L3 - Biology-Ecology

Students will be required to conduct a bibliographic analysis on a topic of their choice, approved by the EU officials. Under the supervision of a teacher-researcher, students will have to answer the questions they raise through an analysis of the available bibliography. They will have to review the state of the art in their field of work, identify areas of uncertainty and controversy, and open questions that remain to be resolved. They will be required to carry out a genuine critical scientific analysis of the available bibliography, rather than simply summarizing it. They will be required to follow the conventions for writing a scientific article, which involves citing sources, synthesizing information through illustration, problematization, and summarizing scientific results.

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This course builds on the Evolutionary Foundations course to introduce key concepts in evolutionary ecology in order to understand and formalize, in a simple way, the evolutionary and ecological mechanisms that shape biodiversity at different scales of integration.

This course unit is designed as a coherent whole, with lectures, tutorials, and practicals complementing each other. Concepts are introduced through examples and then formalized using mathematical models, which are tested against experiments and real-world data.

It will cover population dynamics (intra- and interspecific competition) and ecological niche, and will detail the mechanisms of evolution and their genetic consequences at the population level: natural selection (including sexual selection), the influence of reproductive regimes, and genetic drift. The tutorials will enable students to grasp the mathematical formalization of concepts covered in class and their simple computer modeling, as well as data set analysis. The practicals will enable small groups to carry out and analyze two experiments, each lasting one month (with a report and oral presentation), in order to develop scientific methodology and reasoning.

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The EU is organized into five main themes:

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

Theme 2: Introduction to molecular evolution: Measuring the intensity of selection in genetic divergence. Molecular clock and variation in rates of evolution created by the action of natural selection. Neutral theory of evolution.

Theme 3: Introduction to genomics: composition and size of genomes. Importance of repeated elements. Concept of genetic linkage and local selection effects. Influence of demography.

Theme 4: Molecular tools for biodiversity: Barcoding, eDNA, metabarcoding. Molecular taxonomy. Limitations related to hybridization. Applications in conservation.

Theme 5: Extranuclear heredity . Symbiosis, parasitism, and co-evolution (intracellular: e.g., Wolbachia). Extended concept of phenotype.

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Genesis, nature, and future of deposits in sedimentary basins.

Series of 15 lectures/conferences/debates and practical/tutorial sessions

Course content / Integrated practicals / Tutorials (sedimentary basins, continental weathering,

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

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The EU aims to offer students an integrative approach to the morphology, anatomy, and development of the vegetative and reproductive systems of spermatophytes, from an ecological, functional, and evolutionary perspective. This approach is implemented by students 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 about the biology, ecology, and evolution of three taxonomic groups in question. Beyond species identification (which will be covered extensively), this course will address the evolution and systematics of the taxonomic group in question, fundamental ecology (evolutionary and functional ecology), applied ecology (conservation), physiology, legislation, and methods of study and identification.

After a general introductory course, two areas of study will be offered in parallel. One will focus on cryptogams (algae, lichens, mosses, and fungi), the other on fauna (chiroptera and arthropods).

Cryptogames

The aim of this section is to familiarize students with the extremely diverse organisms known as bryophytes, phaeophytes, and fungi. The principle is 1) to approach these little-known diversities from a naturalist's perspective, 2) to place these observations in an evolutionary perspective (phylogenetic aspects), and 3) to link the observations to the role of these organisms in terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Finally, the module will address aspects of daily life, economics, and citizenship related to species (toxicology, food, medicine).

Wildlife

The objective is for students to acquire/deepen their knowledge of the biology of arthropods and bats, which are taxonomic groups that are of great interest from the perspective of fundamental ecology studies (ethology, evolutionary ecology, functional ecology), 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. The course will incorporate innovative teaching approaches, combining the use of traditional tools (visual recognition) and modern tools (acoustic identification using software). Among the arthropods, the groups that will be particularly addressed are Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, and Orthoptera, which represent highly diverse orders that will allow us to best address the concept of species, which is central to biology. Species identification will form the basis for studying their biology and ecology and addressing the concepts of evolution and phylogeny.

