L3 - Biology-Ecology

Students will be required to conduct a literature review on a topic of their choice, which must be approved by the course instructors. Under the guidance of a faculty member, students must address the research question they have identified through an analysis of the available literature. They must provide a review of the current state of the art in their field, identifying areas of uncertainty, controversy, and unresolved questions. They must conduct a genuine critical scientific analysis of the available literature, rather than merely summarizing it. They must adhere to the conventions for writing a scientific article, including citing sources, synthesizing information through illustrations, framing the research question, and synthesizing scientific results.

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This unit builds on the "Basics of Evolution" unit to introduce the main concepts in evolutionary ecology, with the aim of understanding and formally describing, in a straightforward manner, the evolutionary and ecological mechanisms that shape biodiversity at various levels of integration.

This course unit is designed as a coherent whole in which lectures, tutorials, and lab sessions complement one another. Concepts are introduced through examples and then formalized using mathematical models, which are then tested against experimental results and real-world data.

It will cover population dynamics (intra- and interspecific competition) and ecological niches, and will detail the mechanisms of evolution and their genetic consequences at the population level: natural selection (including sexual selection), the influence of reproductive strategies, and genetic drift. The tutorials will enable students to master the mathematical formalization of concepts covered in class, their simple computer modeling, and the analysis of datasets. The lab sessions will involve conducting and analyzing, in small groups, two experiments lasting one month each (including the writing of a report and an oral presentation) in order to develop scientific methodology and reasoning.

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The EU is organized into five major areas:

Topic 1: Genetic mapping and recombination. Concepts in molecular biology related to gene expression, DNA repair, and epigenetic processes.

Topic 2: Introduction to Molecular Evolution: Measuring the intensity of selection in genetic divergence. The molecular clock and variation in evolutionary rates caused by natural selection. The neutral theory of evolution.

Topic 3: Introduction to Genomics: Composition and Size of Genomes. Importance of Repeated Elements. Concepts of Genetic Linkage and Local Selection Effects. Influence of Demographics.

Topic 4: Molecular Tools for Biodiversity: Barcoding, eDNA, metabarcoding. Molecular taxonomy. Limitations related to hybridization. Applications in conservation.

Topic 5: Extranuclear inheritance . Symbiosis, parasitism, and coevolution (intracellular: e.g., Wolbachia). The concept of the extended phenotype.

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The origin, nature, and future of deposits in sedimentary basins.

Series of 15 classes / lectures / discussions and lab sessions / tutorials

Course Content / Integrated Lectures, Lab, and Tutorials (sedimentary basins, continental weathering,

sediment transport, detrital and carbonate environments, factors affecting sedimentation: sequential stratigraphy, diagenesis)

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The course aims to provide students with an integrative approach to the morphology, anatomy, and development of the vegetative and reproductive systems of spermatophytes, from ecological, functional, and evolutionary perspectives. Students implement this approach through a supervised project focused on the study of a model plant, taking into account interindividual variability, different stages of development, site conditions, and biological type.

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The structure of this course is similar to that developed in S4. The objective is to provide students with knowledge of the biology, ecology, and evolution of the three taxonomic groups in question. Beyond species identification (which will be covered extensively), this course unit will address the evolution and systematics of the taxonomic group in question, fundamental ecology (evolutionary and functional ecology), applied ecology (conservation), physiology, legislation, as well as methods of study and identification.

Following a general introductory session, two parallel tracks will be offered. One will focus on cryptogams (algae, lichens, mosses, and fungi), and the other on fauna (chiropods and arthropods).

Cryptogames

The objective of this module is to familiarize students with the extremely diverse groups of organisms known as bryophytes, phaeophytes, and fungi. The approach is 1) to explore these little-known diversities through a naturalistic lens, 2) to place these observations in an evolutionary context (phylogenetic aspects), and 3) to relate the observations to the role of these organisms in terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Finally, the module will address aspects of daily life—whether economic or civic—related to species (toxicology, food, medicine).

