Jean-Charles LECLERC
Associate professor, Sorbonne University
I am a marine ecologist, interested in the natural and human-driven processes that govern the diversity, structure, and functioning of marine communities, particularly those associated with hard substrates. I have both practical and theoretical expertise in various areas, with a particular focus on species identification (flora and fauna), sampling strategies and often complex in situ experiments, as well as data analyses.
My research takes place in the context of marine biodiversity loss, which has complex and poorly understood effects on the stability of ecosystems facing environmental change. My current work focuses especially on compensatory dynamics that allow ecosystems to absorb new pressures, early warning signs of degradation, and processes that may limit ecosystem recovery. These elements are essential for improving management strategies and adapting to climate change.
To this end, I focus on two ecosystems with contrasting natural histories and conservation challenges:
(i) kelp forests, dominated by foundation species that are sensitive to climate change and human activities (e.g., harvesting), and
(ii) urban marine environments (e.g. ports), where man-made structures are colonized by so-called “novel assemblages” of species, which differ strikingly from those typically found in natural habitats.
Background
2024-… Associate professor Sorbonne Université (SU), France. Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), Equipe EDYMAR, UMR 7144, Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin (AD2M), France
2022-2024 Postdoctoral MSCA fellow SU-SBR, Equipe EDYCO, UMR 7144 AD2M
2021-2022 Postdoc Université de Caen-Normandie, France. UMR BOREA, Biology of aquatic organisms and ecosystems
2020-2021 Associate lecturer (Teaching and Research Temporary Attaché) – SU, France, Equipe EDYCO, UMR 7144
2016-2020 Postdoctoral FONDECYT fellow Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Chile. Departamento de Ecología - Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables
2014-2015 Postdoc SBR, France – FR 2424 Marine Operations and Services Department (SMO) - French Agency for Biodiversity - UMR 7144 AD2M (UPMC, Univ. Paris 6, CNRS)
2013-2014 Associate lecturer (ATER) – UPMC, Univ. Paris 6, SBR, France. UMR 7144 AD2M
2010-2013 PhD Marine Sciences – Benthic Ecology – SBR, France – UMR 7144 AD2M
projects
2025-2028 STABILO (P.I., OFB): Stability of kelp associated community along a biogeographic transition zone, with E Thiébault, C Daguin-Thiébaut, T Comtet, C Broudin, (SU) I Gailhard Rocher, T de Bettignies, Y Turpin, R Hubert (OFB) and many collaborators from CNRS, IFREMER, INRAE, MNHN and LPO along with various stakeholders (Bretagne Vivante, CRPMEM, ports).
2022-2024 KELP ME! (P.I., Bienvenüe # 98): Kelping the future marina ecosystems? A pilot study testing the effect of suspended forests to promote biotic resistance and other ecosystem services”, with E Thiébault (SU)
2022-2024 LAMINET (Co-P.I) Environmental DNA applied to investigate variations in food webs in Breton kelp forests, with E Quemeré (INRAE)
2022-2026 ROSKONIS (Col.): Elaboration of non-indigenous species surveys in coastal habitats under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, with C Houbin (SU) and C Massé (UMS Patrinat, OFB-CNRS-MNHN)
2022-2024 BIOMKELP (Col.) Developing new biomarkers to quantify the role of kelp detritus in marine food webs within the Parc Naturel Marin d'Iroise, with S Kolodzey & G Schaal (IUEM, UBO)
2021-2023 MARINEFF (Col.) Developing coastal infrastructure to enhance and protect the ecological status of cross-channel coastal waters, with J-C Dauvin (M2C, CNRS) & P Claquin (BOREA, UCN)
2020-2022 HABITOUF (P.I.) Community assembly rules in a mosaic of artificial and natural habitats, with D Davoult (SU)
2019-2020 NATURALG (Col.), Methodological development for community surveys in Natura 2000 areas, with T de Bettignies (UMS Patrinat, OFB-CNRS-MNHN)
2016-2020 NIESCH, (P.I., FONDECYT #3160172): Investigating Non-Indigenous Species establishment and spread with regards to shipping and biotic resistance along Chilean coasts, with A Brante & F Viard (UCSC/CNRS)
2019-2020 PANAMEX (Col.), Pan American Experimental Initiative (Macroecology), with G Ruiz, G Ashton, M Torchin, A Freestone, E Duffy (Smithsonian Institution & Temple University, USA)
2019-2020 IDEAL (Col.) Biodiversity and Dynamics of High Latitude Ecosystems), with N Valdivia, L Cardenas (UACH)
2014-2015 MELOINE (Col.) Biodiversity inventory, development and implementation of quantitative and semi-quantitative survey of community structure in Méloine subtidal reefs, in collaboration with L Lévêque (CNRS-SBR).
