Functional Ecology and the Conceptualization of Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems (EcoSystèmes)

The M1 individual internship lasts approximately three months and, depending on the student’s program track, must be completed in a research laboratory or a non-academic organization. It allows students to gain professional experience in the fields of biodiversity, evolution, or ecology. It may be carried out at a local, national, or international organization, on a topic approved by the faculty to ensure it aligns with the specific objectives of the student’s program.

Assessment: Preparation for the internship is a graded assignment based on a written document and a presentation of the internship proposal. The internship work is assessed during a public presentation before a panel, during which the content of the report and the quality of the student’s responses to the panel’s questions are evaluated. The student’s conduct and initiative during the internship are assessed by the internship supervisor.

View the full page

The goal of this course unit is to understand the adaptive biology of organisms by examining individual and population responses to environmental variations. Concrete examples from the field of evolutionary animal ecophysiology will be discussed in the context of global change. The responses of organisms and populations to abiotic parameters (such as temperature, salinity, oxygen availability, and pollutants) will be examined, along with their interactive effects. The course will demonstrate the role of physiological mechanisms in ecology, ranging from phenotypic and cognitive processes at the intra-individual level to functional variations between individuals and between species. The concepts of intraspecific variability, phenotypic plasticity, and transgenerational effects will also be addressed. This course unit will be illustrated with examples of analyses of phenotypic traits (including behavior) within populations. Links to genetic and epigenetic markers will also be discussed. Various approaches (-omics vs. gene/protein targets), several experimental designs, and diverse organizational scales of living organisms will be considered (molecule, gene, phenotype, individual, population, species).

View the full page

View the full page

The courses in this module provide an introduction to ethnobotany and ethnoecology, with the aim of understanding the material and immaterial dimensions of the relationships between humans and their environment, with a particular focus on the plant world. We will focus in particular on local systems of nomenclature and classification, perceptions and representations of nature, resource use and management practices, and biocultural, ecological, and evolutionary interactions. Ethnobotany and ethnoecology are disciplines at the intersection of anthropology, botany, and ecology, and may also draw on tools and concepts from linguistics, archaeology, geography, and agronomy. This module complements the “Ethnoecology and Sustainable Development” module (Master’s 2) by providing the theoretical and methodological foundations of ethnobotany.

View the full page

"The objective of this course unit is to build upon the material covered in the first semester by exploring issues related to phenotypic evolution and the main methodological approaches associated with it. The course will address the evolution of various types of traits (life history traits, traits involved in reproductive strategies, traits involved in biotic interactions, and quantitative traits). The main approaches covered include game theory formalization, adaptive dynamics, quantitative genetics, and the comparison of theoretical predictions with empirical data. The course includes:

1) lectures on the main concepts of evolutionary ecology;

2) tutorials focused on document analysis and exercises"

View the full page

"The objective of this course is to strengthen students' foundations in ecology and/or evolution by encouraging them to identify a research topic and question(s), formulate well-reasoned and relevant hypotheses, and justify a strategy for collecting and analyzing data to test those hypotheses.

Summary of the learning unit:

- Supervised independent work: identifying a relevant scientific question; conducting a literature review to assess the state of the art and justify scientific hypotheses; proposing and justifying a methodological approach (materials and methods) to test the proposed hypotheses.

Topic types:

Topics may address any issue identified by the students (in groups of 3 or 4) and approved by the teaching staff, and may draw on various approaches to align with the learning objectives of the different programs. For example, students may propose a field sampling or experimental strategy, a meta-analysis of data from the literature, an analysis of sequences retrieved from GenBank, an analysis of occurrence data retrieved from GBIF, etc.

In all cases, projects must include a concrete data collection strategy—identified, justified, and described by the students in the “Materials and Methods” section required for the M1S2 course—along with a projected timeline for the project’s progress and a breakdown of the tasks each student will perform within each group as part of the project’s implementation during the M2S3 course. Projects must also be financially realistic and include a projected budget, and they must be capable of being completed within the time available during the M2S3 semester.

Assessment Procedures:

"The course is based on a problem-based learning approach; students are evaluated on their progress in developing their methodology (40% of the grade), as well as on their ability to present and defend their project during a final oral presentation (60% of the overall grade)."