Each group (Fauna - Cryptogams) will have 12 hours of fieldwork available (half of which will be shared by both groups) to be carried out according to terms to be defined (4 half-day outings, or 2 full-day outings). Practical work may be carried out on university sites (university campus - Labex CEMEB experimental field at CEFE - Botanical Garden) that are suitable for studying the various organisms.

Cross-cutting concept

The EU is organized around a concept common to both TP groups which, through a flipped classroom approach, will enable students to use the species observed to identify key concepts in conservation biology. In S5, the concept of species (and related entities such as subspecies, hybrids, etc.) will be discussed in depth from both a theoretical and practical perspective. This concept will enable students to address 1. the foundations and limitations of different perspectives on species (morphological, genetic, ecological), 2. methodological problems related to the identification of taxa in the field and in the laboratory, and 3. the issues this raises from the point of view of species conservation. To this end, at the end of the sequence, students will present a taxon, from among those proposed in the course unit, whose identification proves to be complex.

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The aim of this teaching unit is to understand animal behavior in an integrative way, in light of Tinbergen's four "whys," from its ontogenesis to its evolution: from its ontogenesis and neurobiological causes to its evolution and biological functions. In addition to historical, conceptual, and methodological contributions, students will be guided in understanding the diversity of traits involved, as well as the diversity of approaches and associated scientific questions.

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

- the main types of organic and mineral pollutants (historical or 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 integration (molecule, individual, communities),

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

- bioremediation processes through several case studies.

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The objective of this proposed course in L3S5 is to acquire knowledge about the organization, development, and functioning of different physiological systems in animals. More specifically, the functions of circulation, thermoregulation, hormonal regulation, and nervous integration will be addressed using a comparative approach (examples drawn from different taxonomic groups) and in an evolutionary context. Questions related to the bioethical aspects of animal physiology experimentation will also be addressed.

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The aim of this teaching unit is to understand animal behavior in an integrative way, in light of Tinbergen's four "whys," from its ontogenesis to its evolution: from its ontogenesis and neurobiological causes to its evolution and biological functions. In addition to historical, conceptual, and methodological contributions, students will be guided in understanding the diversity of traits involved, as well as the diversity of approaches and associated scientific questions.

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

- the main types of organic and mineral pollutants (historical or 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 integration (molecule, individual, communities),

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

- bioremediation processes through 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 about the biology, ecology, and evolution of three taxonomic groups in question. Beyond species identification (which will be covered extensively), this course will address the evolution and systematics of the taxonomic group in question, fundamental ecology (evolutionary and functional ecology), applied ecology (conservation), physiology, legislation, and methods of study and identification.

After a general introductory course, two areas of study will be offered in parallel. One will focus on cryptogams (algae, lichens, mosses, and fungi), the other on fauna (chiroptera and arthropods).

Cryptogames

The aim of this section is to familiarize students with the extremely diverse organisms known as bryophytes, phaeophytes, and fungi. The principle is 1) to approach these little-known diversities from a naturalist's perspective, 2) to place these observations in an evolutionary perspective (phylogenetic aspects), and 3) to link the observations to the role of these organisms in terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Finally, the module will address aspects of daily life, economics, and citizenship related to species (toxicology, food, medicine).

Wildlife

The objective is for students to acquire/deepen their knowledge of the biology of arthropods and bats, which are taxonomic groups that are of great interest from the perspective of fundamental ecology studies (ethology, evolutionary ecology, functional ecology), 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. The course will incorporate innovative teaching approaches, combining the use of traditional tools (visual recognition) and modern tools (acoustic identification using software). Among the arthropods, the groups that will be particularly addressed are Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, and Orthoptera, which represent highly diverse orders that will allow us to best address the concept of species, which is central to biology. Species identification will form the basis for studying their biology and ecology and addressing the concepts of evolution and phylogeny.

