6th International Symposium-Workshop on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal (1985-2015)
FSD 2015 - 1985-2015
History FSD 1985-2015*
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In 1985, Ted Fleming and Alejandro Estrada called an international meeting in Mexico of about 50 scientists studying the interactions between frugivores (fruit-eaters) and the seeds they disperse. The book published in 1986 resulting from this 1st International Symposium-Workshop on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal soon became a key reference for students and researchers around the world.
The 2nd and 3rd Symposium-Workshop, in Mexico (1991) and Brazil (2000, Chair : Westley Silva; co-Chairs Mauro Galetti -- Douglas Levey,) respectively, demonstrated the growth in research on this important topic. The books published in 1993 and 2002 from these conferences have also been highly important texts for scientists, students and environmental managers.
At the close of the 3rd Symposium the out-going committee decided to hold the next meeting in Australia. This provides an important opportunity for academics and managers west of the Pacific (e.g. Australia, southeast Asia) to meet with leaders in the field and new researchers from around the world, and also to demonstrate progress within this region.
The 4th International Symposium-Workshop on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal was held in July 2005 at the Nathan campus of Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia, and the proceedings were published in 2007. (Chair : Ronda Green; co-chair Andrew Dennis - Dave Westcott)
During the last day of FSD2005, a vote of participants decided that FSD2010 will be held in Montpellier France, to celebrate 25 years of the Symposium-Workshop (1985-2010) and Pierre-Michel Forget accepted to chair with an international Academic Committee the 5th International Symposium-Workshop on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal which was held in June 2010 at Le Corum, Montpellier. The Fifth volume was published by Acta Oecologica-Elsevier (on line by 17 May 2010).
On early April 2009, Pierre-Michel Forget and Katrin Böhning-Gaese, both members of the FSD2010 Academic committee, discussed together the possibility of having the next symposium organized in Africa, an obligatory destination for FSD2015 after Central and South America in 1985-1991 and 2000, Australia in 2005, and Europe in 2010. They asked to Colleen Downs from South Africa - who had already registered for FSD2010 - whether she will be interested in organizing the 6th International Symposium-Workshop on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal. in 2015 in South AFrica. She answered on April 20th, 2009 : "Yes I would like to organise it with some colleagues and have a friend who could organise (pre and post trips)." On June 17th, 2010, Colleen Downs presented the Academic Committee that was composed during the last days of FSD2010.
* Based on an original text by Ronda Green, slightly adapted by Pierre-Michel Forget
2015 - iSimangaliso Wetland Park, St Lucia, South Africa - Chair : Pr. Colleen Downs (University of KwaZulu-Natal)