The main theme for the XIIth SCAR Biology Symposium is "Scale Matters".  From the small molecular scale, through population and large ecosystem scale, biological processes and diversity span all these levels.  Understanding these processes, as well as past and present patterns of biodiversity, are essential for understanding possible threats to Antarctic biology and their impact.  With this Symposium, we want to focus on understanding biological distribution and trends as well as adaptation and processes, both in the marine and terrestrial realm including the human biology.  Special attention will be paid to multidisciplinary research and how combining insight from different fields can help our understanding of biology in this unique region.  An important aspect of this symposium will focus on the societal impact of Antarctic biological sciences and how this can be communicated, not only to the general public, but also to policy makers.

Themes will be (see the symposium website for full details):

1. Distribution and trends
2. Adaptation and processes
3. New insights through multi-disciplinary research
4. Threats and impacts: from the poles to the globe to the poles
5. Societal impact of Antarctic biological science
6. Human biology at the poles

Deadline for Abstract Submission has been extended to 28 February. Abstracts must be relevant to one of the Conference sessions and authors are requested to mark one of them, under which their abstract should be evaluated by the referees.Early bird registration ends on 30 April.  Register now via the website.For more details, see the First Circular or visit the Symposium website.