View the full page

"General linear models with one or more explanatory random variables: translating the figure that answers the biological question into a statistical model—that is, taking into account numerous effects and knowing how to interpret them"

general properties examined through regression and one-way ANOVA (R², F, ddl, least squares, likelihood, diagnostics, validation, goodness of fit, interpretation of effect sizes); ANOVA with nested and crossed factors, multiple regression (concepts of parameters, effects, and interactions)

"accounting for the dependence of explanatory random variables, confounding effects (quantitative for multiple regression, and unbalanced designs for ANOVA)"

View the full page

The overall objective is to reinforce the students’ foundational knowledge of ecology and to provide them with the tools to apply this knowledge in an integrated manner to interpret the functioning of ecological systems. The curriculum includes: 1) lectures covering ecological concepts ranging from the population level to macroecological scales, supported by practical examples that place the discipline within the current ecological and societal context; 2) practical and guided exercises focused on tools (sampling strategies, modeling, data analysis); 3) fieldwork sessions during which students are encouraged to ask relevant scientific questions based on in-situ observations and to apply their knowledge to answer these questions in a well-reasoned manner.

Summary of the learning unit:

- CM: History of the emergence of concepts in ecology; Population dynamics / metapopulations; Biotic interactions and food webs; Community ecology, metacommunities; Ecosystem ecology / functional ecology; Concepts of macroecology / biogeography; Global change and ecosystem functioning;

- Fieldwork: Integrative analysis of ecosystem functioning in real-world settings;

- Tutorials/Lab Sessions: sampling and experimental strategies in ecology; modeling of population dynamics/metapopulations, community/metacommunity ecology, and food webs; measures of biodiversity (alpha, beta, etc.)."

View the full page

"The overall objective is to strengthen students’ foundational knowledge of evolutionary biology by addressing both (i) macroevolutionary phenomena and the general methods used to analyze them, and (ii) microevolutionary processes, with an emphasis on the population genetics approach. This course unit aims both to provide a solid common foundation of knowledge in evolutionary biology and to illustrate the discipline’s applications to the students’ future fields of specialization. The course includes: 1) lectures on evolutionary concepts; 2) laboratory sessions in two main formats: 2a. sessions focused on the use of analytical tools (phylogenetics) and on the mathematical formalization of evolutionary processes (population genetics), as well as 2b: sessions structured around group work, allowing students—based on their academic background and career goals—to explore a specific topic in greater depth (a fundamental question or an application of evolutionary biology)."

View the full page

English tutorial courses designed to foster professional proficiency in English.

View the full page

ORPAL is a course offered as a combined program (1/3 fieldwork and 2/3 laboratory practicals). The work, carried out in pairs or groups of three under the supervision of an instructor, covers the entire research process, from defining the research question and collecting samples in the field, data collection, through interpretation, the writing of a scientific article (see https://biologie-ecologie.com/exemples-travaux/), and the oral presentation of the results.

'ORPAM takes place during the first few weeks of the semester. This course unit begins with a 3-day field training session (24 hours—orientation workshop) and continues with a short laboratory workshop (24 hours). The course unit concludes with the writing of a popular science article and an oral presentation of the results.

View the full page

View the full page

Generalized Linear Mixed Models + Methodology and Experimental Protocols to Account for Biological Reality: Non-Normal Distributions and Pseudo-Replication

Protocol Optimization, Power, and Uncontrolled Type I Risk: Variable Transformation, Polynomial Regression, Link Function, Likelihood, Model Selection

Deviance Analysis and Goodness of Fit

Incorporation of blocks, repeated measurements over time, consideration of spatial and temporal correlation, and overdispersion

Graphical representation of the predictions.

View the full page

The objective of this course unit is to provide the necessary foundation in statistics to follow the more advanced modules in the curriculum; it is therefore a general refresher course. Descriptive statistics are reviewed (quantiles, cumulative frequency polygons, sample-based estimators); simple tests are introduced; essential graphs for univariate and multivariate data are presented; and the general principles of statistical testing, hypothesis testing, the concept of the p-value, and Type I and Type II errors are covered. In lab sessions, students also receive training in the R environment.