Wildlife

The goal for students is to acquire or deepen their knowledge of the biology of arthropods and bats, which are taxonomic groups of great interest, both from the perspective of fundamental ecological studies (ethology, evolutionary ecology, functional ecology), as in applied ecology (conservation biology) and environmental education/teaching. Beyond species identification, this area of study will address the evolution and systematics of these taxa, their physiology, their ecological and behavioral characteristics, and their roles in ecosystems. Instruction will incorporate innovative pedagogical approaches, combining the use of traditional tools (visual recognition) with modern ones (acoustic identification using software). Among the arthropods, the groups of particular focus will be Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, and Orthoptera, which represent highly diverse orders that will best enable us to address the concept of species, which is central to biology. Species identification will serve as a foundation for studying their biology and ecology and for exploring the concepts of evolution and phylogeny.

Each group (Fauna – Cryptogams) will have 12 hours of fieldwork time available (half of which will be shared by both groups), to be carried out according to terms to be determined (4 half-day field trips, or 2 full-day field trips). The practical sessions may be held at university sites (the university campus, the Labex CEMEB experimental plot at the CEFE, and the Botanical Garden) that are suitable for studying the various organisms.

Cross-Curricular Concept

The EU is organized around a concept common to both practical training groups, which—through a flipped classroom approach—will allow students to use observed species as a starting point to identify central concepts in conservation biology. In S5, the concept of species (and associated entities such as subspecies, hybrids, etc.) will be extensively addressed from both theoretical and practical perspectives. This concept will enable us to address 1. the foundations and limitations of different perspectives on species (morphological, genetic, ecological), 2. the methodological challenges associated with identifying taxa in the field and in the laboratory, and 3. the issues this raises from the perspective of species conservation. To this end, at the end of the course, students will present a taxon—selected from those proposed in the course unit—whose identification proves to be complex.

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The goal of this course is to understand animal behavior in an integrative manner, in light of Tinbergen’s four “whys,” from its ontogeny to its evolution: from its ontogeny and neurobiological causes to its evolution and biological functions. In addition to historical, conceptual, and methodological insights, students will be guided to understand the diversity of the traits involved as well as the variety of scientific approaches and questions associated with them.

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Ecotoxicology is the study of the effects of pollutants on living organisms and on the structure and functioning of ecosystems. This course unit aims to provide a better understanding of:

- the main types of organic and inorganic pollutants (both historical and emerging), as well as their sources and the factors influencing their fate in the natural environment and in organisms,

- the effects of pollutants on micro- and macro-organisms at different levels of biological organization (molecule, individual, communities),

- methods for assessing biological effects, environmental quality, and ecotoxicological risk within the current European regulatory framework,

- bioremediation processes, as illustrated by several case studies.

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The objective of this course offered in L3S5 is to provide students with knowledge about the organization, development, and functioning of various physiological systems in animals. More specifically, the functions of circulation, thermoregulation, hormonal regulation, and neural integration will be addressed using a comparative approach (with examples drawn from different taxonomic groups) and within an evolutionary context. Issues related to the bioethical aspects of animal physiology research will also be addressed.

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The goal of this course is to understand animal behavior in an integrative manner, in light of Tinbergen’s four “whys,” from its ontogeny to its evolution: from its ontogeny and neurobiological causes to its evolution and biological functions. In addition to historical, conceptual, and methodological insights, students will be guided to understand the diversity of the traits involved as well as the variety of scientific approaches and questions associated with them.

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Ecotoxicology is the study of the effects of pollutants on living organisms and on the structure and functioning of ecosystems. This course unit aims to provide a better understanding of:

- the main types of organic and inorganic pollutants (both historical and emerging), as well as their sources and the factors influencing their fate in the natural environment and in organisms,

- the effects of pollutants on micro- and macro-organisms at different levels of biological organization (molecule, individual, communities),

- methods for assessing biological effects, environmental quality, and ecotoxicological risk within the current European regulatory framework,

- bioremediation processes, as illustrated by several case studies.

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The structure of this course is similar to that developed in S4. The objective is to provide students with knowledge of the biology, ecology, and evolution of the three taxonomic groups in question. Beyond species identification (which will be covered extensively), this course unit will address the evolution and systematics of the taxonomic group in question, fundamental ecology (evolutionary and functional ecology), applied ecology (conservation), physiology, legislation, as well as methods of study and identification.

Following a general introductory session, two parallel tracks will be offered. One will focus on cryptogams (algae, lichens, mosses, and fungi), and the other on fauna (chiropods and arthropods).