Each group (Fauna - Cryptogams) will have 12 hours of fieldwork available (half of which will be shared by both groups) to be carried out according to terms to be defined (4 half-day outings, or 2 full-day outings). Practical work may be carried out on university sites (university campus - Labex CEMEB experimental field at CEFE - Botanical Garden) that are suitable for studying the various organisms.

Cross-cutting concept

The EU is organized around a concept common to both TP groups which, through a flipped classroom approach, will enable students to use the species observed to identify key concepts in conservation biology. In S5, the concept of species (and related entities such as subspecies, hybrids, etc.) will be discussed in depth from both a theoretical and practical perspective. This concept will enable students to address 1. the foundations and limitations of different perspectives on species (morphological, genetic, ecological), 2. methodological problems related to the identification of taxa in the field and in the laboratory, and 3. the issues this raises from the point of view of species conservation. To this end, at the end of the sequence, students will present a taxon, from among those proposed in the course unit, whose identification proves to be complex.

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The EU aims to offer students an integrative approach to the morphology, anatomy, and development of the vegetative and reproductive systems of spermatophytes, from an ecological, functional, and evolutionary perspective. This approach is implemented by students 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.

See the full page

Genesis, nature, and future of deposits in sedimentary basins.

Series of 15 lectures/conferences/debates and practical/tutorial sessions

Course content / Integrated practicals / Tutorials (sedimentary basins, continental weathering,

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

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This teaching unit will aim to address the elements necessary for understanding the lifestyle of large groups of single-celled organisms that form the basis of ecosystem functioning (viruses, bacteria, archaea, and single-celled eukaryotes, etc.). The courses cover the biological organization of each type of organism, their modes of reproduction, and their diversity, leading to concepts of ecology. We will discuss the role of these microorganisms in the functioning and dynamics of ecosystems, considering the interactions that these organisms have with other living beings (the concept of "symbiosis" in all its forms).

The practical work will enable:

 - the implementation of techniques enabling bacterial enumeration (CFU) and the identification of a particular strain from an environmental sample

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

 - highlighting the specificity of interactions between bacteria and bacteriophages

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The main objective is to learn the basics of comparative anatomy of chordates, so that they can be compared and classified, before tracing the key stages of their evolutionary history. The lessons are integrative in that they draw on both current organisms and the fossil record to document the evolutionary history of the clade in its entirety and in all its aspects. Anatomical, biomechanical, phylogenetic, and ecomorphological approaches will be addressed in lectures to illustrate the diversity and major characteristics of chordates. Practical work (and tutorials) will illustrate the evolution of the diversity of integuments, the skeleton, musculature, and the digestive and respiratory systems over long periods of time.

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This course is a natural continuation of the course " Quantification of Risk " (HAV424B) presented in S4. It aims to provide the concepts for constructing experimental protocols that answer biological questions and to associate them with appropriate models for analyzing variability. The first part will be devoted to the construction of experimental protocols that can answer a multitude of questions in the life sciences, i.e., taking into account the inevitable dependence of statistical individuals, such as kinship, spatial or temporal structure of populations. This part will provide an opportunity to address the concepts of fluctuation, replication, and pseudo-replication, which will be taken into account in the models constructed in the second part of the course. The second part will focus on demonstrating the link between the experimental protocol carried out and the modeling of the variability of a quantitative response variable, through the construction of models including several qualitative or quantitative variables. Particular attention will be paid to the conditions for applying these methods, type I and II errors, methods for estimating the parameters of the models constructed (including likelihood), and the interpretation of the estimated parameters. Each concept will be illustrated by the analysis of real biological data from several topics, helping students to discover not only modern and current biological issues but also the tools developed to address them. Practical work using R will enable students to independently perform analyses on published biological cases.

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Through five major themes, we will make the connection between the principles of evolution and evolutionary ecology seen in previous teaching units in a fundamental way and 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 oral presentation of scientific articles are held in conjunction with the course "Evolutionary Ecology and its Applications."

