We are pleased to invite you to participate in the “8th International Symposium on Chemosynthesis-Based Ecosystems ”, which is organized by the University of the Azores- Institute of Marine Sciences Okeanos. The Symposium will take place from 14 to 18th of June in Horta, Azores, Portugal.  

Dates: 14-18 June 2027
Location: Horta, Azores, Portugal (Venue TBC)
Organizers: University of the Azores- Institute of Marine Sciences Okeanos

The 8th International Symposium on Chemosynthesis-Based Ecosystems (CBE8) marks the latest chapter in a distinguished series that began in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal in 1997. Since then, the symposium has travelled across the globe — from Brest, France (2001), to San Diego, USA (2005), Okinawa, Japan (2009), Victoria, Canada (2013), Woods Hole, USA (2017), and most recently São Paulo, Brazil (2023) — continually broadening its scientific scope.
Originally centred on the biology of deep-sea hydrothermal vents, the symposium now encompasses a wide array of chemosynthetic environments, including cold seeps, organic falls, asphalt seeps (chapapotes), and more. CBE has become the prime international forum for researchers, explorers, policymakers, environmental managers, and students to share new findings and perspectives on the science and significance of chemosynthesis-based ecosystems.
CBE8 will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of hydrothermal vents, providing a unique opportunity to reflect on the field’s remarkable journey — connecting past discoveries with present insights, and offering a forward-looking view towards future research and societal relevance.

The scientific programme promises to be as diverse as the ecosystems under study, covering topics such as:
1) Foundations of Chemosynthetic Ecosystems: How do chemosynthetic ecosystems form and persist? What physical, chemical, and geological drivers structure them?
2) Evolutionary Origins and Adaptive Strategies: How have chemosynthetic organisms and communities evolved? What innovations enable life in extreme chemical settings? New data from the fossil record, taxonomy and systematics are welcome.
3) Community Assembly, Structure, and Dynamics: What governs what lives where, when, and how in chemosynthetic ecosystems from the subseafloor to the pelagic, from deep to coastal environments?
4) Symbiosis, Metabolism, and Energy Flow: How is energy captured, transferred, and partitioned in chemosynthetic ecosystems?
5) Biogeography and Connectivity: How are chemosynthetic ecosystems distributed across the planet, what are their biogeographic patterns and how connected are they?
6) Resilience, Change, and Anthropogenic Impacts: How do chemosynthetic ecosystems respond to natural and human-mediated environmental change?
7) Conservation, Policy, and Societal Relevance: Why should society care about chemosynthetic ecosystems, and how can they be protected and valued?

Format:
• Keynotes
• Oral Communication
• Posters

For logistic purposes we would love to receive your expression of interest by 1st October 2026

Please direct any additional questions to 8cbe@uac.pt