The Planet is experiencing an alarming situation due to the environmental crisis and climate change. The overexploitation of natural resources, pollution and global warming have induced changes in the functioning of ecosystems and decreases in biological diversity.  Faced with this worrying situation, numerous scientific institutions and government organizations have been promoting ecological restoration programs. Yet, questions remain about whether we know enough to create functioning ecosystems, whether restoration is possible without prior conservation actions, or even whether restoration is feasible given the non-equilibrium nature of ecosystems. During the colloquium, we will review fundamental concepts of ecology that must be taken into account before undertaking conservation and restoration actions. We will discuss the importance of considering ecological succession and connectivity processes and how these are modulated by energy flows.

We will highlight the relevance of examining aspects of biological diversity and ecosystem functioning in terms of biogeochemical cycles, as well as the interactions between physical and biological processes. We will also deliberate on points of non-return and whether these are feasible to predict and avoid. The main aim of this workshop is to bring together scientists with different expertise to develop improved perspectives to face the present challenges of global change.

The RMSC2024 will promote synergies and dialogues between different disciplines as well as networking and knowledge exchange between senior, junior and next-generation researchers.