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For 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 (DAP). For the ASTEP project, students will carry out a scientific outreach project with kindergarten or elementary school classes in the Hérault region (scientific themes defined by partner schools). Students will then have to develop one or more experiments to be carried out with the classes, collect data with the students, and disseminate scientific concepts to the students concerned. For the ATD project, students will have to propose a data acquisition protocol to answer a scientific question of their choice. This protocol may be carried out in the field, in the classroom, or consist of a meta-analysis.

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The EU aims to provide an overview of the diversity of angiosperms, approached both through the prism of the most recent phylogenies proposed bythe Angiosperm Phylogeny Group ( APG). This phylogenetic framework will be supported throughout the EU by concrete observation of the vegetative and floral characteristics of a selection of taxa distributed across the entire phylogeny, in order to identify the synapomorphies of the main clades, any homoplasies, and adaptations (floral biology, pollination, trophic interactions, etc.).

Students also learn about the diversity of angiosperms from a floristic perspective by creating a herbarium of species generally found in the Mediterranean region. This gives them an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the use of a flora and digital identification tools (Pl@ntNet, e-Flore by Tela Botanica, etc.).

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Through five major themes, we will make the connection between the principles of evolution and evolutionary ecology seen in previous teaching units in a fundamental way and 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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Undergraduate students at the University take various introductory ecology courses during their first two years of study. In their third year, they tackle several fundamental concepts of individual adaptation to the environment and 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 continue the study of communities in line with these fundamentals, in order to illustrate the role of species' evolutionary strategies in community formation. This course will be based on a teaching sequence consisting of lectures, tutorials, and practical work in the form of field projects.

The lectures will present the basics of community ecology in three blocks. The first will concern the definition of a community and will address the history of the discipline's development through the perspectives of Gleason (1926) and Clements (1916). The second block will introduce the elements used to describe communities, with the concepts of diversity (alpha, beta, gamma) and their various indices. Finally, a third block will encourage students to reflect on the rules of assembly in communities, through the role of r/K evolutionary strategies in succession, the concepts of environmental filtering and functional similarity limitation.

These courses will run parallel to a series of tutorials organized according to a "data production-analysis-interpretation" model. Initially,serious games will be used to produce data based on simplified ecological mechanisms. To this end, several serious games that simulate communities are currently being developed. Students will collect this data in preparation for their analysis. The analysis will take the form of a computer workshop to familiarize students with diversity index calculations. Finally, time will be set aside to review the bibliography to determine whether the patterns produced throughout the sequence have biological reality and whether they have been observed in nature (independent work and report).

Once the tutorial sequence is complete, 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 practical, a workshop will allow students 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, by extension, communities) to be placed on Grime's triangle (Pierce et al., 2017). The sequence will begin with a field trip on campus: students will choose two contrasting environments (lawns, ruderal areas, woods, old walls) on which they will carry out a floristic inventory. They will then collect several individuals of each species and bring them back to the laboratory to measure various functional traits. Once the measurements have been taken, they will be able to calculate the various indices related to CSR strategy. The sequence will conclude with the writing of a report and an oral presentation. Other workshops are currently being developed.

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The EU will provide a scenario to which students will have to respond. The EU teaching team will represent the management of consulting firms responsible for conducting impact studies following a development project.

Students will play the roles of design office experts and will be required to conduct analyses of the project area. They will be required to provide a report on their impact assessment, in which they will identify environmental issues and rank them according to their importance. They will also be required to give an oral presentation of their studies.

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

TD1: Presentation of the EU, presentation of what an impact assessment is and what is expected of such an assessment (this part will be carried out by a professional whose job is precisely to verify impact assessments), presentation of the status of the areas studied: ZNIEFF, Natura 2000.

TD2 to 6: Presentation of analysis methods for different groups of organisms (plants, arthropods, herpetofauna, avifauna and chiroptera, soil fauna, etc.).

For the rest of the EU, students will have to propose study protocols to estimate the potential impacts of the planned project. The protocols put in place will have to enable the impacts to be assessed as accurately as possible, and the studies will have to budget for their interventions. They will then have field sessions to implement their protocol, collect data and analyze it. The teaching team will mentor the groups to guide them in their work. They will write a thesis based on specifications provided by the teaching team. This deliverable must be supported by field data and data from the bibliography. They will defend their case before the teaching team in an oral presentation.

