote a safe environment free from discrimination, harassment, and victimisation.
Expected behaviour
We respect the rights of all individuals to dignity, privacy and confidentiality and delegates must treat everyone with respect.
We ask delegates to respect their fellow participants and ensure they undertake good practices for intercultural collaborations. Several tips for intercultural communication can be found at Commisceo Global and CHRYSOS.
We ask that delegates remain mindful of their surroundings and respect the surroundings of their fellow delegates.
Do not share, copy, or reuse any materials presented by speakers unless this is expressly permitted.
All delegates must ensure they respect the staff, rules and protocols of the meeting venue, accommodation, and online platform. This also includes protocols linked to COVID-19.
We will not tolerate behaviours that involve discrimination of individuals or groups on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. Sexual harassment, bullying, intimidation, or harassment in any form will not be tolerated.
Any delegates that do not meet the expected respectful behaviour may be immediately removed from the online or physical meeting.
If you have any concerns or suggestions, please speak to the Events and Promotions Manager, Christine Phillips or the Executive Editor, Sarah Lennon. Alternatively, you can email np-events@lancaster.ac.uk.
Photography and filming may take place at New Phytologist Foundation events.
The resulting photographs and video footage will be used by the New Phytologist Foundation for the purpose of outreach and promoting their activities and may be published on the New Phytologist Foundation’s website and social media channels.
When events are recorded, recordings will only be made available with the explicit permission of the speakers. In some cases the publication of the recording may be delayed while the speaker awaits publication of their research.
By registering to attend in-person you are consenting to appear in photographs and or video content from the meeting.
If you do not want to be photographed or filmed, please ensure you have informed the Event and Promotions Manager at least three weeks prior to the start of the event.
If you have any concerns, please contact Christine Phillips, Events and Promotions Manager.
Privacy Policy
Please see the Foundation's privacy policy.
Invited and selected speakers and poster presenters should refer to their speaker/poster information document sent to them by the Events and Promotions Manager for full details. Below are some key details contained in those documents.
Decisions on travel grants, fee waivers and oral presentations were sent on Tuesday 3 March to all abstracts that were submitted by the 2nd February. Some poster presenters were also confirmed at this time, but many decisions on abstracts have been deferred until 31 March, when we expect to confirm further poster presenters from abstracts submitted by 2nd March. As this symposium is also at capacity, poster abstracts will only be accepted when there is a registration place available. A number of registration places have been held specifically for accepted poster abstracts.
Timings for talks
Invited speakers have been allocated 20-25 minutes for their talk and 5-10 minutes for Q&A (30 minutes total)
Selected speakers have been allocated 7 minutes for their talk and 3 minutes for Q&A (10 minutes total)
Flash talks have been allocated 3 minutes.
The chairs will strictly keep to time, so please assist them in keeping your talk within the allocated time.
Flash talks
The organising committee have selected a number of poster presenters to present a flash talk. Flash talks will take place on Tuesday afternoon prior to the first poster session.
Flash talk presenters will have three minutes to give a brief introduction to their research. They can use one slide, and animations are not allowed. Talks will be strictly limited to three minutes, and any presenters going over their time will hear an alarm and the slides will be automatically advanced to the next presenter. Presenters will receive a 30 second warning of when their time is up.
Abstracts and abstract book
Speakers and poster presenters have submitted their abstracts through Oxford Abstracts, and we will be using this information to create a PDF abstract book. A draft will be circulated to speakers and poster presenters, and we would ask you to double check your abstract and advise if any corrections are necessary by the 10 April.
Please note that we may edit your abstract/title to fit our house style, including having titles in sentence case.
The final PDF abstract book will be shared online on the symposium website. Please note that we do not provide a hard copy.
Presentation slides
To ensure things run smoothly we will be presenting all slides from a dedicated computer. You will have a remote to advance your slides (apart from flash talk presenters)
Please send your slides by Thursday 28 May
Please provide your slides as PowerPoint files in a 16:9 slide aspect ratio. If you cannot provide PowerPoint files, please let us know by 21 May so we can provide assistance in converting your slides. If you plan to use speaker notes within PowerPoint, we encourage you to bring a print-out as a back-up in case these do not display properly.
A template title slide and ending question slide will be provided in due course, to allow you to add your slides.
We will also provide a link to a OneDrive folder to upload your slides approximately 1 month before the symposium.
If your files are larger than 15 MB, please upload to OneDrive or send via an alternative file sharing service. Please note that if you have any video files in your presentation, you should send these as separate files as well as embedding them in your presentation.
Making last-minute changes to your presentation
Please note that all presentation files will be loaded into a central slide deck for each session, to ensure things run smoothly. This means that making last-minute changes to your slides will be difficult. For any essential minor corrections, we can make emergency last-minute corrections up to the day before, please clearly state which slides need replacing.