View the full page

The objective of this course unit is to facilitate the implementation of the projects defined as part of the M1S2 course unit.

Summary of the learning unit:

- Independent work supervised by student groups: readjustment of project objectives and methodology as needed; data collection; ecological and/or evolutionary analyses and interpretations in accordance with the tentative schedule established in M1S2; presentation of results at a joint symposium for the various tracks.

Assessment Procedures:

As with the M1 course, this course is based on a problem-based learning approach. Students are therefore assessed on an ongoing basis based on their progress in completing their project (40% of the grade), and then at the end of the semester on their ability to present and discuss their project results during an oral presentation at a general project presentation session (60% of the overall grade).

View the full page

View the full page

View the full page

The educational objective of this course unit is to provide an overview of the major soil types on a global scale, explain their formation, and identify the mineral phases or primary abiotic factors that may regulate biological activity in soils. Based on this analysis, the various soil organisms (microorganisms, micro-, meso-, and macrofauna) will be presented, along with their interactions, in order to contextualize the cycles of organic matter and mineral elements in the soil across different temporal and spatial scales. The concepts of recycling, the closure of biogeochemical cycles, and the principles governing community assembly will also be addressed. This course unit is organized around lectures and presentations, as well as tutorial sessions and fieldwork.

View the full page

Ecophysiology is a discipline at the intersection of organismal biology and ecology. Integrative ecophysiology focuses more specifically on the issue of scaling. In other words, the objective of this course unit is to illustrate how the study of acclimation and adaptation mechanisms at the individual (or even sub-individual) level can explain population structure, species distribution, and ecosystem functioning. The responses of organisms and populations to key structuring abiotic parameters (such as temperature, salinity, oxygen availability, and pollutants) will be examined, along with their interactive effects. The role of interactions among organisms will also be addressed. In this course unit, animals, plants, and microorganisms will be examined, and various types of approaches will be illustrated: field observations, in situ experiments, and laboratory experiments.

View the full page

The primary objective of this course is to provide students with all the skills necessary to understand and apply the concepts and methods underlying the quantitative study of population phenomena. The main methods for analyzing and modeling these phenomena will be addressed from both a theoretical (formal calculations) and practical (statistics, simulations) perspective, using examples that explore different phylogenetic scales (microbial dynamics, invasive species, human demography), spatial (from local to global) and temporal (transient and steady-state regimes, eco-evolutionary coupling), with particular attention paid to heterogeneity (spatial, genetic, or phenotypic) and randomness (stochasticity, uncertainties) characteristic of populations or inherent in their study.

View the full page

The objective of this teaching unit is to demonstrate that biological diversity serves a functional purpose:

1) for various groups of organisms: plants, insects, aquatic organisms, vertebrates, and

2) at different organizational scales (from organisms to ecosystems). The course aims to explain how to approach this functional aspect of diversity for the more than 10 million organisms present on the planet’s surface, using examples from highly and minimally anthropized environments.

View the full page

View the full page

1. Bayesian inference: Motivation and a simple example. 

2. The likelihood. 

3. A detour to explore priors. 

4. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods

5. Bayesian analyses in R using the Jags software.  

6. Compare scientific hypotheses using model selection (WAIC).

7. Heterogeneity and multilevel models (also known as mixed models). 

View the full page

The module aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge of statistical analyses of spatial and temporal constraints: classification and ordination under constraints, "two-table ordination methods and statistical tests: canonical analyses (AFD, CCA, RDA, CAP)," "statistical tests on distance matrices, and matrix comparisons (PERMANOVA, Mantel, Procrustes)."

View the full page

The courses cover four aspects of conservation biology, drawing on current scientific research in this field:  

1. Introduction to Biodiversity Conservation(BC): Definition of Conservation Biology. Why conserve biodiversity? Who are the key players in BC, and what is the role of science in BC? 
2. Species Conservation: Which species are priorities? How can we conserve species? How do we know if a species is “well conserved”? 
3. Conservation of Areas: Which areas are priorities? How can we conserve these areas? 
4. Does Conservation Work?The Importance of Social Acceptance and Political Commitment. The Need for Biodiversity Indicators and for Measuring the Impact of Conservation. 

