Workshops

Workshops at the 6^th World Lagomorph Conference

Workshop 1 - Lagomorph Taxonomy and Conservation   

organised by:

Paulo C. Alves, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto, Portugal

contact: pcalves(at)fc.up.pt

The taxonomy of several lagomorph taxa is controversial, and this controversy may have implications on the conservation of some species and populations. There are species with huge geographical distribution, but with clear ecological and biogeographical differentiation. Species with very restricted ranges, namely on islands, but with quite low levels of genetic and morphological differentiation. It has also been described cryptic diversity, and strong genetic similarities in some species pairs. On the other hand, threatened assessments are only done on species levels, and not in evolutionary significant units, that have been described. Hundreds of subspecies have been described, but most of them have not been confirmed and are not supported by genetic information. Why maintaining them? I propose that Lagomorph experts, including those working in morphology, biogeography, behavior, ecology and genetics to meet for establishing guidelines for reviewing the Lagomorph taxonomy. In addition, in face on existing and published information, a taxonomic revision of some taxa should be done, in order to not perpetuate the taxonomic controversy, and to allow species conservation assessments of the new forms. In summary, we cannot maintain a position that someone will solve the taxonomy of the Lagomorphs, perpetuate and always postpone a decision on this topic, since we are the Lagomorph experts, and the WLC has the perfect forum for taking such decisions!

When submitting your abstract (see Abstract submission), you may indicate whether your talk should be considered for this workshop.

Workshop 2 - Lagomorphs as a Model Morphological System    

organised by:

Irina Ruf, Seckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany

Brian Kraatz, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA

contact: irina.ruf(at)senckenberg.de ; bkraatz(at)westernu.edu

The purpose of this special session is to highlight the expanded use of quantitively morphological approaches in understanding lagomorph (rabbits, hares, and pikas) evolution and morphofunction. We welcome experts in lagomorph biology, but also, methodological experts who have incorporated lagomorphs into their study systems. We are eager to explore the use of modern imaging techniques (e.g., μCT, synchrotron, XROMM) and various statistical and morphometric methods (e.g., geometric morphometrics) to elucidate the evolution, ontogeny and functional morphology of mammals as applied to lagomorphs. Our hope is that bringing such diverse experts together will produce discussions that lead to new morphological research projects on lagomorphs, new collaborative projects, and further develop lagomorphs as a morphological model system.

When submitting your abstract (see Abstract submission), you may indicate whether your talk or your poster should be considered for this workshop.

Workshop 3 - Successes and Failures of European Rabbit Translocations   

organised by: 

Jasja Dekker, Dierecologie, The Netherlands

 contact: info(at)jasjadekker.nl

Whilst in many parts of the world the European rabbit is considered an invasive species, the rabbit has declined in many parts of its original range. Here, due to its role in ecosystems, it is sorely missed by nature managers. Conflictingly, even in some parts of its range, it is unwanted due to damage to soil, crops or buildings or because it is 'in the way' in road and building construction projects.

This has caused, at least in the Netherlands, a growing interest in translocations, either as a tool in conservation or as mitigation.

In this workshop, participants are invited so share their experiences with translocation of rabbits. We would like to share successes and failures(!) in both the translocation method and eventual result. Both on the short term (i.e. survival) and long term (i.e. seeding a self-sustaining population).

When submitting your abstract (see Abstract submission), you may indicate whether your talk should be considered for this workshop.

Workshop 4 - Euro Leporid    

organised by:

Jérôme Letty, OFB, France

Guillaume Souchay, OFB, France

Klaus Hackländer, BOKU, Austria

Paulo C. Alves, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto, Portugal

contact: guillaume.souchay(at)ofb.gouv.fr

A workshop entitled "Lagomorphs in Europe: Conservation and Population Dynamics" took place during the 33rd International Union of Game Biologists Congress in Montpellier (France - 22-25 August 2017). Oral presentations and discussions have shown that European Lagomorph researchers are facing the same questions about the population decline of hares and rabbits across Europe.

We have all agreed to establish a network of Leporid science (that could be named EUROLEPORIDS) following the idea of EURODEER. Unfortunately, this project has not progressed as expected. We propose to give it a new impetus during this World Lagomorph Conference during a devoted workshop.

The goal of this network will need to be outlined. As a basis for discussion, we think that a first goal should be to bring together people who are actively working in hare and rabbit population dynamics. That could facilitate data sharing and initiate new collaborative projects in several European countries. Researchers using trapping, marking, telemetry etc. would particularly be concerned. EURODEER goes a little further by joining the data of different research groups into a well-supported repository, with transparent accessibility, but we will be free to develop our own network with our own objectives and tools.

EUROMAMMALS is the umbrella projects regrouping all initiatives to coordinate and connect project investigating spatial ecology of wildlife across wide environmental gradients (https://euromammals.org/). The EUROLEPORIDS project could be included in the EUROSMALLMAMMALS initiatives and enhance collaboration and sharing data about hares and rabbits in Europe.

Workshop 5 - Present, past and future of (un)known lagoviruses affecting lagomorphs    

organised on behalf of the LAGMED (www.lagmed.eu) consortium:

Joana Abrantes, CIBIO-InBIO-BIOPOLIS, Portugal

Ana M. Lopes, CIBIO-InBIO-BIOPOLIS, Portugal

Pedro J. Esteves, CIBIO-InBIO-BIOPOLIS, Portugal

Esther Blanco, INIA, Spain

Carlos Rouco, Universidad de Córdoba, Spain

Lorenzo Capucci, IZSLER, Italy

Antonio Lavazza, IZSLER, Italy

Ghislaine Le Gall-Reculé, ANSES, France

Stéphane Bertagnoli, INRA-ENTV, France

Stéphane Marchandeau, OFB, France

Hacina Ain Baziz, ENSV d'Alger, Algeria

Faten Ben Chehida, ENMV de Sidi Thabet, Tunisia

contact: jabrantes(at)cibio.up.pt

More than 35 years after the first detection of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) and more than 10 years after the emergence of RHDV2, worldwide European rabbit populations are still experiencing devastating outbreaks and the wider host tropism of RHDV2 has put many other leporid species in danger. In contrast, in Australia, RHDV and RHDV2 have been studied and applied for the biological control of rabbits.

Worldwide, researchers are focusing on several aspects of these lagoviruses and the disease they cause (e.g. evolution, epidemiology, ecology, disease management, development of organoids as models, design of a new generation of vaccines, etc); yet, our knowledge still lags far behind the effects caused by one of the most devastating diseases affecting lagomorphs.

This workshop emerges as a follow-up of the 2015 workshop entitled "1st European/Australian RHDV workshop" that took place at CIBIO-InBIO, Vairão, Portugal, and aims to gather researchers from across the globe working on lagoviruses, creating a unique opportunity to exchange know-how on different aspects concerning the state-of-the art and establish new collaboration networks.

When submitting your abstract (see Abstract submission), you may indicate whether your talk should be considered for this workshop.