These changes should be uploaded to OneDrive AND given in person to Christine at the venue. Please check with Christine that they have been received and ideally be present to check your slide deck 10 minutes before your session starts, or at the end of the day before your talk.
AV information
Full details of the AV set-up are still being confirmed; however, speakers will need to ensure that they use the provided microphones during their talks.
Poster information
Delegates should bring their printed poster with them. Posters will be displayed from the first day of the symposium and will remain up for the duration of the Symposium. There will be several dedicated poster sessions and each poster presenters will be allocated to one of the sessions. Sessions and poster numbers will be confirmed in due course. Please note that you do not need to include your poster number on your printed poster.
Poster guidelines
Posters should be portrait, no larger than A0 (84cm by 119cm), or 3ft by 4ft (92cm by 122cm)
Good posters should present complex information in a clear and concise way. Posters that present information well will have graphics with large, clear fonts and images, and attractive backgrounds.
The text and figures should be readable from a short distance of at least one metre. The text presented should be precise and structured with a logical flow to the information.
Posters should concentrate on focused problems, innovative solutions, rigorous methodologies, and should be significant contributions to the meeting.
Printing posters locally
If you are unable to bring your printed poster with you, you can arrange for your poster to be printed locally. The local organisers suggest using Copisteria Don Folio, who have a location near the Rectory building at Avda. Medina Azahara 15, 14005 Córdoba.
On their website you'll be able to pay for your poster printing and request collection at the MEDINA AZAHARA location. They are open from 9am - 9pm weekdays.
We strongly recommend sending any files to print no later than Tuesday 26 May.
If you have further questions about printing a poster locally, please contact Don Foilo at donfolio@donfolio.com
Travel grants
The New Phytologist Foundation may have awarded you a travel grant to assist in your attendee at the event. If you were awarded a grant, the amount was confirmed in your confirmation email. Travel grant recipients should book their own travel or have their institution book it for them. We do not require receipts, and you are welcome to combine your trip to Cordoba with other travel plans to make the best use of your travel carbon footprint.
Following your attendance at the symposium, we will send you a secure online form to provide your bank details to be reimbursed. If your institution paid for your travel, they may invoice us for the amount of your travel grant. Please get in touch to request our invoice details. We aim to pay travel grants as soon as possible after the symposium, but payments may take 4 -6weeks to process following receipt of the delegates bank details. If you require alternative travel contribution arrangements, please get in touch to discuss.
Travel grants and fee waivers
Applications for travel grants are now closed.
Travel grants have been awarded to:
Hanna Amoanimaa-Dede, University of New England, Australia
Martina Chacón, Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales (IANIGLA-CONICET), Argentina
Cleber Chaves, State University of Campinas, Brazil
Kerry-Anne Grey, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Martijn Jansen, Radboud University, the Netherlands
Alyssa Kullberg, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
Uttam Kumar,Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
Igor Lima, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Yan Moraes, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, National Institute of Amazonian Research, Brazil
Kathelyn Paredes Villanueva, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Bolivia
Milagros Rodriguez Caton, IANIGLA-CONICET, Argentina
Demi Sargent, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Australia
Fee waivers were awarded to:
Spoorthi Aladahalli Nagaraju, The University of Queensland, Australia
Jennifer Diehl, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, USA
William J Matthaeus, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Nattiwong Pankasem, University of California San Diego, USA
Victoria Terry, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Decisions on travel grants, fee waivers and oral presentations were sent on Tuesday 3 March to all abstracts that were submitted by the 2nd February. As of 26 March all other abstract submitter have been contacted with the outcome of their submission. Please get in touch at np-symposia@lancaster.ac.uk if you did not receive an email. As this symposium is also at capacity, poster abstracts will only be accepted when there is a registration place available. Should we receive any cancellations we may be able to offer further poster presentation places.
Abstract submission - now closed
Delegates are encouraged to submit an abstract to be considered for an oral or poster presentation.
We have limited poster exhibition/programme space, and expect the process to be competitive. Preference will be given to new unpublished, or recently published, work.
Each presenting author is limited to one abstract submission, but there is no limit on how many times you are listed as co-author. Should an abstract be selected for inclusion the presenting author will need to register to attend before their inclusion in the programme is confirmed. We encourage authors to register early to take advantage of the early bird registration rate.
Travel grant application and selected speaker deadline: 2nd February 2026 - now closed
Poster abstract deadline: 2nd March 2026 - now closed
We will aim to confirm travel grant and speaker decisions in early March, and poster acceptances by 31st March.
Abstract guidelines
All abstract sections should be provided in English.
The main text should provide concise details of the background and objective(s) of the investigation, methods used, results and conclusion.
Abstract text should be no more than 200 words.
