t15hrldWo

L a ke C o n ference

The Mirrors of the EarthBalancing Ecosystem Integrityand Human Wellbeing
September 1-5, 2014

Perugia - Italyf i r st a n n o u n ceme n t

PREFACE
The World Lake Conferences, originally launched by the Shiga
Prefecture, Japan, has previously been organized by the International
Lake Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC), in collaboration withlocal host organizations in the USA, Hungary, China, Italy, Argentina,Denmark, Kenya, India and Japan over approximately the last threedecades. Continuing this tradition, the 15th World Lake Conference will
be hosted in Perugia Italy from September 1 to 5, 2014. This upcoming
conference foresees the participation of international, national and stateagencies, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, private
sector representatives and other water stakeholders.
Utmost importance at the 15th World Lake Conference also will begiven to disseminating the importance of conservation and safeguardingof the earth’s natural resources to the new generation of researchers andscientists, and to the world of education. Ample time will be allocated foropen discussion on a wide range of ideas, suggestions and themes ofmutual interest and concern to all the conference participants.

First Announcement - 1

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTSThe thematic structure of the Conference includes the following elements:• Plenary Sessions• Special Technical Sessions• Poster Session• Thematic Workshops• International Policy Forum / Political Dialogue• NGO Sessions
The Conference will also include a series of parallel events of interest to awider audience, including:• Student Meeting• Children’s Session (age from 5 to 13)• Press Conferences• Multimedia events (Shows, Edutainment, Demos)• Excursions and Field Trips• Accompanying Person’s Programs• ExhibitionsFirst Announcement - 2

CONFERENCE THEME AND OBJECTIVESLakes, both natural and artificial, are vital and strategic resources for
all life on our planet. At the same time, they are also highly vulnerable tohuman activities, especially if not properly managed for their sustainable
use. These critical natural resources and their ecosystems have defined
geographical borders, while at the same time also being strongly
influenced by their locations. In fact, although there is a geographicallimit between a lake ecosystem and neighboring ecosystems, lakes areheavily affected by the substances which flow into them in the inflowing
waters from their surrounding catchments.
Moreover, lakes are very complex systems affected by many naturaland human-related factors, major ones being the materials that are
dissolved in, or carried together with their waters, the climate of theregion, energy exchanges with the atmosphere, the nature of the soils
in their locations, and the variety of organisms which inhabit them, all ofwhich are influenced by, and at the same time also influence, the lakesystem itself. This characteristic complexity means that if a lake is studied
solely on the basis of a single discipline, it can often lead to misleading
conclusions, or even incorrect results.

First Announcement - 3

...CONFERENCE THEME AND OBJECTIVES
Thus, the continuing scope of the World Lake Conferences is to bring
together experts in the field of lake environments and habitats, with theunderlying goal of establishing a basis for developing multidisciplinary
solutions to multidisciplinary issues. Furthermore, transdiscipline beinga keyword in this conference, different approaches and perspective also
must be taken into account to adequately address complex lake issues.
Therefore, we are inviting not only scientists, but also resource
managers, policy makers, and lake basin stakeholders and users
including the political figures to the Conference. The interactions between
these diverse individuals will result in wider and more comprehensive
discussions, with an overriding goal of connecting a top-down approachwith a bottom-up perspective as a means of analyzing and solving
complex lake basin issues.
This Conference also will likely have a strong influence on the younger
generations of researchers, managers and lake users, launch different
didactic experiences for children and graduate students, and teach all
how to focus on world lake issues, as well as how to network with othercolleagues in considering lakes and their basins from both a local andglobal perspective.

First Announcement - 4

CONFERENCE TOPICS (Proposed)
Ecology and Biology of Lakes & Inland Waters
Water quality; Pollution control; Biological aspects of inland waters;
Lake ecosystem and biodiversity conservation;
Invasivespecies  (flora/fauna);
Biodiversity; Habitats; Saline lakes
Lake Processes and Dynamics
Chemical and physical processes;
Hydrodynamics and mixing processes; Geochemistry and geophysics
Lakes and Global Changes
Climate change trends; Climate change mitigation and adaptation;
Fishery impacts; Ecosystem impacts; Socioeconomic impacts
Informatics, Mapping and Monitoring
Remote sensing; Advances in measuring technology;
Hydroinformatics; Mapping and GIS;
Quantity and quality aspects of ungauged basins;
Water ecosystem monitoring; Biomonitoring;Lakes and ecosystem modeling; Citizen monitoring
Lakes and Human Connections
Social and cultural aspects; Artistic and archeological aspects;
Health aspects; Religious/spiritual aspects; Ecotourism;
Lake basin “Heartware”;
Land based activities and lake basin impacts (quantity & quality)

First Announcement - 5

...CONFERENCE TOPICS (Proposed)lakE Basin managEmEnt ExPEriEncEs and challEngEs
Lake Trasimeno (silting issues, waves and swelling, evaporationevapotranspiration, algal blooms and eutrophication);
Lake Maggiore and other Italian lakes; Lakes in Europe, Africa and otherregions; Urban lakes; Alpine lakes; Saline lakes