Students also work in groups to present a community library project, addressing the following questions: Why, what, where, how, how much does it cost, and how can we tell if it’s effective? 

View the full page

The objectives of this learning unit are to explore key concepts related to climate change, to illustrate important concepts in ecology and evolution in the context of climate change across a wide range of ecosystems, and to synthesize the various scientific and societal issues and challenges posed by climate change.

View the full page

"This course unit consists of three main sections: I—Physical Characterization and Biogeochemical Cycles of Coastal Marine Ecosystems; II—Biodiversity and Functioning of Coastal Marine Ecosystems; III—Coastal and Maritime Law; Uses, Conflicts, and Integrated Management of the Coastal Zone. This course unit offers students a systemic approach to the study of coastal marine ecosystems from a highly multidisciplinary perspective. The physical structure of these ecosystems will be addressed through courses on their geomorphology and hydrology, with particular emphasis on water interactions with the open sea and their watersheds. Their biogeochemistry will be examined, notably to describe carbon and nutrient fluxes through the water and sediment compartments. Various aspects of their biodiversity will be illustrated to highlight the importance of these ecosystems as habitats for dependent species, with particular emphasis on the role of this biodiversity in their functioning. The coastal zone is densely populated by humans (40% of the world’s population). Particular attention will be given to human uses (e.g., aquaculture) and their spatial planning, including the assessment of their ecosystem services in an economic context, management and protection measures (e.g., Marine Protected Areas, Natura 2000), and professionals involved in managing these environments will share concrete experiences. Finally, the implications of the law of the sea for the management of the littoral and coastal zones will be covered."

View the full page

This module covers topics related to identifying, quantifying, and modeling the interactions between climate, marine species, and their exploitation.

View the full page

Behavioral ecology approaches the study of behavior from an evolutionary perspective to examine its mechanisms, function, and the role behavior plays in evolutionary and ecological processes. Research in behavioral ecology helps us understand other phenomena observed in other disciplines of biology, since all animals—from single-celled organisms to the most complex vertebrates—exhibit behavior.

The module exposes students to various basic concepts, as well as the wide range of tools that may be used (observations and experiments in natural populations or on captive individuals, comparative analyses, the use of modeling tools, ecophysiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, embedded electronics, etc.). Part of the course focuses on specific discussions of potential research approaches, the tools used, and the limitations of the inferences that can be drawn. Students will be expected to participate actively at these various levels, particularly through critical discussions of research articles.

The topics covered range from the exploration of food-foraging strategies, mate selection, habitat choice, and investment in reproduction to the study of animal communication and the reasons for living in groups. The historical dimension of the discipline is addressed in the introduction, but also depending on the instructors’ perspectives and the specific topics covered (the meanings and relationships between “Animal Behavior,” “Ethology,” “Behavioral Ecology,” etc.).

View the full page

The goal of this resolutely transdisciplinary course is to provide the skills necessary for the effective management and meaningful use of data from various sources and of various types, particularly data with a spatial component. The course consists of three complementary, sequential modules. The first addresses the challenges inherent in data compilation and the solutions provided by database management systems (DBMS): from database design to queries. The second focuses on geographic information systems (GIS): from cartographic representation to geoprocessing. Finally, the third area presents the diversity of spatial analysis tools that enable the quantitative exploitation of spatial data, whether through metrics or statistical tests.

View the full page

View the full page

The educational objective of this course unit is to provide an overview of the major soil types on a global scale, explain their formation, and identify the mineral phases or primary abiotic factors that may regulate biological activity in soils. Based on this analysis, the various soil organisms (microorganisms, micro-, meso-, and macrofauna) will be presented, along with their interactions, in order to contextualize the cycles of organic matter and mineral elements in the soil across different temporal and spatial scales. The concepts of recycling, the closure of biogeochemical cycles, and the principles governing community assembly will also be addressed. This course unit is organized around lectures and presentations, as well as tutorial sessions and fieldwork.