Cryptogames

The objective of this module is to familiarize students with the extremely diverse groups of organisms known as bryophytes, phaeophytes, and fungi. The approach is 1) to explore these little-known diversities through a naturalistic lens, 2) to place these observations in an evolutionary context (phylogenetic aspects), and 3) to relate the observations to the role of these organisms in terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Finally, the module will address aspects of daily life—whether economic or civic—related to species (toxicology, food, medicine).

Wildlife

The goal for students is to acquire or deepen their knowledge of the biology of arthropods and bats, which are taxonomic groups of great interest, both from the perspective of fundamental ecological studies (ethology, evolutionary ecology, functional ecology), as in applied ecology (conservation biology) and environmental education/teaching. Beyond species identification, this area of study will address the evolution and systematics of these taxa, their physiology, their ecological and behavioral characteristics, and their roles in ecosystems. Instruction will incorporate innovative pedagogical approaches, combining the use of traditional tools (visual recognition) with modern ones (acoustic identification using software). Among the arthropods, the groups of particular focus will be Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, and Orthoptera, which represent highly diverse orders that will best enable us to address the concept of species, which is central to biology. Species identification will serve as a foundation for studying their biology and ecology and for exploring the concepts of evolution and phylogeny.

Each group (Fauna – Cryptogams) will have 12 hours of fieldwork time available (half of which will be shared by both groups), to be carried out according to terms to be determined (4 half-day field trips, or 2 full-day field trips). The practical sessions may be held at university sites (the university campus, the Labex CEMEB experimental plot at the CEFE, and the Botanical Garden) that are suitable for studying the various organisms.

Cross-Curricular Concept

The EU is organized around a concept common to both practical training groups, which—through a flipped classroom approach—will allow students to use observed species as a starting point to identify central concepts in conservation biology. In S5, the concept of species (and associated entities such as subspecies, hybrids, etc.) will be extensively addressed from both theoretical and practical perspectives. This concept will enable us to address 1. the foundations and limitations of different perspectives on species (morphological, genetic, ecological), 2. the methodological challenges associated with identifying taxa in the field and in the laboratory, and 3. the issues this raises from the perspective of species conservation. To this end, at the end of the course, students will present a taxon—selected from those proposed in the course unit—whose identification proves to be complex.

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The course aims to provide students with an integrative approach to the morphology, anatomy, and development of the vegetative and reproductive systems of spermatophytes, from ecological, functional, and evolutionary perspectives. Students implement this approach through a supervised project focused on the study of a model plant, taking into account interindividual variability, different stages of development, site conditions, and biological type.

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The origin, nature, and future of deposits in sedimentary basins.

Series of 15 classes / lectures / discussions and lab sessions / tutorials

Course Content / Integrated Lectures, Lab, and Tutorials (sedimentary basins, continental weathering,

sediment transport, detrital and carbonate environments, factors affecting sedimentation: sequential stratigraphy, diagenesis)

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This course will cover the concepts necessary for understanding the way of life of the major groups of single-celled organisms that form the basis of ecosystem functioning (viruses, bacteria, archaea, and single-celled eukaryotes, etc.). The lectures will cover the biological organization of each type of organism, their modes of reproduction, and their diversity, leading to an understanding of ecological concepts. We will examine the role of these microorganisms in the functioning and dynamics of ecosystems, considering the interactions these organisms have with other living beings (the concept of “symbiosis” in all its forms).

The hands-on exercises will allow students to:

 - the implementation of techniques for bacterial counting (CFU) and the identification of a specific strain from an environmental sample

 - highlighting the diversity of phytoplankton (single-celled algae) in aquatic environments (freshwater)

 - identifying the unique characteristics of interactions between bacteria and bacteriophages

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The main objective is to learn the basics of the comparative anatomy of chordates so that we can compare and classify them, before tracing the key stages of their evolutionary history. The course is integrative in that it draws on both extant organisms and the fossil record to document the evolutionary history of the clade in its entirety and from all angles. Anatomical, biomechanical, phylogenetic, and ecomorphological approaches will be covered in lectures to illustrate the diversity and major characteristics of chordates. The lab sessions (and tutorials) will illustrate the evolution of diversity in the integument, skeleton, musculature, and digestive and respiratory systems over long time scales.