Roles of NGOs and Citizen Participation
Citizen participation in lake basin management; Feasibility of sustainable
tourism industry in lacustrian areas
Governance and Management Challenges
Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM); Transboundary Water
Assessment Program (TWAP); Management of conflicts;
Socio-economical Issues; Lake basin governance challenges
Human Impacts Management
Economic incentives; Education/public awareness;
Alternatives to business-as-usual; Indigenous people/traditional methods
Water Recourses and Uses
Urban water use; Agricultural water use; Fisheries; Transportation;
Generation of hydropower
Eutrophication Processes, Impacts and Management
Phytoplankton dynamics; Macrophytes; Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs);
Nutrient loads and dynamics; Eutrophication assessment;
Eutrophication control measures
Lake Basin Best Management Practices
Point sources; Nonpoint sources; Mitigation and adaptation;
Biological methods; Ecohydrology

First Announcement - 6

About Perugia and Its Surroundings

Perugia is the capital of the Province of Perugia and the Umbria
Region, being located in central Italy. The town is of Etruscan origin andcontains more than 160,000 inhabitants. The Acropolis of Perugia (about490 m a.s.l.) is built on two contiguous hills: the Collina del Sole and theCollina Landone and was selected by the Etruscans because of its richwater environment.
Although no definite information about the formation of an early settlement
exists (some sources date back to the 6th Century B.C.), Perugia was oneof the most important Etruscan cities and homes, being one of the twelve“lucomonie” or cities gathered into the “Confederation” of Etruria.
The oldest urban center is enclosed by walls dating from the 3rdCentury B. C., that are themselves incorporated into a medieval fortification(14th Century). The latter fortification encompasses the five villages (ordistricts) that have developed along the five main hill ridges towards
the surrounding suburbs. This expansion took place in five directions,corresponding to the five Etruscan doors (Roman Porta Sole; PortaSant’Angelo; Porta Santa Susanna; Eburnea Porta; Porta San Pietro) andhas given the city a stellar shape that Renaissance architect Leon Battista
Alberti compared to the fingers of a hand.
The central position of Perugia, located between the Adriatic andTyrrhenian Seas, has historically guaranteed the city a strategic role,both economic and political. Its rich history is well represented by theworks of art housed in the most representative cities, and the numerous
monuments that characterize the urban profile of its historic center.

First Announcement - 7

...About Perugia and Its Surroundings
Among these monuments is first and foremost the Fontana Maggiore,
built in the 13th Century. after construction of the aqueduct throughwhich water was channeled to the center of the city, and which is still
accessible today. In the same Piazza IV November is the Cathedral ofSan Lorenzo, which was completed during the 15th Century. The Palazzo
dei Priori built between the 14th and 16th Century, is now the Town Hallof the Municipality of Perugia, and hosts the superintendence of culturaland ethno-anthropological heritage of the Umbria Region. The Palazzo
dei Priori also contains the National Gallery of Umbria, the region’s mostimportant museum, and where visitors can admire works of artists suchas Pinturicchio, Perugino, Pietro della Francesca, Gentile da Fabriano,
and other work of arts covering a time span between the 13th and 19thCentury.
Among the many other architectural
works worthy of mention is Rocca
Paolina, a fortress built by Pope PaulIII in 1540, at the end of the Salt War,in which Perugia fought against thePapal States imposing taxes on theimportation of marine salt. Only one
wing remains of this monumentalbuilding, designed by Sangallo the Young, one of the greatest militaryengineers of the 16th Century. The area under the building, the major
underground citadel, is still accessible, however, having become one of
the symbols of the city. It is now crossed by a path of escalators leadingfrom the main bus terminal up to the city center.
Perugia is the home of one of the oldest universities in Italy, foundedin 1308, as attested by the Bull issued by Pope Clement V certifying thebirth of the Studium Generale. In addition to the University of Perugia is
the University for Foreigners, founded in 1925, being the oldest university
in Italy addressed to foreigners, and which specializes in the teachingand diffusion of the Italian language and culture worldwide.
But Perugia is not only a homeland for Arts; rather, many famousFirst Announcement - 8