2014-2015 BOULDER (P.I.) Biodiversity patterns across multiple spatial scales among micro-habitats in boulder fields.
2013-2015 EMBOS-Cost pilot project, Intertidal rocky shore survey (coordinator in charge of the sampling at the SBR)
2013-2014 COMMUNTOUF (P.I.) Habitat and trophic cascades in subtidal communities in marina, with F Viard (CNRS).
2014-2015 LINK (Col.) Latitudinal and Inter-hemispherical Network in Kelp ecophysiology, collab. UWA, AUS – NIVA, NW –UP, PT –SBR, with T de Bettinies, T Wernberg
2010-2015 IDEALG (PhD, Col.), Biodiversity, trophic structure and functioning in Laminaria hyperborea forests and associated communities, among pristine and harvested areas in Brittany”, with P Riera & D Davoult, Seaweeds for the future WP3, Sustainability of abalone aquaculture, Seaweed uses in natural communities, WP8, Impacts of kelp harvesting (HYPERIMP), P Le Nilliot (Iroise Marine Natural Park), coor. P Potin (CNRS-SBR)
EXPERTISE
2024-2029 Invited expert on kelp forest diversity (fauna/flora) – Scientific board NN Réserves Naturelles des Sept Iles, des Glénan et d’Iroise (France)
2024-2029 Invited expert on kelp forest – Working group on the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law, Patrimoine Naturel (France)
2022-2024 Invited expert on marine non-indigenous species – Working group on the implementation of the D2-MSFD, PATRINAT (France)
2022 Invited expert on marine non-indigenous species – Ministerio del Medio Ambiente (Chile)
2020 Invited expert on kelp forest ecosystem services – Marha project, OFB-UBO (France)
2019 Invited expert on marine NIS and biosecurity – Charles Darwin Research Station (Ecuador)
2013-2014 Invited expert on kelp forest ecosystem services – VALMER project , UBO (France)
Peer reviewing (https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/1024780), 45 reviews of 36 scientific manuscripts.
Publications
Leclerc J-C, Gonzalez M, Pezy J-P, Raoux A, Houbin C, Broudin C, Loisel S, Crec'hriou R, Sevin L, Migné A, Coudret J, Houbin C, Davoult D, Massé C, Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T, Thiébaut E (2024) Multi-scale patterns in the structure of fouling communities associated with seaweeds in marinas. Marine Ecology Progress Series 742 :1-19
Taormina B, Leclerc J-C, Rusig AM, Navon M, Claquin P, Dauvin J-C (2024) Subtidal reef indicators along an estuarine gradient. Biofouling, 40:847-861
Figueroa NN, Brante A, Leclerc J-C, Salgado P, Oyarzo C (2024) Physical and mechanical characterization of an environmentally-friendly mortar and concrete incorporating industrial residues: A prospects for marine construction applications Innovative Infrastructure Solutions, 9:466
Navarro J, Cardenas L, Ortiz A, Figueroa Á, Morley SA, Vargas-Chacoff L, Leclerc J-C, Détrée C (2024). Testing the physiological capacity of the mussel Mytilus chilensis to establish into the Southern Ocean. Science of the Total Environment 170941
Leclerc J-C, Figueroa NN, Viard F, Brante A (2023). Distribution of functionally distinct native and non-indigenous species within marine urban habitats. Diversity and Distributions, 29:1445-1457
Massé C, Viard F, Humbert S, Antajan E, Auby I, Bachelet G,…Curd A (2023) An overview of marine non-indigenous species found in three contrasting biogeographic metropolitan French regions: insights on distribution, origins and pathways of introduction. Diversity, 15:161
Detrée C, Navarro J, Garrido I, Bruning P, Leclerc J-C (2023) Evaluation of Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic sea urchins’ thermal reaction norm through righting behavior and comparison with in situ measurements. Journal of thermal biology, 103496
Ashton GV, Freestone A, Duffy E, Torchin M, Sewall B, Tracy B,… Ruiz GM (2022) Predator control of marine communities increases with temperature across 115 degrees of latitude. Science, 376:1215-1219
Leclerc J-C, de Bettignies T, de Bettignies F, Christie H, Franco JN, Leroux C, Filbee-Dexter K, Pedersen MF, Davoult D, Wernberg T. (2021) Local flexibility in feeding behaviour and contrasting microhabitat use of an omnivore across latitudes. Oecologia, 196:441–453
Leclerc J-C, Viard F, Brante A. (2021) Rapid recovery of native habitat-builders following physical disturbance on pier pilings offsets colonization of cryptogenic and non-indigenous species in a Chilean port. Marine Environmental Research, 163:105231
