CEPA 7 : animal ecophysiology conference in Brest

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Biodiversity is facing a major environmental crisis. There is an urgent need to identify the impact of environmental constraints on the ecological and physiological functioning of animal species, as well as the adaptations that these organisms have put in place to respond to environmental change.

Animal ecophysiology is a crucial discipline at this level, integrating the mechanisms underlying metabolism, energetics, behaviour, reproduction, communication and many other animal functions, from the gene to the population.

Every two years in France, a large community of ecophysiologists, bringing together researchers from a wide range of backgrounds, organises the Colloque d’Ecophysiologie Animale, or CEPA. This colloquium provides an opportunity to communicate the latest results of fundamental and applied research in the field to both a scientific and professional community. This large community encourages the sharing of knowledge and scientific advances while strengthening the spirit of cohesion in research.

After Lyon (2013), La Rochelle (2015), Strasbourg (2017), Rennes (2019), Montpellier (2021) and Tours (2023), this conference will be held for the first time at the end of the world, in Brest. It will give as many researchers and students as possible the opportunity to present their latest findings and ideas.

This 7th edition will take place from 28 to 30 October 2025, in the amphitheatre of the Pôle numérique Brest Iroise in Plouzané.

Important dates to remember:
– Deadline for submission of abstracts: before 15 June 2025
– Early bird registration deadline: 15 August 2025
– Late bird registration deadline: 15 September 2025

Detailed and practical informations can be found on the Conference website

A look back at the EPC conference in Brest

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The 8th European Phycology Congress (EPC8), co-organized by Philippe Potin (Roscoff Biological Station – SBR) and Solène Connan (LEMAR-IUEM-UBO) under the authority of the Federation of European Phycology Societies (FEPS) and the Phycological Society of France (SPF), took place from August 20 to 26 at the Brest Arena. Supported by the Brittany Region, the Finistère Departmental Council, Brest Métropole, the University of Western Brittany, and ISblue, this congress brought together nearly 600 researchers, professors, PhD students, and Master’s students from 42 countries whose research focuses on algae, whether micro or macroalgae living in freshwater or marine environments.

Plenary presentations were held each day, covering topics such as the reproduction of red macroalgae, the diversity and adaptation of phytoplankton, diatoms and light, and kelp forests (Laminariales). Oral presentations and posters were grouped into 20 symposia in 6 sessions covering taxonomy, phylogenomics, biotechnology, primary production, the role of algae in ecosystems, and algae and the general public. Several PhD students, Master’s students, and staff from LEMAR and AMURE presented their work in these different symposia. On Wednesday, excursions (Molène, Crozon, Roscoff, Plouguerneau) or workshops were offered. About twenty companies, including local algae valorization enterprises, as well as the Chambre Syndicale des Algues et Végétaux Marines and the Cluster Algues-Bretagne, were represented and sponsored this congress.

Participants also had the opportunity to admire an exhibition titled “Immersion in the Heart of Algae,” at the interface of “Arts and Sciences,” related to the fascinating world of algae, whether planktonic and microscopic or forming vast underwater forests off our coasts. This immersive exhibition featured original works by artists inspired by marine algae, such as the work IGLOO OPUS II by Caroline Desnoëttes, in which sounds recorded within kelp forests by Lucia Di Iorio were played. The exhibition also showcased beautiful photographs of macro- and microalgae (photographers: Erwan Amice, Wilfried Thomas, Sébastien Colin & Marie Walde) and the “Planctonarium” dome created as part of the Plancton Planète project.

Furthermore, on August 21, a public evening on the theme “Intriguing Algae: Cooking, Cultivating, Understanding,” hosted by Vincent Doumeizel (UN Global Seaweed Coalition), attracted nearly 300 people who came to discover the exhibition and listen to presentations by Line Le Gall (MNHN) on algae, Hugo Morel (Bord à Bord) on seaweed cuisine, which included a tasting of seaweed tartare and chips, Martial Laurans (Ifremer) on seaweed harvesting and cultivation, and Marine Landa (SBR) on their microbiome.

Congress participants left delighted with the organization (a big thank you to the student volunteers!), the scientific program of the conference devised by Inka Bartsch (AWI, Bremerhaven, Germany), and Wiebe Kooistra (Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy), the exhibition, the venue (Brest-Arena), the meals served during the congress (featuring many local dishes), excursions or workshops, and the gala evening organized at Les Capucins, during which they could dance to Breton music!

And now, let the preparations for EPC9 in Krakow, Poland in 2027 begin!

PAMPAS project exhibition: Coastal marsh heritage

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The PAMPAS project – Évolution de l’identité PAtrimoniale des Marais des Pertuis charentais en réponse à l’Aléa de Submersion marine, 2019-2023 – is a collaborative research project funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) and led by the Littoral Environnement et Sociétés de La Rochelle laboratory (LIENSs, CNRS – La Rochelle University). It aims to understand the future of coastal wetlands, focusing on the evolution of the heritage identity of the marshes of the Pertuis Charentais in response to flooding over half a century.
The marshes of Charente-Maritime: a unique study area presenting:

  • A strong heritage identity – landscape, biodiversity, architectural heritage
  • Vulnerability to submersions,
  • Contrasted management methods and a concentration of numerous economic activities – agriculture, shellfish farming, tourism … whose sustainability can be questioned.