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This course is a natural continuation of the course “Quantification of Randomness” (HAV424B) offered in Semester 4. It is designed to provide students with the concepts needed to develop experimental protocols that address biological questions and to apply appropriate models for analyzing variability. The first part will focus on designing experimental protocols capable of addressing a wide range of questions in the life sciences, specifically by taking into account the inevitable dependencies among statistical individuals, such as kinship and the spatial or temporal structure of populations. This section will thus provide an opportunity to address the concepts of fluctuation, replication, and pseudo-replication, which will be incorporated into the models developed in the second part of the course. The second part will focus on demonstrating the link between the experimental protocol implemented and the modeling of the variability of a quantitative response variable, through the development of models that include several qualitative or quantitative variables. Particular attention will be paid to the conditions under which these methods are applicable, to Type I and Type II errors, to methods for estimating the parameters of the constructed models (including likelihood), and to the interpretation of the estimated parameters. Each concept will be illustrated through the analysis of real biological data from various fields, thereby helping students discover not only current and common biological questions but also the tools developed to address them. Hands-on exercises using R will enable students to independently perform analyses on published biological case studies.

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Through five major themes, we will explore the fundamental connections between the principles of evolution and evolutionary ecology—as covered in previous course units—and their current societal applications.

These five major themes are: human evolution, biodiversity conservation, the domestication of animal and plant species, evolutionary medicine, and major global crises and disruptions

Two sessions on understanding and summarizing scientific articles are held in conjunction with the course unit "Evolutionary Ecology and Its Applications."

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In Semester 6, students will have the choice between two types of student projects: (1) setting up a “Scientific Partners for the Classroom” (ASTEP) program, or (2) developing a protocol for Data Acquisition and Processing (ATD). For the ASTEP project, students will carry out a science outreach project with preschool or elementary school classes in the Hérault region (scientific topics defined by partner schools). Students will then need to develop one or more experiments to conduct with the classes, collect data with the students, and teach scientific concepts to the participating students. For the ATD project, students will need to propose a data acquisition protocol to answer a scientific question of their choice. This protocol may be carried out in the field, in a laboratory, or consist of a meta-analysis.

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The objective of this EU is to provide an overview of the diversity of angiosperms, examined through the lens of the most recent phylogenies proposed bythe Angiosperm Phylogeny Group ( APG). This phylogenetic framework will be supported throughout the course by the practical observation of vegetative and floral characters in a selection of taxa spanning the entire phylogeny, in order to identify the synapomorphies of the major clades, any homoplasies, as well as adaptations (floral biology, pollination, trophic interactions, etc.).

Students also explore the diversity of angiosperms from a floristic perspective by creating a herbarium of species that are generally Mediterranean in origin. In the process, they become familiar with the use of a flora and digital identification tools (such as Pl@ntNet and Tela Botanica’s e-Flore).

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Through five major themes, we will explore the fundamental connections between the principles of evolution and evolutionary ecology—as covered in previous course units—and their current societal applications.

These five major themes are: human evolution, biodiversity conservation, the domestication of animal and plant species, evolutionary medicine, and major global crises and disruptions.

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Students in the University’s general bachelor’s degree program take various introductory courses in ecology during their first two years of study. By their third year (L3), they explore several fundamental concepts related to how individuals adapt to their environment and to interactions between species (Concepts in Evolutionary Ecology HLBE503). In particular, they explore r/K evolutionary strategies, linking the adaptation of life cycles to disturbance regimes in natural environments. I propose to integrate the study of communities as a natural extension of these foundational concepts, in order to illustrate the role of species’ evolutionary strategies in community formation. This course will be based on a instructional sequence consisting of lectures, tutorials, and practical work carried out in the form of field projects.

The lectures will present the fundamentals of community ecology through three sections. The first will focus on the definition of a community and will explore the historical development of the discipline through the perspectives of Gleason (1926) and Clements (1916). The second section will introduce the elements used to describe communities, including the concepts of diversity (alpha, beta, gamma) and their various indices. Finally, the third section will guide students in reflecting on the rules governing community composition, through the role of r/K evolutionary strategies in succession, as well as the concepts of environmental filtering and functional similarity constraints.

These courses will run in parallel with a series of tutorials organized according to a “data collection–analysis–interpretation” framework. Initially, the use ofserious games will enable students to collect data based on simplified ecological mechanisms. To this end, several serious games designed to simulate communities are currently under development. Students will collect this data to prepare for their analysis. The analysis will take the form of a computer-based workshop to help students become familiar with calculating diversity indices. Finally, time will be set aside to review the literature to determine whether the patterns identified throughout the sequence have a biological basis and whether they have been observed in nature (independent work and report).

