Calvin Leung’s participation in the European Symposium on Saproxylic Ecology (ESSE2025): a great opportunity to meet European experts in saproxylic research

Calvin Leung giving his oral presentation on his first PhD chapter during ESSE2025. Photo 2025, Dmitry Telnov

From 14th-16th May 2025, Calvin Leung (which is me!) was very fortunate to be invited by Dr. Arno Thomaes to attend the ESSE2025 in the artistic city, Florence, Italy. In this symposium, I was given a chance to give an oral presentation on the findings of my first PhD chapter: Systematic exhaustive wood dissection: a systematic method for studying understudied saproxylic insect communities in tropical rainforests. In my talk, I highlighted the need for a systematic surveying method for studying saproxylic insects at a community level, and thus proposed the systematic exhaustive wood dissection method which provides an actual representation of the saproxylic communities utilizing deadwood at a local scale. The drastic dissimilarities between the saproxylic beetle communities collected with systematic exhaustive wood dissection and that collected with the conventional ethanol-baited flight interception traps (FITs) signified the essentiality of my proposed method for studying understudied saproxylic communities like those in the tropical rainforests. At the end of the symposium, my talk was voted as the best presentation award!

Calvin Leung (2nd left) was awarded the best oral presentation. Photo 2025, Ruth Pickert

I was also lucky enough to be here in ESSE2025 to grasp the knowledge from the most pioneer saproxylic studies from all over Europe. It’s surely a wonderful time meeting so many like-minded researchers!

Attending talks and discussions during ESSE2025. Photo 2025, Elisabeth G.

Poster presentations during ESSE2025. Photo 2025, Alessandro Campanaro

Group photos of the participants in ESSE2025. Photo 2025, Dmitry Telnov

On the last day of the symposium, we were brought to Riserva Naturale di Popolamento Animale Belagaio. This nature reserve has a shocking diversity of habitats within the reserve: some parts are covered in deciduous oak forests, some parts are covered in Mediterranean shrubland, and some parts are covered in abyssal beech forest, and we got to experience all these habitats in a stretch < 2km! I was very grateful to get this opportunity to explore the ecosystem in Mediterranean forests.

Saproxylic researchers surrounding a big dead log. Photo 2025, Calvin Leung

Adult male (left) and larva (right) of the Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus found within the nature reserve. Photo 2025, Calvin Leung

Written by: Calvin Leung