View the full page

Ecophysiology is a discipline at the intersection of organismal biology and ecology. Integrative ecophysiology focuses more specifically on the issue of scaling. In other words, the objective of this course unit is to illustrate how the study of acclimation and adaptation mechanisms at the individual (or even sub-individual) level can explain population structure, species distribution, and ecosystem functioning. The responses of organisms and populations to key structuring abiotic parameters (such as temperature, salinity, oxygen availability, and pollutants) will be examined, along with their interactive effects. The role of interactions among organisms will also be addressed. In this course unit, animals, plants, and microorganisms will be examined, and various types of approaches will be illustrated: field observations, in situ experiments, and laboratory experiments.

View the full page

The primary objective of this course is to provide students with all the skills necessary to understand and apply the concepts and methods underlying the quantitative study of population phenomena. The main methods for analyzing and modeling these phenomena will be addressed from both a theoretical (formal calculations) and practical (statistics, simulations) perspective, using examples that explore different phylogenetic scales (microbial dynamics, invasive species, human demography), spatial (from local to global) and temporal (transient and steady-state regimes, eco-evolutionary coupling), with particular attention paid to heterogeneity (spatial, genetic, or phenotypic) and randomness (stochasticity, uncertainties) characteristic of populations or inherent in their study.

View the full page

The objective of this teaching unit is to demonstrate that biological diversity serves a functional purpose:

1) for various groups of organisms: plants, insects, aquatic organisms, vertebrates, and

2) at different organizational scales (from organisms to ecosystems). The course aims to explain how to approach this functional aspect of diversity for the more than 10 million organisms present on the planet’s surface, using examples from highly and minimally anthropized environments.

View the full page

The goal of this resolutely transdisciplinary course is to provide the skills necessary for the effective management and meaningful use of data from various sources and of various types, particularly data with a spatial component. The course consists of three complementary, sequential modules. The first addresses the challenges inherent in data compilation and the solutions provided by database management systems (DBMS): from database design to queries. The second focuses on geographic information systems (GIS): from cartographic representation to geoprocessing. Finally, the third area presents the diversity of spatial analysis tools that enable the quantitative exploitation of spatial data, whether through metrics or statistical tests.

View the full page

View the full page

1. Bayesian inference: Motivation and a simple example. 

2. The likelihood. 

3. A detour to explore priors. 

4. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods

5. Bayesian analyses in R using the Jags software.  

6. Compare scientific hypotheses using model selection (WAIC).

7. Heterogeneity and multilevel models (also known as mixed models). 

View the full page

The module aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge of statistical analyses of spatial and temporal constraints: classification and ordination under constraints, "two-table ordination methods and statistical tests: canonical analyses (AFD, CCA, RDA, CAP)," "statistical tests on distance matrices, and matrix comparisons (PERMANOVA, Mantel, Procrustes)."

View the full page

The courses cover four aspects of conservation biology, drawing on current scientific research in this field:  

1. Introduction to Biodiversity Conservation(BC): Definition of Conservation Biology. Why conserve biodiversity? Who are the key players in BC, and what is the role of science in BC? 
2. Species Conservation: Which species are priorities? How can we conserve species? How do we know if a species is “well conserved”? 
3. Conservation of Areas: Which areas are priorities? How can we conserve these areas? 
4. Does Conservation Work?The Importance of Social Acceptance and Political Commitment. The Need for Biodiversity Indicators and for Measuring the Impact of Conservation. 

Students also work in groups to present a community library project, addressing the following questions: Why, what, where, how, how much does it cost, and how can we tell if it’s effective? 

View the full page

The objectives of this learning unit are to explore key concepts related to climate change, to illustrate important concepts in ecology and evolution in the context of climate change across a wide range of ecosystems, and to synthesize the various scientific and societal issues and challenges posed by climate change.

