Simona Dumitrița Chirilă wins Best Poster Award at International Congress of Zoology

The International Congress of Zoology (ZoologyCon 2024), organized by the Grigore Antipa Museum in collaboration with the Romanian Academy and the University of Bucharest, took place on November 6th to 9th, 2024 in Bucharest, Romania. Pensoft, through its journal ZooKeys, sponsored a Best Poster Award at the congress, offering the winner a free publication in ZooKeys.

The Best Poster Award went to Simona Dumitrița Chirilă, Alexandru-Mihai Pintilioaie, Ana Mariana Chirilă, and Nikolay Velev for their poster “The relationship between the characteristics of Crambe tataria populations and the insect communities in Northeastern Romania.”

As first author,  Simona Dumitrița Chirilă of the Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development in Tulcea, Romania, was awared the Best Poster award sponsored by Pensoft, and received the chance to publish her work in ZooKeys for free.

“The poster presented at ZoologyCon 2024 focuses on Crambe tataria, a rare plant species studied in detail in my PhD thesis,” she said. “This study is important because it reveals how some morphological characters of rare plants like C. tataria influence associated insect communities, demonstrating the critical ecological role of these plants. Understanding such complex interactions is essential for the conservation of rare plant species and their ecosystems, as it provides insights into habitat requirements and interactions that can guide conservation strategies.”

“Furthermore, C. tataria serves as a critical habitat and food source for various insect species. The decline of its populations would have significant consequences for these dependent species. By emphasizing these ecological interdependencies, my research argues for a holistic approach to conservation that considers the needs of entire ecosystems.”

Simona’s research focuses on the ecology, biogeography, and conservation of rare plant species in Romania, with an emphasis on the analysis of habitat preferences and essential ecological requirements for their maintenance in various natural habitats.

“Receiving the award for best poster at ZoologyCon is an invaluable recognition of my research efforts. Not only does it affirm the importance of conservation research in complex ecological systems, but it also reinforces my commitment to advancing knowledge in this field. This recognition is both inspiring and validating, encouraging me to continue exploring the roles these species have in their ecosystems,” she told the ZooKeys team.

Simona’s award certificate will be put into good use: “I plan to use the award to publish the results presented in my poster, thus making this information accessible to a wider scientific audience. This publication will help highlight the ecological interactions and habitat requirements of rare plant species, with a particular focus on the dynamics of plant-insect relationships.”