...About Perugia and Its Surroundings
scientists also lived in Perugia and developed their works here. Amongthe most important are Luca Pacioli, the father of accounting; Andrea
Bina, inventor of the first seismograph; and Father Benedetto Castelli,inventor of the first rain gauge, as well as having a long scholarly relation
with Galileo Galilei.
In this highly suggestive scenario, and rich history, art and sciencesurroundings, many cultural activities take place, making Perugia one of
the most dynamic and attractive Italian cities. The best globally-known
initiatives range from international music festivals (Umbria Jazz) topromotion of economic activities and crafts (Umbria Books), and fromlocal confectionery production (Eurochocolate) to large conferences in
the field of media and information (International Journalism Festival),architecture (FestArch) and science (Perugia Science Fest).
Umbria is also known as the Green
heart of Italy. The extraordinary balance
between nature and human activity
has created impressive landscapes
ranking amongst the most beautiful
in Italy. Crossed by the Apennines, alarge part of the region is mountainousor hilly, with these areas being
characterized by the choreographies·of erosion, including sinkholes,
natural springs, rivers, streams and lakes that embellish the expansesof woods, pastures, and carefully-cultivated fields. Grape vines and olive
trees leave an unmistakable mark on the landscape of the surrounding
hills, and on the Umbrian cuisine made up of simple, natural ingredients.
Cooking is tied to its traditions, wherein the main taste is certainly thetruffles, of which there are about seven varieties.
The facilities to host the technical sessions (oral and poster), plenary
sessions and all major events will be the two aforementioned EducationalInstitutions - the University for Foreigners of Perugia and the University ofPerugia, together with many of the prestigious halls of the Government
palaces adorning the town.

First Announcement - 9

International Scientific Committee
Chair:¾¾ Masahisa NAKAMURA (Shiga University)

Vice Chair:¾¾ Walter RAST (Texas State University)

Members:¾¾ Nikolai ALADIN (Russian Academy of Science)¾¾ Sandra AZEVEDO (Brazil Federal University of Rio de Janeiro)¾¾ Riccardo DE BERNARDI (EvK2-CNR)¾¾ Salif DIOP (Cheikh Anta Diop University)¾¾ Fausto GUZZETTI (IRPI-CNR Perugia)¾¾ Zhengyu HU (Chinese Academy of Sciences)¾¾ Piero Guilizzoni (ISE-CNR)¾¾ Luigi NASELLI-FLORES (University of Palermo)¾¾ Daniel OLAGO (University of Nairobi)¾¾ Ajit PATTNAIK (Chilika Development Authority)¾¾ Richard ROBARTS (World Water and Climate Foundation)¾¾ Adelina SANTOS-BORJA (Laguna Lake Development Authority)¾¾ Juan SKINNER (Lake Atitlan Basin Authority)¾¾ Tsugihiro WATANABE (Kyoto University)

First Announcement - 10

Local Organizing Committee
Chair:¾¾ Lucio UBERTINI (University of Rome “La Sapienza”)

Vice Chair:¾¾ Piergiorgio MANCIOLA (University of Perugia)

Secretary General:¾¾ Arnaldo PIERLEONI (T4E - Perugia)¾¾ Yasue HAGIHARA (ILEC)

Members:¾¾ Kodwo ANDAH (University for Foreigners of Perugia)¾¾ Chiara BISCARINI (University for Foreigners of Perugia)¾¾ Maddalena BOGLIARI (Umbria Fiere)¾¾ Stefano CASADEI (University of Perugia)¾¾ Benedetta GRASSELLI (Umbria Fiere)¾¾ Salvatore GRIMALDI (Tuscia University)¾¾ Alessandro LUDOVISI (University of Perugia)¾¾ Fernando NARDI (University for Foreigners of Perugia)¾¾ Luigi NASELLI-FLORES (University of Palermo)¾¾ Gianluca PAGGI (Province of Perugia)

First Announcement - 11ABOUT USMA

Umbria Scientific Meeting Association (USMA 2007) is a non-profitorganization, founded in 2005 to organize the Scientific Assembly of theIUGG XXIV held in July 2007. The Association promotes and produces
scientific, cultural and artistic events. It also works with governmental
administrations, with other public or private NGO’s, including foreign
associations and institutions.

ABOUT ILEC

The International Lake Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC) is a
non-governmental organization based in Japan. Since its foundation in1986, ILEC has been promoting rational and sound management of world
lakes and their catchment areas, consistent with sustainable development
policies. It has an advisory body known as the Scientific Committee,
composed of internationally-recognized scientists and experts on lake
and reservoir assessment, management and conservation.

First Announcement - 12

REGISTRATION FEES
Developed Countries
Early registration: € 350 (until May 15th, 2014); Full registration: € 400
On-Site registration: € 450; Student*: € 150
Developing Countries**:
Registration: € 200; On-Site registration: € 230; Student*: € 100* Students must be under 35 years of age and enrolled in a full timeacademic program.
** Developing countries are identified in the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) report.

CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSIONS AND ABSTRACTSCALL FOR SPECIAL SESSIONS• The WLC15 technical program will include Special Sessions andWorkshops, with the objective of complementing the regular programwith new or emerging topics of particular interest.
• The Special Session submission process will be available on thewebsite beginning on November 15, 2013.
• The deadline for submission of proposals for Special Sessions isJanuary 15, 2014.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS• The WLC15 Scientific Committee will invite abstracts submission fororal and poster presentations beginning on February 1, 2014.
• Prospective presenters should carefully review the information provided
on the WLC15 website and submit their abstract via the online form.
• The deadline for abstract submissions is March 31, 2014.

For more information visit the WLC15 website:www.wlc15perugia.com

First Announcement - 13

NOTESFirst Announcement - 14

15th World Lake Conference

The Mirrors of the Earth