PhD

Nicolas Sacré

PhD project

Evolution of the structure and trophic functioning of coastal benthic communities: contribution to the definition of indicators (TROPHIC)

In the current context of global biodiversity decline, the aim of my PhD is to study the link between diversity and ecosystem functioning through the example of four natural benthic communities distributed along the estuarine gradient of the Bay of Morlaix and through temporal monitoring of one of the sampling sites. The objective is thus to associate “classical” measurements of species diversity with measurements of functional and trophic diversity and to observe the spatial and temporal evolution of these different types of diversity. The study of the structure of food webs is based on stable isotopes analysis (δ13C and δ15N). Recent indices of functional isotopic diversity will thus be used and the relevance of their application in the framework of environmental policies (e.g. Marine Strategy Framework Directive) can be assessed.

 

Background

2018-2020: Master’s degree in marine sciences (Master “Sciences de la Mer”) | Sorbonne University (UPMC)

2015-2018: Bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental sciences (Licence “Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre”) |University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)

 

Experience

2020: Master thesis| University of Burgundy     
“Modelling of food-webs in coastal marine environments of the Kerguelen Islands” - Supervisors: Prof. Thomas SAUCÈDE (UB), Dr Loïc MICHEL (Ifremer, University of Liège)

2019: Master’s degree first year internship | Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Sorbonne University
“Medium and long-term phenology of species of the genus Ceratium (planktonic dinoflagellates) in spring in the NW Mediterranean Sea”- Supervisors: Prof. Rodolphe LEMÉE (LOV), Sophie MARRO (LOV)