First Circular

　XXXI Symposium on Polar Meteorology and Glaciology

The National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) cordially invites you to participate in the XXXI Symposium on Polar Biology on 2-5 December 2008 at NIPR, Tokyo. This is an annual symposium organized to provide an opportunity for discussion on a wide variety of polar biology and related topics.

Topics of the Symposium
The main topics are to present the influence of climate change on distribution, abundance and behaviour of marine organisms in the Southern Ocean and the influence of local and global environmental changes on polar terrestrial ecosystems. The symposium will also cover the topics of IPY 2007-2008. Other researches related to polar biology are welcome in this symposium. In this year, the symposium on Polar Biology will be jointed with the XXXI Symposium on Polar Meteorology and Glaciology held on 2-3 December. In the afternoon of 3rd Dec. and the morning of 4th Dec., two joint sessions will focus on scientific highlights of the multi-disciplinary EAGLE project (Environmental and genetical approach for life on earth: Project Director, Prof. Hiroshi Kanda, NIPR).

Location and Accommodation
The symposium will be held at NIPR in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo. It can be reached in 90min from Tokyo International Airport (Narita) by train.
Limited accommodation will be available in the guesthouse of NIPR (Polar Club) at the cost of 1600-2520 yen per night. Shared kitchen and bathroom are available in the guesthouse. Various restaurants can be found in the vicinity of the guesthouse. Hotel accommodation will be reserved on request.
　

Program 　　　（Planned program is as follows,）

2 December (Tue.) 2008	Session on Polar Meteorology and Glaciology (AM, PM)
3 December (Wed.)	Session on Polar Meteorology and Glaciology (AM) Joint session (EAGLE project) (PM) Icebreaker party
4 December (Thu.)	Joint session (EAGLE project) Session on Terrestrial Biology Poster session
5 December (Fri.)	Session on Marine Biology Poster session

Abstract
Instructions for preparing abstracts will be sent only to contributors. The deadline for return of the abstract is 30 September 2008.

Registration
Anyone interested in attending the symposium or making a contribution should complete and return the e-mail form before 29 August 2008. The registration form is also available at the web page:
http://polaris.nipr.ac.jp/~penguin/Official/sympo.html
The second circular will be sent only to those who register.

Call for papers
The scientific program will consist of oral (invited or selected papers) and poster (contributed papers) sessions. Conveners of the symposium are inviting some selected speakers to address keynotes of the symposium. The poster session will be held on each day for a few hours. At these occasions, author(s) can present their work in front of their poster. Maximum poster dimensions are 1.1 m high by 0.8 m wide. Posters from people not attending the symposium must be received before 28 November 2008.

Publication
Both invited and contributed papers at the symposium could be published in new integrated quarterly journal Polar Science. Information on the new journal will be available at “http://polaris.nipr.ac.jp/~penguin/” or “http://ees.elsevier.com/polar/”. Manuscripts will be peer-reviewed and the editorial committee of the NIPR will make final decision for acceptance.

Important Due Dates

Registration submission	29 August 2008
Abstract submission	30 September 2008

Inquiries and Information
All correspondence related to the symposium should be addressed to:
　　Secretariat
　　XXXＩ Symposium on Polar Biology
　　National Institute of Polar Research
　　9-10, Kaga 1-chome, Itabashi-ku
　　Tokyo 173-8515, JAPAN
　　Telephone: +81-3-3962-4569
　　Facsimile: +81-3-3962-5743
　　E-mail: 　　
　　URL: http://polaris.nipr.ac.jp/~penguin/

Conveners:	Akinori Takahashi
	Takahiro Iida

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　

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