From acid rain to the Anthropocene: 37 years of BIOGEOMON. Part 2 – scientific advances

The 11 BIOGEOMON (International Symposium on Ecosystem Behaviour) conferences span 37 years of research in ecosystem science. In this set of papers, we discuss the history of BIOGEOMON in two parts. In Part 2 we consider the development in understanding of three topics over successive conferences: acid deposition, peatland biogeochemistry, and isotope geochemistry. Using these three topics as examples, we show how the BIOGEOMON conferences both reflect, and lead, advances in biogeochemistry research. Using published papers from conference special issues, conference proceedings, and other publications from BIOGEOMON delegates, we highlight the changing importance of these research strands over the years, and consider the questions, insights, and surprises, played out in the meetings.