View the full page

"This course unit consists of three main sections: I—Physical Characterization and Biogeochemical Cycles of Coastal Marine Ecosystems; II—Biodiversity and Functioning of Coastal Marine Ecosystems; III—Coastal and Maritime Law; Uses, Conflicts, and Integrated Management of the Coastal Zone. This course unit offers students a systemic approach to the study of coastal marine ecosystems from a highly multidisciplinary perspective. The physical structure of these ecosystems will be addressed through courses on their geomorphology and hydrology, with particular emphasis on water interactions with the open sea and their watersheds. Their biogeochemistry will be examined, notably to describe carbon and nutrient fluxes through the water and sediment compartments. Various aspects of their biodiversity will be illustrated to highlight the importance of these ecosystems as habitats for dependent species, with particular emphasis on the role of this biodiversity in their functioning. The coastal zone is densely populated by humans (40% of the world’s population). Particular attention will be given to human uses (e.g., aquaculture) and their spatial planning, including the assessment of their ecosystem services in an economic context, management and protection measures (e.g., Marine Protected Areas, Natura 2000), and professionals involved in managing these environments will share concrete experiences. Finally, the implications of the law of the sea for the management of the littoral and coastal zones will be covered."

View the full page

This module covers topics related to identifying, quantifying, and modeling the interactions between climate, marine species, and their exploitation.

View the full page

Behavioral ecology approaches the study of behavior from an evolutionary perspective to examine its mechanisms, function, and the role behavior plays in evolutionary and ecological processes. Research in behavioral ecology helps us understand other phenomena observed in other disciplines of biology, since all animals—from single-celled organisms to the most complex vertebrates—exhibit behavior.

The module exposes students to various basic concepts, as well as the wide range of tools that may be used (observations and experiments in natural populations or on captive individuals, comparative analyses, the use of modeling tools, ecophysiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, embedded electronics, etc.). Part of the course focuses on specific discussions of potential research approaches, the tools used, and the limitations of the inferences that can be drawn. Students will be expected to participate actively at these various levels, particularly through critical discussions of research articles.

The topics covered range from the exploration of food-foraging strategies, mate selection, habitat choice, and investment in reproduction to the study of animal communication and the reasons for living in groups. The historical dimension of the discipline is addressed in the introduction, but also depending on the instructors’ perspectives and the specific topics covered (the meanings and relationships between “Animal Behavior,” “Ethology,” “Behavioral Ecology,” etc.).

View the full page

View the full page

1. Bayesian inference: Motivation and a simple example. 

2. The likelihood. 

3. A detour to explore priors. 

4. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods

5. Bayesian analyses in R using the Jags software.  

6. Compare scientific hypotheses using model selection (WAIC).

7. Heterogeneity and multilevel models (also known as mixed models). 

View the full page

The module aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge of statistical analyses of spatial and temporal constraints: classification and ordination under constraints, "two-table ordination methods and statistical tests: canonical analyses (AFD, CCA, RDA, CAP)," "statistical tests on distance matrices, and matrix comparisons (PERMANOVA, Mantel, Procrustes)."

View the full page

The courses cover four aspects of conservation biology, drawing on current scientific research in this field:  

1. Introduction to Biodiversity Conservation(BC): Definition of Conservation Biology. Why conserve biodiversity? Who are the key players in BC, and what is the role of science in BC? 
2. Species Conservation: Which species are priorities? How can we conserve species? How do we know if a species is “well conserved”? 
3. Conservation of Areas: Which areas are priorities? How can we conserve these areas? 
4. Does Conservation Work?The Importance of Social Acceptance and Political Commitment. The Need for Biodiversity Indicators and for Measuring the Impact of Conservation. 

Students also work in groups to present a community library project, addressing the following questions: Why, what, where, how, how much does it cost, and how can we tell if it’s effective? 

View the full page

The objectives of this learning unit are to explore key concepts related to climate change, to illustrate important concepts in ecology and evolution in the context of climate change across a wide range of ecosystems, and to synthesize the various scientific and societal issues and challenges posed by climate change.

View the full page

"This course unit consists of three main sections: I—Physical Characterization and Biogeochemical Cycles of Coastal Marine Ecosystems; II—Biodiversity and Functioning of Coastal Marine Ecosystems; III—Coastal and Maritime Law; Uses, Conflicts, and Integrated Management of the Coastal Zone. This course unit offers students a systemic approach to the study of coastal marine ecosystems from a highly multidisciplinary perspective. The physical structure of these ecosystems will be addressed through courses on their geomorphology and hydrology, with particular emphasis on water interactions with the open sea and their watersheds. Their biogeochemistry will be examined, notably to describe carbon and nutrient fluxes through the water and sediment compartments. Various aspects of their biodiversity will be illustrated to highlight the importance of these ecosystems as habitats for dependent species, with particular emphasis on the role of this biodiversity in their functioning. The coastal zone is densely populated by humans (40% of the world’s population). Particular attention will be given to human uses (e.g., aquaculture) and their spatial planning, including the assessment of their ecosystem services in an economic context, management and protection measures (e.g., Marine Protected Areas, Natura 2000), and professionals involved in managing these environments will share concrete experiences. Finally, the implications of the law of the sea for the management of the littoral and coastal zones will be covered."