Abstract submissions are done on the Oxford Abstract submission portal. If you do not already have an account, you will need to create a free account. For further advice on submitting an abstract please visit their guidance for submitters page. You can also contact the Events and Promotions Manager, Christine Phillips at np-symposia@lancaster.ac.uk for assistance.
Claiming a travel grant or travel contribution
When a travel grant, sometimes referred to as a travel contribution, has been awarded, the payment of the travel grant will not be issued until after the event.
The New Phytologist Foundation will have set a specific amount for the travel grant. No receipts are required to claim the travel grant. This allows the travel grant recipient to arrange their travel to best suit their needs.
Where possible, we encourage travel grant recipients to combine their travel to the event with other activities to make better use of the carbon footprint of attending the meeting.
The payment of a travel grant can be to the recipient's institution, or to their personal bank account, and will be made by a bank transfer. Travel grant recipients will receive a link to a secure form to provide their bank details to arrange the payment of the travel grant. Institutions may send an invoice for the amount of the travel grant to the New Phytologist Foundation. Please contact np-finance@lancaster.ac.uk with any questions about invoices.
If paying for their travel in advance will cause the attendee to experience a significant financial burden, or if the delegate will have difficulty in receiving a bank transfer from the UK, please contact the Events and Promotions Manager to discuss alternative options.
If the delegate is unable to attend the event, generally the travel grant will not be paid. Delegates are encouraged to take out travel insurance to cover them should they be unable to attend. Any request for a travel grant to be paid following non-attendance will need to be approved by the Executive Editor. We will request confirmation of travel expenses with receipts in these circumstances, as well as proof that the travel costs could not be refunded.
We hope you are looking forward to the symposium. Below you will find further information about attending the symposium, and useful information for your time in Cordoba.
Please also see the section on Venue, travel and accommodation. Poster presenters and speakers should review their section as well.
All attendees agree to abide by the New Phytologist Foundation events code of conduct
Registered participants have been sent a link to the delegate list, as well as an invitation to join a WhatsApp group. Please get in touch with np-events@lancaster.ac.uk if you need these links again.
If you have any further questions, please get in touch with the Events and Promotions Manager.
Symposium locations
The symposium will take place at the Rectorate/Rectory building of the University of Córdoba.
Av. de Medina Azahara, 5, Poniente Sur, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
The main sessions will be held in the auditorium, located on the ground floor.
Registration will be in the lobby of the auditorium
Posters will be located in the hallway outside the auditorium on the ground floor
Toilets and water fountains are located in the lobby outside the auditorium, and additional toilets are at the end of the poster hallway.
Breakout sessions will use various locations around the rectorate building, please follow instructions in the main room to reach your breakout room.
Registration
Registration will be open from 11am on Tuesday 2nd June. All participants should collect their name badge, along with a symposium tote bag when they arrive. Participants will also receive lunch tickets for the four lunches. Tickets will be placed inside your name badge.
Name badges
Please wear your name badge for the entire symposium, this confirms that you are a registered delegate/participant. If you lose your name badge, please contact a member of the New Phytologist staff who will provide a replacement badge.
Catering during the symposium
Registered delegates will receive coffee breaks, lunches, and drinks receptions as outlined in the symposium programme. Please note that due to limited space in the conference area of the Rectory café, only registered delegate can join for lunches and coffee breaks. There is a public area of the cafe where any guests of delegates are welcome to purchase food and drinks at any time, but please note the menu available may be different than the conference menu.
Lunch
All registered delegates were asked to choose their lunch options in advance.
At lunchtime, you will need to present the serving staff your lunch ticket for the day which details your chosen menu options and any dietary restrictions. Your lunch tickets will be with your name badge. If you lose your lunch ticket, please speak to the symposium staff member in the lunch area, who will assist you.
Catering locations
Morning coffee breaks and evening drinks reception will take place in the courtyard (weather permitting).
Lunch and afternoon coffee breaks will take place in the Rectory café, which is located in an adjacent building 2-3 minutes’ walk from the main auditorium. The building is to the left of the main Rectory building as you enter the main entrance.
Due to the historic nature of the building, food and drinks are not allowed in the main Rectory building, apart from bottles of water.
Water fountains are available in various locations around the building, attendees are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottle.
Symposium dinner
The Symposium dinner on Thursday evening will take place at Bodegas Campos (Calle Lineros 32. 14002 Córdoba), approximately a 20-minute walk from the Rectory building.
The evening will start with a drinks reception at 19:15, followed by a three-course dinner and a Flamenco performance.
A variety of drinks are complimentary during dinner, including wine, beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee. After dessert, attendees can purchase additional drinks from the bar.
Pre-symposium gathering
On Monday evening, an informal pre‑symposium gathering will take place at Mercado Victoria between 7:00pm and 9:00pm. An area has been reserved for symposium participants, and food and drinks will be available to purchase. All delegates are warmly encouraged to attend and meet fellow participants.