Once the tutorial session is over, students will begin setting up in situ community ecology experiments through an introduction to field ecology, in the form of independent projects. As part of this lab, a workshop will be held to test Grime’s (1988) competitive (C), stress-tolerant (S), and ruderal (R) strategies through the analysis of plant functional traits. Simple methods have recently been published that allow individuals (and, a fortiori, communities) to be placed on Grime’s triangle (Pierce et al., 2017). The sequence will begin with a field trip on campus: students will select two contrasting habitats (lawns, ruderal areas, woods, old walls) where they will conduct a floristic inventory. Following this, they will collect several individuals of each species, which they will bring back to the lab to measure various functional traits. Once the measurements are complete, they will be able to calculate the various indices related to the CSR strategy. The module will conclude with the writing of a report and an oral presentation. Other workshops are currently being developed.

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The course will consist of a scenario that students will be required to address. The course faculty will represent the management teams of engineering firms responsible for conducting impact studies following a development project.

Students will take on the roles of experts from engineering firms and will be required to conduct analyses of the project area. They must submit a report on their environmental impact study, in which they will identify environmental issues and rank them by importance. They must also give an oral presentation of their study.

The course will consist of six 2-hour tutorial sessions at the beginning of the semester, during which the following topics will be covered:

Session 1: Overview of the EU; explanation of what an environmental impact assessment is and what is expected of such an assessment (this portion will be led by a professional whose job is specifically to review environmental impact assessments); overview of the designations of the areas under study: ZNIEFF, Natura 2000.

TD2–6: Overview of analytical methods for various groups of organisms (plants, arthropods, reptiles and amphibians, birds and bats, soil fauna, etc.).

For the rest of the EU, students will be required to propose research protocols that allow for an estimation of the potential impacts of the proposed project. The protocols put in place must enable the most accurate possible assessment of these impacts, and the research teams must include a budget for their activities. They will then have field sessions to implement their protocols, collect data, and analyze it. The faculty team will mentor the groups to guide them in their work. Students will write a thesis based on a set of guidelines provided by the faculty team. This final project must be supported by field data and data from the literature. Students will present and defend their work before the faculty team during an oral presentation.

Several study areas in Montpellier were identified for the project: Triolet Campus, Mosson River, Vallet Park, Downtown Montpellier, Méric Park, Lez Riverbanks, Lauze Garrigues…

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This learning unit provides an introductory overview of conservation science from the perspectives of various stakeholders:

- scientific approach: a fundamental and practical approach to the conservation and restoration of populations and communities

- societal approach : the role of scientists in the management of species and ecological habitats, and their interactions with other conservation stakeholders (managers, local stakeholders)

- Ethical approach : reflection on the values of biodiversity (quantifiable, preferential, normative) and their applications according to different models, viewed within a historical context (primarily ecosystem services and sustainable development)

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This introductory course will build on the mathematical tools covered throughout the bachelor’s program—and particularly in the “Modeling Living Systems: Theory” course (a fourth-semester elective)—to provide an overview of the various approaches and techniques used in modeling living systems. All major families of mathematical models will be covered: static models (optimization problems, game theory) as well as dynamic models (extensions of the systems studied in S4, introduction to stochastic processes). Examples of applications for these models will be diverse, covering numerous biological systems as well as different levels of organization (metabolic, epidemiological, and metacommunity models, among others). Particular attention will be given to epistemological aspects (the contributions of modeling to the development of theories in the life sciences) and practical aspects (identifiability, calibration, and parametric sensitivity on the one hand, and numerical implementation and simulations on the other). Finally, the course will provide students with an opportunity to become familiar with research topics involving modeling that are being developed in the Montpellier area.

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This course unit is structured around a professional assessment approach in which students will be placed in real-world situations to demonstrate their naturalist skills. It will consist of a field study, with a primary focus on field supervision through SPS for project monitoring. In this regard, it follows the approach of the former CMI (Opus 4).

