The scope of the workshop will range from a variety of abiotic factors forming polar habitats to biodiversity and ecophysiology of autotrophic constituents of polar ecosystems such as algae and cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, higher plants. Terrestrial invertebrates and vertebrates, their biodiversity, distribution, production, stress physiology, population biology, etology are considered as workshop topics as well. Last but not least, ECOSYS 2014 wants to address human impact in polar regions, allien species, conservation issuess and measures aimed to sustain undisturbed and functioning polar ecosystems for future generations.