Leclerc J-C, Viard F, González E, Díaz C, Neira J, Pérez K, Silva F, Brante A. (2020) Habitat type drives the distribution of non-indigenous species in fouling communities regardless of associated maritime traffic. Diversity and Distributions, 26:62-75
Leclerc J-C, Viard F and Brante A (2020) Experimental and survey-based evidences for effective biotic resistance by predators in ports. Biological Invasions, 22:339-352
Cardenas L†, Leclerc J-C†[shared first authorship], Bruning P, Garrido I, Détrée C, Figueroa I, Astorga M, Navarro J, Johnson LE; Carlton JT, Pardo L. First mussel settlement observed in Antarctica reveals the potential for future invasions. Submitted to Scientific Reports 10:5552
Leclerc J-C, Viard F, González E, Díaz C, Neira J, Pérez K, Silva F, Brante A. (2018) Non-indigenous species contribute equally to biofouling communities in international vs local ports in the Biobío region, Chile. Biofouling, 34: 784-799
Leclerc J-C (2018) Patterns of spatial variability between contrasting substrata: a boulder-fields study. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 597:23-38
Leclerc J-C, Viard F. (2018) Habitat formation prevails over predation in influencing fouling communities. Ecology & Evolution, 8:477-492
Pinochet J, Leclerc J-C, Brante A, Daguin-Thiébaut C, Díaz C, Tellier F, Viard F. (2017) Presence of the tunicate Asterocarpa humilis on ship hulls and aquaculture facilities in the coast of the Biobío Region, south central Chile. Peer J 14;5:e3672
Dal Bello M, Leclerc J-C, Benedetti-Cecchi L, Arvanitidis C, van Avesaath P, Bachelet G, Bojanic N, … Hummel H. (2017) Consistent patterns of spatial variability between Atlantic and Mediterranean rocky shores. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 97:539-547
Hummel H, van Avesaath P, Wijnhoven S, Kleine-Schaars L, Degraer S, Kerckhof F, Bojanic N,… Rilov G. (2017) Geographic patterns of biodiversity in European coastal marine benthos. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 97:507-523
Kotta J, Orav-Kotta H, Jänes H, Hummel H, Arvanitidis C, Van Avesaath P, Bachelet G,… Weslawski JM. (2017) Essence of the patterns of cover and richness of intertidal hard bottom communities: a pan-European study. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 97:525:538
Puente A, Guinda, Juanes JA, Echavarri-Erasun B, Ramos E, de la Hoz CF, Degraer S,… van Avesaath P. (2017) The role of physical variables in biodiversity patterns of intertidal macroalgae along European coasts. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 97:549-560
Leclerc J-C, Davoult D, Lévêque L, Riera P. (2016) Contrasting temporal variation in habitat complexity and species abundance distributions in four kelp forest strata, Hydrobiologia, 777:33-54
Schaal G, Leclerc J-C, Droual G, Leroux C, Riera P. (2016) Biodiversity and trophic structure of invertebrate assemblages associated with understory red algae in a Laminaria digitata bed, Marine Biology Research, 12(5): 513-523
Gouilleux B, Lavesque N, Leclerc J-C, Le Garrec V, Viard F, Bachelet G. (2016) Three non-indigenous species of Aoroides (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Aoridae) from the French Atlantic coast, Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK, 96:1651-1659
Bennett S, Wernberg T, de Bettignies T, Kendrick GA, Anderson R, Bolton J, Rodgers K, Shears N, Leclerc J-C, Lévêque L, Davoult D, Christie HC. (2015) Positive interactions and environmental stress gradients in subtidal marine communities, Ecology Letters 18: 677-686
Leclerc J-C, Riera P, Leroux C, Lévêque L, Laurans M, Davoult D. (2015) Community, trophic structure and functioning in two contrasting Laminaria hyperborea forests, Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 152:11-22
Leclerc J-C, Riera P, Noël L M-L J, Leroux C, Andersen AC. (2014) Trophic ecology of Pomatoschistus microps within an Intertidal Bay (Roscoff, France), investigated through gut content and stable isotope analyses, Marine Ecology 35:261-270
Leclerc J-C, Riera P, Leroux C, Lévêque L, Davoult D. (2013) Temporal variation of organic matter supply in kelp forests: linking structure to trophic functioning, Marine Ecology Progress Series 494:87-105
Leclerc J-C, Riera P, Leroux C, Lévêque L, Laurans M, Schaal G, Davoult D. (2013) Trophic significance of kelps in kelp communities in Brittany (France) inferred from isotopic comparisons, Marine Biology 160:3249-3258