Eight groups of five students will work on conducting a survey of a specific taxon as part of a clearly defined scientific research project. The study area will vary from year to year and will be selected by the teaching team based on opportunities for collaboration with organizations interested in the proposed approach. The organizations being considered are:

- the Languedoc-Roussillon Conservatory of Natural Areas

- Lunaret Zoo, which manages the Lez Nature Reserve

- the Montpellier metropolitan area

The presentation will consist of a joint report for the entire class, including a prioritization of conservation issues. The agencies responsible for managing the study areas will be invited to attend the presentations.

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The goal of this course unit is to acquire, reinforce, and synthesize concepts and knowledge in evolutionary paleontology, sedimentology, and paleoecology, and to apply them to the fossil record. Taken together, these concepts provide the keys to inferring the stratigraphic context and past environments in which extinct organisms lived.

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This course unit is structured around a professional assessment approach in which students will be placed in real-world situations to demonstrate their naturalist skills. It will consist of a field study, with a primary focus on field supervision through SPS for project monitoring. In this regard, it follows the approach of the former CMI (Opus 4).

Eight groups of five students will work on conducting a survey of a specific taxon as part of a clearly defined scientific research project. The study area will vary from year to year and will be selected by the teaching team based on opportunities for collaboration with organizations interested in the proposed approach. The organizations being considered are:

- the Languedoc-Roussillon Conservatory of Natural Areas

- Lunaret Zoo, which manages the Lez Nature Reserve

- the Montpellier metropolitan area

The presentation will consist of a joint report for the entire class, including a prioritization of conservation issues. The agencies responsible for managing the study areas will be invited to attend the presentations.

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The course will consist of a scenario that students will be required to address. The course faculty will represent the management teams of engineering firms responsible for conducting impact studies following a development project.

Students will take on the roles of experts from engineering firms and will be required to conduct analyses of the project area. They must submit a report on their environmental impact study, in which they will identify environmental issues and rank them by importance. They must also give an oral presentation of their study.

The course will consist of six 2-hour tutorial sessions at the beginning of the semester, during which the following topics will be covered:

Session 1: Overview of the EU; explanation of what an environmental impact assessment is and what is expected of such an assessment (this portion will be led by a professional whose job is specifically to review environmental impact assessments); overview of the designations of the areas under study: ZNIEFF, Natura 2000.

TD2–6: Overview of analytical methods for various groups of organisms (plants, arthropods, reptiles and amphibians, birds and bats, soil fauna, etc.).

For the rest of the EU, students will be required to propose research protocols that allow for an estimation of the potential impacts of the proposed project. The protocols put in place must enable the most accurate possible assessment of these impacts, and the research teams must include a budget for their activities. They will then have field sessions to implement their protocols, collect data, and analyze it. The faculty team will mentor the groups to guide them in their work. Students will write a thesis based on a set of guidelines provided by the faculty team. This final project must be supported by field data and data from the literature. Students will present and defend their work before the faculty team during an oral presentation.

Several study areas in Montpellier were identified for the project: Triolet Campus, Mosson River, Vallet Park, Downtown Montpellier, Méric Park, Lez Riverbanks, Lauze Garrigues…

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This learning unit provides an introductory overview of conservation science from the perspectives of various stakeholders:

- scientific approach: a fundamental and practical approach to the conservation and restoration of populations and communities

- societal approach : the role of scientists in the management of species and ecological habitats, and their interactions with other conservation stakeholders (managers, local stakeholders)

- Ethical approach : reflection on the values of biodiversity (quantifiable, preferential, normative) and their applications according to different models, viewed within a historical context (primarily ecosystem services and sustainable development)

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Introduce students to an integrated approach to plant biology through the study of the morpho-anatomical characteristics of stems and roots. Help them discover the coordinated spatio-temporal development of root and stem architectures through the adaptations of Mediterranean and tropical species. Reproductive structures and the diversity of biological types will also be addressed. This course unit serves as preparation for the BioGET track of the BE Master’s program and draws on the natural environment as well as local and regional facilities (Amazonian Greenhouse, Villa Thuret, Château La Pérouse Garden).

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This course provides an introduction to the ecology of continental freshwater ecosystems and marine ecosystems, as well as to the transitional environments between these two compartments—namely, mangroves, estuaries, and deltas.  These ecosystems will be examined from both structural and functional perspectives, with an emphasis on their similarities and differences, as well as on the abiotic and biotic factors that govern the organization of the communities of organisms that inhabit them.