In a context of increasing populations and activities in coastal areas, the preservation and maintenance of these socio-ecosystems are essential to safeguard the quality and functions of these constrained environments. The project has expanded the concept of heritage identity to include the ecological and environmental functions of marshes, such as:

  • Their adaptation to the overall rise in sea level through sedimentation,
  • Their role as a buffer against marine submersions limiting the rise in sea level in adjacent areas,
  • Their role in water filtration, nutrient recycling, carbon sequestration, habitat provision, and nursery functions for numerous species.

This project chose to go beyond traditional approaches to the assessment of conservation ecology, economics, and cultural heritage management, all considered insufficient to comprehend heritage as the entirety of components contributing to the collective identity of a marsh.

PAMPAS has:

  • Adopted an interdisciplinary approach applied to three study areas (the marshes of Brouage, Fier d’Ars, and Tasdon), contrasting in terms of natural, cultural, and landscape heritage, as well as management practices: in debate between laissez-faire and embankment, heavily embanked, and reconnected to the sea, respectively.
  • Built a collective approach and participatory engineering, crossing expertise in Humanities and Social Sciences, Life and Earth Sciences, and involving marsh managers, with 48 people from 13 research units and 9 disciplines.

The 3 major objectives of PAMPAS are to:

  • Characterize the natural, cultural, and landscape functions of the marshes and spatially represent these different components of heritage identity;
  • Represent the socio-ecosystem of marshes in terms of functionality, services, resilience, or adaptability to hazards;
  • Define scenarios for the evolution of the heritage identity of the three study sites facing submersion hazards and assess their adaptive potential. These results will be discussed through an interactive mapping tool.

In conclusion, based on a revised definition of heritage identity adapted to marsh areas, PAMPAS provides a new vision for sustainable marsh management by transmitting economic, cultural, and ecological knowledge. The challenges and issues of this project thus far exceed the local level and concern wetlands globally, for which it is now necessary to reconsider analysis and management frameworks, integrating heritage in its various socio-ecosystemic dimensions.

This heritage is not always visible or recognized as such by the entire population. Therefore, this exhibition aims to reveal to the general public not only the results of a research project but also the objects (animals, plants, structures, landscapes, activities, etc.) that could be recognized as full-fledged heritage in the marshes. Showing the invisible, less easily perceived objects, and highlighting the ecological functions of the marshes is the objective of this exhibition.

The exhibition will be visible from September 30 to November 4 at the Ecomuseum of Loix en Ré (Ile de Ré)

Paddle project Final Conference

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Started in 2017, the European Paddle programme, an interdisciplinary project on marine spatial planning and coordinated by Marie Bonnin (LEMAR), is holding its final conference in Brest (IUEM / PNBI) from 15 to 17 March.

During these three days, participants of several nationalities will address different themes related to marine spatial planning in the tropics, ranging from artisanal fisheries to social and cultural dimensions, including various topics such as decision support tools or marine protected areas.

The presence of researchers from different countries and disciplines is an opportunity to review marine spatial planning development projects along the coasts of the tropical Atlantic. In addition, marine spatial planning actors such as the Regional Coastal and Marine Partnership (RPMP) and the Abidjan Convention are associated with this event and represented at the conference. The different sessions allow participants to have an overview of the different sectors of activity and types of research concerned by this growing theme.

This conference is also an opportunity for all the partners to take stock of their exchanges after a 6-year project, rich in scientific and human encounters. An exhibition of photographs and videos made during the project is also proposed to the participants.
 

8th European Phycological Congress

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After Zagreb in 2019, we are pleased to invite you to Brest (Brittany, France) for the 8th European Phycological Congress “Scientific Opportunities for a Global Algal Revolution” on behalf of the Federation of European Phycological Societies council and the French Phycological Society. France has a long and proud tradition of phycological research and has a very diverse algal flora. Brittany is a world hotspot for seaweed diversity with about 700 species and has historically developed a flourishing macroalgal industry that still maintains its leadership in Europe. The region also hosts important research institutes dedicated to microalgae research and oceanography.

The European Phycological Congress series began in Cologne, Germany in 1996 and has since continued the tradition of bringing together phycologists from around the world every four years. Its main objective is to provide a forum for discussion of the latest scientific, technological and societal developments in phycological research. EPC8 includes plenary presentations, a series of symposia grouped into 6 themes, contributed papers and posters covering a wide range of topics such as algal diversity, ecology, genomics, cell biology, applied phycology and societal perception of algae. To encourage cross-community connections, each symposium will address micro- and macroalgae from marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems whenever possible. We look forward to welcoming you to Brest in August 2023 for EPC8!

On behalf of the organizing committees, Solène Connan and Philippe Potin

More information on the congress web page