The 7th National Congress of Ecology (http://www.helecos.gr/en/7th-congress) was held in Mytilene (Lesvos Island, Greece) between the 9th and 12th of October 2014.

Dr Christos Arvanitidis, scientific responsible and coordinator of LifeWatchGreece, presented the aims and scope of the project to the congress participants'. A detailed discussion took place regarding the benefits of establishing the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure (LWG RI), which gave the opportunity to members of the Hellenic Ecological Society, as well as other researchers and academics, to familiarize with the concepts that the infrastructure introduces and enhances.

Christina Pavloudi, PhD candidate of the MARES Doctoral Training Programme and Data Manager in LifeWatch Greece (microbial diversity data) presented a dataset of the sulfate-reducing bacteria of five Greek lagoons. In the presentation, Ms. Pavloudi, referred to the LifeWatch repository of microbial diversity datasets.

Christina Pavloudi Presentation:

Katerina Vasileiadou, PhD candidate in the University of Patras and Data Manager in LifeWatch Greece (marine biodiversity data), presented a study on the genetic differentiation of benthic lagoonal populations. The LifeWatch Greece project was referenced for the biodiversity and environmental parameters datasets.

Katerina Vasileiadou Presentation:

Dr Chris Georgiadis, Teaching and Research Assistant at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Curator of the entomological collection at the Zoological Museum (NKUA) and data manager in LifeWatchGreece, presented 3 posters regarding aspects of the myrmecofaunal biodiversity of Greece. Within his presented research, he conferred the importance of data as those presented to be incorporated into biodiversity informatics infrastructures (e.g. LifeWatch Greece) so as more researchers can benefit from biodiversity data presented in a meaningful and advantageous manner.

Dr Chris Georgiadis posters: # Crete Ants    # AegeanAnts  # Aenictus