Poster set up
Poster presenters should bring their printed posters with them and put them up during registration. Posters should remain on display for the entire duration of the symposium. Attendees are encouraged to view the posters throughout the event, not only during the two dedicated poster sessions.
Poster numbers have now been confirmed, and the list of posters will be available to view at registration. Each poster board will have the name, title and poster number displayed.
Posters should be portrait, no larger than A0 (84cm by 119cm), or 3ft by 4ft (92cm by 122cm)
Posters will be affixed to wire poster boards using metal clips. Two posters will be placed back-to-back and will need to share the clips. Volunteers will be available to help find your poster location
Poster competition
Prizes will be awarded for the best posters. All registered delegates and speakers can vote for the best poster, with a prize of €200 for the top poster and €100 for a runner up. Poster prize winners will be announced in the final session.
You cannot vote for your own poster, or posters where you are listed as a co-author.
Printing posters on site
If you are unable to bring your printed poster with you, you can arrange for your poster to be printed locally. The local organisers suggest using Copisteria Don Folio, who have a location near the Rectory building at Avda. Medina Azahara 15, 14005 Córdoba.
On their website you'll be able to pay for your poster printing and request collection at the MEDINA AZAHARA location. They are open from 9:00am – 9:00pm weekdays.
We strongly recommend sending any files to print no later than Tuesday 26 May.
If you have further questions about printing a poster locally, please contact Don Foilo at donfolio@donfolio.com
Power sockets
There are a very limited number of power sockets in the main auditorium. We strongly advise delegates to bring any electronic devices they want to use fully charged. A small number of power sockets are available in the reception/registration area, but please note that organisers cannot take responsibility for devices left unattended while charging.
Wi-Fi
The University of Córdoba is on the Eduroam network. If your institution subscribes to Eduroam you should be able to connect through your existing log-in details.
For delegates who don’t have Eduroam, a temporary Wi-Fi code will be provided. Please ask for this at the registration desk.
Dress Code
New Phytologist Symposia are relaxed events with no formal dress code, you should wear what you feel comfortable in. The main symposium rooms will be air conditioned. You may want to bring layers for air-conditioned rooms, and slightly cooler evenings.
Filming and Photography
Photography and filming will take place at this symposium.
The resulting photographs and video footage will be used by the New Phytologist Foundation for the purpose of outreach and promoting their activities and may be published on the New Phytologist Foundation’s website and social media channels.
When events are recorded, recordings will only be made available with the explicit permission of the speakers. In some cases the publication of the recording may be delayed while the speaker awaits publication of their research.
By registering to attend in-person you are consenting to appear in photographs and or video content from the meeting.
If you have any concerns, please contact Christine Phillips, Events and Promotions Manager.
Local transport
Córdoba is a walkable city, and the symposium venue is less than 10-minutes from the main train station and is close to various bus routes.
We recommend using Google maps, or another online map app to plan your journey.
Local buses cost €1.30 for a single ticket, which must be paid in cash (notes should be small, €5 or €10). It is not possible to pay with debit or credit card.
You can download a map of bus lines, there are 13 different ones in total distributed across city.
Taxis
Please note that international ride sharing apps, such as Uber, Lift or Bolt do not operate in Cordoba.
Local taxis include Piedtaxi (https://www.pidetaxicordoba.es/) . Phone number +31 957764444. Piedtaxi have an app you can download to book taxi's.
There are also taxi ranks at Plaza de Las Tendillas, the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, and the banks of the Guadalquivir River.
Local restaurants
Cordoba has a wide range of restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets.
The Plaza de la Corredera is a large open square that has a number of restaurants, and there are many more located within a short walk of the historic city centre. Many restaurants serve food late into the evening.
Visit https://www.turismodecordoba.org/where-to-eat for more details of local restaurants.
The local organisers have put together some suggestions of restaurants
Historic Andalusian taverns
Restaurants that have Vegetarian and Vegan options
Restaurante Amaltea, includes a gluten-free menu and vegan menu
Visit to the Mosque-Cathedral
Attendees were given the opportunity to sign-up for a free ticket to visit the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba.
Further information will be emailed to Tuesday attendees. Participants who requested a Friday ticket can collect them from registration on Friday.
Sightseeing in Cordoba
While we have a packed programme for the symposium, delegates may wish to explore some of Cordoba’s many historic landmarks during their free time. https://www.turismodecordoba.org/places-to-visit has details of many sights.
Some evening activities include
Andalusian horse show, which takes place Wednesday and Friday evening at 9:00pm
an evening tour of the Mosque Cathedral on Monday, Tuesday or Friday at 10:00pm,
Illuminations in the Alcazar de Cordoba on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.
Anyone interested in these should book tickets directly.
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