They should provide an overview of these ecosystems or hydrosystems and how they function at various scales.

The first part of the course is devoted entirely to theoretical instruction; the second part consists of introductory sessions for field trips, the field trips themselves, and laboratory sessions in which the data collected in the field are analyzed and discussed as a group.

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Molecular tools are an integral part of studies aimed at describing and characterizing biodiversity. The course will aim to introduce various molecular approaches (barcoding, metabarcoding, and environmental DNA, etc.) that enable (1) the description, characterization, and quantification of this diversity at the intra- or interspecific levels, as well as at the population and ecosystem levels, and (2) the presentation of their areas of application across different temporal and spatial scales. The course will incorporate practical components designed to introduce students to these techniques, help them implement them, analyze the resulting data, and report on their findings. Emphasis will be placed on group work in collaboration with researchers and faculty members.

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One of the goals of this course unit is to synthesize concepts and knowledge acquired in animal biology (anatomy, systematics) and ecology to describe and understand the morphology and evolutionary changes in vertebrate morphology. In addition to covering extant groups, this course unit will focus heavily on extinct fossil groups, particularly their contribution to our understanding of the various eco-morphological adaptations (e.g., the acquisition or return to an aquatic lifestyle, the acquisition of flight) that have shaped the evolutionary history of clades.

This course unit also aims to provide theoretical and practical foundations in phylogenetics (cladistics) for tracing the evolution of a clade (using distance, parsimony, and likelihood methods), based on both molecular and phenotypic characters (both modern and fossil).

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Adaptations to a “parasitic” lifestyle are studied across all parasitic organisms (viruses, bacteria, eukaryotes), encompassing various scales of analysis “from molecules to populations.”

Thus, the coevolution between hosts and parasites will be examined from the perspective of host–parasite molecular and cellular interactions (immunity, evasion, exploitation of host resources, etc.), as well as the morpho-anatomical structures involved in adaptation to the sub-host site or in survival in the external environment, and finally from the perspective of behavioral adaptations for encountering the host (facilitation).

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ORPAL is an ecology course offered as an APP (1/3 fieldwork and 2/3 laboratory practicals). Drawing on concepts and methods from ecology, this course aims to introduce students to historical ecology (the study of interactions between humans and their environment over varying time periods) and its main applications in paleoecology, from defining the research question, field sampling, and data collection, all the way through to interpretation and the writing of a scientific paper (see https://biologie-ecologie.com/exemples-travaux/). This course serves as an interesting theoretical and experimental prerequisite for the ACCES, CEPAGE, PALEONTOLOGY, ECOSYSTEMS, or BIOGET tracks.

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- difference between weather and climate

- atmospheric structure, radiation balance, greenhouse effect, wind circulation, low-pressure systems/high-pressure systems, tropical cyclones, tornadoes

- general ocean circulation (Munk, major currents, Conveyor Belt)

- Geographic distribution and classification of climates

- current climate change

- global water cycle, hydrologic balance, water balance, energy balance above a cultivated plot to estimate evapotranspiration

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Understanding the weather and knowing how to use the climate data as an ecologist or naturalist.

- methods for measuring climate, bioclimatic indices;

- Computer lab assignment: climate data, modern records (one century), oscillations, and trends;

- Weather overview, dominant conditions: from major biomes to local climate;

- average climate vs. extreme events, their roles and impacts on biodiversity;

- Group project (presentation): regional themes, shared oral presentation;

- Past and future climate change and its impacts on biodiversity.

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By the end of this course, students will have acquired the essential basic knowledge needed to properly prepare and carry out a science communication initiative tailored to a specific target audience, both orally and in writing. They will also be able to design educational materials and outreach workshops for the general public.

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Universities are often perceived as inaccessible to a large segment of society. As part of the UniverlaCité initiative, which aims to bring the university experience to priority neighborhoods, students will develop science workshops designed for students in REP schools. 

The EU will offer students the opportunity to:

1- share their own experiences and apply the knowledge they have acquired at the university in order to best meet the needs of society.

2- Identify and develop skills in science communication through the design and production of educational materials tailored to the target audience.

The course will consist of tutorials and project monitoring (SPS) on predefined topics. The sociocultural situation in vulnerable urban areas will be addressed during the first tutorial. This first tutorial will also serve to lay the groundwork for the course, provide a detailed overview of the UniverlaCité program, and offer a broad introduction to science communication.