Several study areas were targeted in Montpellier to carry out the work: Triolet Campus, Mosson River, Vallet Park, Montpellier City Center, Meric Park, Banks of the Lez, Garrigues de la Lauze, etc.

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This EU is an initial approach to conservation science from the perspectives of different stakeholders:

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

- Societal approach : the role of scientists in managing species and ecological environments, and interactions with other conservation stakeholders (managers, local actors)

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

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This introductory course will build on the mathematical tools encountered throughout the bachelor's degree program, particularly in the Modeling of Living Systems: Theory course (S4 option), in order to provide an overview of the different approaches and techniques used in modeling living systems. All major families of mathematical models will be covered: static (optimization problems, game theory) and dynamic (extensions of the systems seen in S4, introduction to stochastic processes). The examples of applications of these models will be diverse, covering many biological systems as well as different levels of organization (metabolic, epidemiological, meta-community models, etc.). Particular attention will be paid to epistemological aspects (the contribution of modeling to the construction of theories in the life sciences) and practical aspects (identifiability, calibration, and parametric sensitivity on the one hand, numerical implementation/simulations on the other). Finally, it will be an opportunity for students to familiarize themselves with research topics involving modeling, developed in the Montpellier area.

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This course unit is structured around a professional inventory approach, during which students will be placed in real-life situations to showcase their naturalist skills. This will consist of fieldwork, with a focus on field supervision through SPS for project monitoring. In this respect, it follows the logic of the former CMI (Opus 4).

Eight groups of five students will work on cataloging a specific taxon as part of a clearly identified scientific issue. The study area will vary from year to year and will be chosen by the teaching team based on opportunities for collaboration with organizations interested in the proposed approach. The organizations being approached are:

- the Conservatory of Natural Areas of Languedoc Roussillon

- Lunaret Zoo, manager of the Lez nature reserve

- the city of Montpellier

The presentation will consist of a joint deliverable for the entire class, including a ranking of conservation issues. The management organizations for the areas studied will be invited to attend the presentations.

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The aim of this EU is to acquire, reinforce, and synthesize concepts and knowledge in evolutionary paleontology, sedimentology, and paleoecology, in order to apply them to the fossil world. 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 inventory approach, during which students will be placed in real-life situations to showcase their naturalist skills. This will consist of fieldwork, with a focus on field supervision through SPS for project monitoring. In this respect, it follows the logic of the former CMI (Opus 4).

Eight groups of five students will work on cataloging a specific taxon as part of a clearly identified scientific issue. The study area will vary from year to year and will be chosen by the teaching team based on opportunities for collaboration with organizations interested in the proposed approach. The organizations being approached are:

- the Conservatory of Natural Areas of Languedoc Roussillon

- Lunaret Zoo, manager of the Lez nature reserve

- the city of Montpellier

The presentation will consist of a joint deliverable for the entire class, including a ranking of conservation issues. The management organizations for the areas studied will be invited to attend the presentations.

See the full page

The EU will provide a scenario to which students will have to respond. The EU teaching team will represent the management of consulting firms responsible for conducting impact studies following a development project.

Students will play the roles of design office experts and will be required to conduct analyses of the project area. They will be required to provide a report on their impact assessment, in which they will identify environmental issues and rank them according to their importance. They will also be required to give an oral presentation of their studies.

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

TD1: Presentation of the EU, presentation of what an impact assessment is and what is expected of such an assessment (this part will be carried out by a professional whose job is precisely to verify impact assessments), presentation of the status of the areas studied: ZNIEFF, Natura 2000.

TD2 to 6: Presentation of analysis methods for different groups of organisms (plants, arthropods, herpetofauna, avifauna and chiroptera, soil fauna, etc.).

