Summer School Marine Botany

Thus summer course is primarily open to Master’s and PhD students, as well as third-year undergraduate students. A few places are reserved for professionals as part of continuing education. It is integrated as a teaching unit (UM4MRM52) in the Master’s degree programme in Marine Sciences at Sorbonne University. The course is taught in English.

The course instructors are lecturers and researchers specialising in marine plants :

• Nathalie Simon (Sorbonne University)
• Christophe Six  (Sorbonne University)
• Jean-Charles Leclerc (Sorbonne University)
• Conxi Rodríguez-Prieto (University of Girona, Spain)
• Line Legall (CNRS)
• Florence Rousseau (Sorbonne Université)
• Andrés Ritter (CNRS)

Course detailed content

Topics covered in class:

• Introduction to the systematics the main algal groups
• General morphology, anatomy, cytology, reproduction, ecology of green, brown and red seaweeds
• Introduction to the pigments of the green, brown and red seaweeds
• Life cycles and ecology

Fieldwork:

• Exploration of various coastal habitats; rocky, sandy/muddy
• Analysis, identification of typical species (algae and marine plants)
• Analysis of habitats and the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on species distribution (vertical zonation of seaweed, exposure to waves, nature of the substrate, etc.).

Practical laboratories:

• Observation on live material under microscopes and dissecting microscopes (cytology, anatomy, reproductive structures)
• Analyses of pigments
• Practice in using species identification keys
• Introduction to the use of genetic characters
• Analyses of adaptative traits of halophyte plants

Independent study and projects:

• Production of illustrated botanical fact sheets : contribution to the production of a list of native and introduced species that grow in artificial habitats (leasure harbor, Roscoff)
• Preparation of herbarium sheets

Skills gained and Certification

Through this course, students should be able :

• Analyse and describe the morphology and anatomy of algae and marine plants using the appropriate vocabulary
• Identify and interpret the reproductive structures of algae
• Identify differences in pigmentation among algal groups
• Point out the characteristics relevant to identifying algae and use identification keys
• Explain the limitations of morphological characters for species identification
• Explain the importance of genetic characters
• Point out the adaptations of coastal marine plants
• Distinguish between the main types of seaweed and marine plant communities in the field

Course certification

The course is part of the Sorbonne Université - Science of Universe, Environment , Ecology Masters program and the student can validate 6 ECTS units. The exam grade is based on an oral presentation and a botanical fact sheet submission.
 

Pre-registration

This course is open to 1rst year master students and superior level  and thrid year undergraduate student if they can prove to have validated their exam before the beginning of the course

The official application proccess will open in March. Meanwhile you can pre-registered to show us your interest for the course through this form.  

Pre registration Form 
 

These summer schools are also open to  professionnal whose professionnal activities require knowledge in systematics, biology and marine ecology.

The Flora course is given in english.

This is the list of document you will have to upload during the registration process : 

1. Copy of ID or passeport
2. CV
3. Letter describing your motivation and interest for the course
4. Last 2 semesters transcripts
5. Your last diploma
6. Student card or registration certificate for the current year
7.  

Answer to your application will be given to you through the e-candidat platform

You will then have to confirm your participation.

Registration Fee. Due if you are selected 

Registration for student from a foreign university  : 70€ (registration at Sorbonne University) + 103€ CVEC https://cvec.etudiant.gouv.fr/ (national fee for university registration) CAREFUL :  Wait for the result of your selection before you start this formality

Professionnals : Don’t have to register on line - contact us directly . The fee for professionnal is 900€

Contact ccabresin@sb-roscoff.fr for more information

Materials to bring:

• A dissection kit with the usual dissection tools (in particular, precision forceps, precision scissors, razor blades)
• A package of white paper (plain paper or Bristol paper for herbarium mounts of specimens), paintbrushes for smoothing out filamentous species and old, clean cloths or pieces of nylon stockings for blotting seaweeds
• A lab coat
• A pair of rubber boots for field outings, warm old clothes and rain gear
• If possible a camera and labtop computer.