The following tutorials will serve as sessions during which students, divided into groups, will be asked to propose activities to be implemented. The constraints provided by the teaching team will be: the target audience, the theme (which will be defined by the teaching team and updated each year), and the requirement to propose “off-campus” activities.

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Major human and animal health challenges related to global changes, namely:

• the degradation of natural environments, leading to a decline in the quality of natural resources (various forms of pollution) and a loss of biodiversity
• climate change
• the urbanization of living environments
• new treatment approaches
• the globalization of trade
• the standardization of lifestyles

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In today’s societies, science lies at the heart of numerous ethical, economic, and societal issues. The goal of this course unit is to encourage students to reflect on their knowledge and practices through a historical approach to the development of scientific knowledge and through discussions on the bioethical aspects of science, the role of researchers in society, and the relationship between science and society. The goal is to raise students’ awareness of how scientific arguments are used in society, to engage in debates that bring together conflicting, well-supported viewpoints, and to develop their critical thinking skills. This course is therefore designed to broaden students’ perspectives, allowing them to take a step back and maintain a scientific approach—in other words, to “look up from the handlebars.”

- 7CM = 10.5 hours for the History of Science: A Panhistorical and Pangewographic Approach

- 4 class periods = 6 hours to introduce the concepts of bioethics and the critical approach that will be necessary for the discussions (methodology of controversy, complexity, issues at stake, appeals to authority)

- 2CM = 3 hours on the role of scientists in society (historical perspective and discussion of potential pitfalls)

- 2 TDs = 3 hours on cognitive biases, concepts in epistemology, linguistic pitfalls, the concept of evidence, and major types of fallacious reasoning

- 4 sessions of 2 tutorials each = 4 × 3 hours = 12 hours of discussion on topics at the heart of scientific and societal controversies: GMOs, vaccination, pharmacogenetics and genetic testing, endocrine disruptors, feeding the planet, demographic challenges, climate change, transhumanism, cloning and assisted reproduction, animal testing, neuroscience and marketing, biological control, nanotechnologies, ... Starting with a news article, students work in groups to produce a presentation (which counts toward their grade) aimed at providing historical context, presenting well-reasoned opposing viewpoints (based on ethical and scientific arguments), and then facilitating a debate. Each debate session (3 hours) will have a specific theme; researchers or faculty members will be invited to serve on the panel and provide a summary at the end.

Working in groups throughout the course, students will produce a literature review on a topic of their choice, presenting a well-structured argument illustrated with carefully selected examples, while situating the subject within the context of the history of science and incorporating bioethical considerations. The goal is not simply to trace the history of a subject, but rather to emphasize its connections to the advancement of scientific knowledge and the ethical questions it raises.

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By the end of this course, students will have acquired the essential basic knowledge needed to properly prepare and carry out a science communication initiative tailored to a specific target audience, both orally and in writing. They will also be able to design educational materials and outreach workshops for the general public.

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Universities are often perceived as inaccessible to a large segment of society. As part of the UniverlaCité initiative, which aims to bring the university experience to priority neighborhoods, students will develop science workshops designed for students in REP schools. 

The EU will offer students the opportunity to:

1- share their own experiences and apply the knowledge they have acquired at the university in order to best meet the needs of society.

2- Identify and develop skills in science communication through the design and production of educational materials tailored to the target audience.

The course will consist of tutorials and project monitoring (SPS) on predefined topics. The sociocultural situation in vulnerable urban areas will be addressed during the first tutorial. This first tutorial will also serve to lay the groundwork for the course, provide a detailed overview of the UniverlaCité program, and offer a broad introduction to science communication.

The following tutorials will serve as sessions during which students, divided into groups, will be asked to propose activities to be implemented. The constraints provided by the teaching team will be: the target audience, the theme (which will be defined by the teaching team and updated each year), and the requirement to propose “off-campus” activities.

View the full page

Major human and animal health challenges related to global changes, namely:

• the degradation of natural environments, leading to a decline in the quality of natural resources (various forms of pollution) and a loss of biodiversity
• climate change
• the urbanization of living environments
• new treatment approaches
• the globalization of trade
• the standardization of lifestyles

View the full page