For the rest of the EU, students will have to propose study protocols to estimate the potential impacts of the planned project. The protocols put in place will have to enable the impacts to be assessed as accurately as possible, and the studies will have to budget for their interventions. They will then have field sessions to implement their protocol, collect data and analyze it. The teaching team will mentor the groups to guide them in their work. They will write a thesis based on specifications provided by the teaching team. This deliverable must be supported by field data and data from the bibliography. They will defend their case before the teaching team in an oral presentation.

Several study areas were targeted in Montpellier to carry out the work: Triolet Campus, Mosson River, Vallet Park, Montpellier City Center, Meric Park, Banks of the Lez, Garrigues de la Lauze, etc.

See the full page

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This EU is an initial approach to conservation science from the perspectives of different stakeholders:

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

- Societal approach : the role of scientists in managing species and ecological environments, and interactions with other conservation stakeholders (managers, local actors)

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

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Introduce students to an integrated approach to plants by studying the morphological and anatomical characteristics of stems and roots. Help them discover the coordinated spatial and temporal construction of root and stem architectures through adaptations of Mediterranean and tropical species. Reproductive structures and the diversity of biological types will also be taken into account. This course unit is designed to prepare students for the BioGET Master's program and draws on the natural environment and local and regional infrastructure (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 interface environments between these two compartments, namely mangroves, estuaries, and deltas.  They will be approached from the perspective of both their structure and their functioning, emphasizing their similarities and differences, as well as 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 teaching, while the second part consists of introductory sessions to field trips, the field trips themselves, and practical sessions in which the data collected in the field is analyzed and shared.

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Molecular tools are an integral part of studies aimed at describing and characterizing biodiversity. The EU will aim to present various molecular approaches (barcoding, metabarcoding, environmental DNA, etc.) that enable (1) the description, characterization, and quantification of this diversity at intra- or interspecific, population, or ecosystem levels, and (2) the presentation of their areas of application at different timescales and spatial scales. The EU will incorporate practical aspects aimed at learning about and implementing these techniques, analyzing the resulting data, and reporting on them. Group work in interaction with researchers and teacher-researchers will be prioritized.

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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 in order to describe and understand the morphology and evolution of vertebrate morphologies. In addition to covering current groups, this course will focus heavily on extinct fossil groups, particularly their contribution to understanding the various eco-morphological adaptations (e.g., acquisition or return to aquatic life, acquisition of flight) that have marked the evolutionary history of clades.

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

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Adaptations to the "parasitic" lifestyle are studied across all parasitic organisms (viruses, bacteria, eukaryotes), including different scales of analysis "from molecules to populations."

Thus, the co-evolution between hosts and parasites will be considered from the perspective of molecular and cellular host-parasite interactions (immunity, escape, exploitation of host resources, etc.), but also from the perspective of the morpho-anatomical structures involved in adaptation to the intra-host site or in survival in the external environment, and finally from the perspective of behavioral adaptations for encountering the host (promotion).

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ORPAL is an ecology course in APP (1/3 fieldwork and 2/3 lab work). Based on ecological concepts and methods, this course aims to explore historical ecology (the study of interactions between humans and their environment over varying time periods) and its main applications in paleoecology, from defining the issue field sampling, data acquisition, to interpretation and writing a scientific article (see https://biologie-ecologie.com/exemples-travaux/). This course is an interesting theoretical and experimental prerequisite for the ACCES, CEPAGE, PALEONTOLOGY, ECOSYSTEMS, or BIOGET programs.

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- difference between weather and climate

- structure of the atmosphere, 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 definition of climates

- current climate change

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

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Understanding the weather and knowing how to use climate data for an ecologist/naturalist.

- climate measurement methods, bioclimate indices;

- Computer lab: climate data, modern archives (century), oscillations, and trends;

- weather reminders, dominant parameters: from large biomes to topoclimate;

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

- Group work (presentation): regional topics, shared oral presentation;

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

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At the end of this course, students will have acquired the basic knowledge necessary to prepare and carry out scientific communication activities tailored to a target audience, both orally and in writing. They will also be able to design educational materials and awareness-raising workshops for the general public.