View the full page

This module covers topics related to identifying, quantifying, and modeling the interactions between climate, marine species, and their exploitation.

View the full page

Behavioral ecology approaches the study of behavior from an evolutionary perspective to examine its mechanisms, function, and the role behavior plays in evolutionary and ecological processes. Research in behavioral ecology helps us understand other phenomena observed in other disciplines of biology, since all animals—from single-celled organisms to the most complex vertebrates—exhibit behavior.

The module exposes students to various basic concepts, as well as the wide range of tools that may be used (observations and experiments in natural populations or on captive individuals, comparative analyses, the use of modeling tools, ecophysiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, embedded electronics, etc.). Part of the course focuses on specific discussions of potential research approaches, the tools used, and the limitations of the inferences that can be drawn. Students will be expected to participate actively at these various levels, particularly through critical discussions of research articles.

The topics covered range from the exploration of food-foraging strategies, mate selection, habitat choice, and investment in reproduction to the study of animal communication and the reasons for living in groups. The historical dimension of the discipline is addressed in the introduction, but also depending on the instructors’ perspectives and the specific topics covered (the meanings and relationships between “Animal Behavior,” “Ethology,” “Behavioral Ecology,” etc.).

View the full page

The goal is to master the modeling and statistical analysis of ecosystem data. Students will need to be able to model complex systems (such as a plant in a cultivated ecosystem, population dynamics, or a lake ecosystem). They will also need to know which type of statistical model to use for analyzing ecological data and how to interpret it.

View the full page

The goal of this course unit is to support students in developing their career plans and searching for internships, while helping them begin to prepare for their transition into the workforce by providing a comprehensive yet personalized overview of possible career paths.

Specifically, sessions with various stakeholders provide an opportunity to present the doctoral thesis (a presentation by the GAIA doctoral school, presentations by doctoral students) and to explore the professional opportunities targeted by the different tracks (research careers and the non-academic sector). Activities specific to each track then help students better identify the scientific fields most closely aligned with their career goals. Finally, tutorial sessions are designed to prepare students for writing scientific articles in English.

View the full page

This course unit addresses questions surrounding ecosystem management from the perspective of the social sciences, and more specifically “science studies.” It aims to help develop a general understanding of the relationship between ecological sciences and society, and to equip participants with the tools to analyze social issues and the underlying socioscientific controversies. The first part of the course provides the conceptual and methodological framework necessary for introducing a reflective tool for analyzing the interactions of actors and the (epistemological and axiological) arguments involved in socioscientific controversies, and illustrates this tool using current examples. Subsequently, thematic presentations by researchers in ecology highlight a variety of issues surrounding the ecological sciences and serve as a basis for students to apply and master the reflective analytical tool. Students are thus assessed on their ability to use this analytical framework to take an individual and well-reasoned position in controversies related to the ecological sciences.

View the full page

The goal of this course unit is to support students as they finalize their career plans and prepare for life after the master’s program.

The EU is organized around the entire program, with regular discussion sessions between the teaching staff and students.

View the full page

The M2 individual internship lasts approximately 5 to 6 months and, depending on the student’s track, must be completed in a research laboratory or a non-academic organization. It allows students to gain in-depth professional experience in the field of biodiversity, evolution, or ecology. It may be conducted at a local, national, or international organization on a topic approved by the faculty to ensure it aligns with the specific objectives of the student’s track of study.

Evaluation: The internship is evaluated during a public defense before a panel, during which the content of the thesis and the quality of the student’s responses to the panel’s questions are assessed. The student’s conduct and initiative during the internship are evaluated by the internship supervisor.

View the full page