Studies of aquatic environments

General objectives

Provide training in techniques and methods for studying and managing (impact assessment, preservation, maintenance, management, etc.) aquatic environments (wetlands, waterways). 

This requires knowledge of the specific regulations governing the management of terrestrial wetlands, the hydrological and hydraulic functioning of these environments, methods for observing, monitoring, and characterizing them, and the associated taxonomic groups (including river fish). It also requires applying some of this knowledge to concrete case studies in order to understand these natural environments, which are sometimes anthropized, in all their complexity through complementary disciplinary fields.

            Sequence 1: Regulations and hydrological functioning of wetlands

            Sequence 2: Understanding flows, impacts of developments, and tools for characterizing watercourses

Sequence 3: Taxonomy of fish, principle of electrofishing, and assessment of wetland condition indicators

Sequence 1: RegulationsHydrological functioning of wetlands

Remote: to be completed individually

Research to be conducted on stakeholders, issues, and European and French regulations.

Or Research to be conducted on different wetlands.

In person, in the form of tutorials: 5 hours

Pooling of regulatory research and matrix analysis of regulatory texts.

Pooling of research on wetlands: Identification of different wetlands (with publication of an image database) and their associated watersheds (with mapping application)

Understanding the hydrological functioning of wetlands and watersheds.

Sequence 2: Understanding flows, impacts of developments, and tools for characterizing watercourses

In person, in the form of tutorials: 5 hours

Principles of hydrometry (measurement of heights, velocities) and tools for characterizing wetlands via direct measurements (physical, chemical, and hydrodynamic parameters), observations (morphological, sedimentological), and raw data analyses (Q(H), QMNA, minimum biological flow, classified flows, QT, etc.).

Introduction to free surface hydraulics in steady flow and to the right of structures through small case studies (recalibration, weir, or fishway).

In person, in the form of Terrain 5h

To be carried out collectively: Observations of the impact of hydraulic structures and processes in situ. Hydraulic measurements on weirs and hydraulic jumps (nearest site: Lez). Chemical measurements in watercourses (on site and SEQ-eau).

Non-classroom-based: To be completed in pairs: Creation of educational and technical description sheets based on site visits and the bibliography.

Sequence 3: Taxonomy of fish, principle of electrofishing, and assessment of wetland condition indicators

Face-to-face tutorial by an external speaker: 5 hours

Taxonomy of French freshwater fish and the principle of electrofishing

Method for assessing indicators of their condition (IBGN, I2M2)

- Identify, select, and apply a combination of analytical tools (common techniques, instrumentation) suitable for characterizing organisms (from biomolecules to individuals in all their complexity) and their functioning at different levels of analysis (intracellular metabolism, biology, and physiology of organs).

- Identify sources of error to calculate the uncertainty of an experimental result.

- Work both as part of a team and independently, taking responsibility for a project.

- Take a step back from a situation, evaluate yourself, and question yourself in order to learn.

- Analyze and synthesize data for use.