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Universities are often perceived as inaccessible places for a large part of society. As part of the UniverlaCité program, which aims to bring the university to priority neighborhoods, students will develop science workshops for schoolchildren in priority education areas. 

The EU will offer students the opportunity to:

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

2- Reveal and develop scientific communication skills through the development and implementation of educational materials tailored to the target audience.

The EU will take the form of tutorials and project monitoring (SPS) on predefined topics. The socio-cultural situation of sensitive urban areas will be addressed during the first tutorial. This first tutorial will also serve to lay the foundations for the EU, present the UniverlaCité program in detail, and give a broad overview of scientific mediation.

The following tutorials will serve as sessions during which students, divided into groups, will be asked to propose activities to be implemented. The constraints imposed on them by the teaching team will be: the target audience, the theme (which will be defined by the teaching team and renewed each year), and the need to propose activities outside the school grounds.

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The major human and animal health challenges linked 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 artificialization of living environments
• new therapeutic approaches
• globalization of trade
• the standardization of lifestyles

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Science in today's societies is at the heart of many ethical, economic, and societal issues. The aim of this course is to encourage students to reflect on their knowledge and practices through a historical approach to the construction of knowledge and through reflections on the bioethical aspects of science, the place of researchers in society, and the relationship between science and society. The aim is to raise students' awareness of the use of scientific arguments in society and to encourage them to debate and confront contradictory points of view, thereby developing their critical thinking skills. This is therefore an open-minded course unit that allows students to take a broader view while maintaining a scientific approach, in other words, to "look up from the handlebars."

- 7CM = 10.5 hours for History of Science, panhistorical and pangeographical approach

- 4 CM = 6 hours to present the concepts of bioethics and critical thinking that will be necessary for the debates (methodology of controversy, complexity, issues, arguments from authority)

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

- 2TD = 3 hours on cognitive biases, concepts of epistemology, language traps, and the concept of proof, major types of flawed reasoning

- 4 sessions of 2TD = 4x3 hours = 12 hours of debates 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 experimentation, neuroscience and marketing, biological control, nanotechnologies, etc. Starting with a press article, students work in groups to produce a presentation (which counts towards their assessment) with the aim of providing historical context, presenting opposing viewpoints (ethical and scientific arguments), and then leading a debate. Each debate session (3 hours) will have a theme, and researchers or ECs will be invited to participate in the jury and provide a summary at the end.

In groups and over the course of the EU, students will produce a bibliographic summary on a topic of their choice, with a structured argument, illustrated with carefully chosen examples, placing the subject in the context of the history of science with bioethical considerations. The idea is not simply to recount the history of a subject, but rather to emphasize the links with the advancement of scientific knowledge and the ethical questions raised.

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At the end of this course, students will have acquired the basic knowledge necessary to prepare and carry out scientific communication activities tailored to a target audience, both orally and in writing. They will also be able to design educational materials and awareness-raising workshops for the general public.

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Universities are often perceived as inaccessible places for a large part of society. As part of the UniverlaCité program, which aims to bring the university to priority neighborhoods, students will develop science workshops for schoolchildren in priority education areas. 

The EU will offer students the opportunity to:

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

2- Reveal and develop scientific communication skills through the development and implementation of educational materials tailored to the target audience.

The EU will take the form of tutorials and project monitoring (SPS) on predefined topics. The socio-cultural situation of sensitive urban areas will be addressed during the first tutorial. This first tutorial will also serve to lay the foundations for the EU, present the UniverlaCité program in detail, and give a broad overview of scientific mediation.

The following tutorials will serve as sessions during which students, divided into groups, will be asked to propose activities to be implemented. The constraints imposed on them by the teaching team will be: the target audience, the theme (which will be defined by the teaching team and renewed each year), and the need to propose activities outside the school grounds.

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The major human and animal health challenges linked 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 artificialization of living environments
• new therapeutic approaches
• globalization of trade
• the standardization of lifestyles

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