Training structure
Faculty of Science
Presentation
As human societies develop, the challenges of biodiversity conservation multiply. More and more urgent scientific questions are arising, particularly in ecology, but not exclusively. Answering these questions requires applied research, the results of which have a real impact on biodiversity conservation practices and policies at different levels.
The RAINET' Master's degree (Applied Research to Conserve Biodiversity) is aimed at students wishing to embark on this path, and to complete a doctoral thesis after the Master's degree. These students can then work as researchers in public or private research organizations, or as scientific project managers in biodiversity conservation organizations in France and abroad.
Further information: https: //ingenieurs-ecologues.com/parcours-ge/parcours-rainet/
Objectives
The objective of the RAINET' Master's degree is to offer a truly adapted training to students wishing to do a thesis in conservation biology. To this end, the étudiant.es of the RAINET' master's degree benefit from multidisciplinary scientific training in conservation biology. In addition, by being in the Master's degree in Environmental Management, the étudiant.es of the RAINET' course have the opportunity to rub shoulders with, and to train in contact with, future professionals in the sectors of activity that interact directly with the conservation of biodiversity.
Know-how and skills
The RAINET' course trains ecologists capable of understanding the complexity of the issues of nature protection and biodiversity conservation emerging from the development of our societies, and of proposing innovative answers to answer these questions.
The targeted skills are:
- Master the concepts and methods of conservation biology (from the different disciplines of ecology, biogeography, evolutionary biology, socio-economics, etc.).
- To know the actors (e.g. managers, design offices) and tools (e.g. environmental policies) of biodiversity conservation.
- Know how to interact and collaborate with conservation stakeholders.
- Identify the ecological and social factors that influence the success of conservation programs and identify ecosystems and species that are a priority for conservation.
- Know how to position oneself at the interface between conservation issues and other societal issues
- Master the different stages of a research project (definition of a problem, bibliographic analysis, choice and implementation of an appropriate method, analysis and interpretation of the results).
- Be able to communicate, in writing and orally, scientific results in French and English.
International dimension
Internships in M1 and M2 can be done abroad.
Organization
Open on a sandwich basis
Contract type | Apprenticeship contract, Professionalization contract |
---|
Program
Open on a work-study basis: Apprenticeship contract, Professionalization contract
Program:
Year of M1: common to four courses of the "Environmental Management" Mention (RAINET', IEGB, Aquadura, ComBiodiv). This year allows students to acquire the scientific bases, particularly in ecology and biostatistics. Optional UEs also allow students to start specialising.
Year of M2 RAINET': dedicated to the specialization in applied research in biodiversity conservation, with several optional UEs allowing students to deepen their skills according to their professional project.
In M1 and M2, the pedagogy is largely based on the individual follow-up of students by pedagogical tutors and on group projects.
The RAINET' Master's degree offers two long internships (4.5 months in M1 and 5.5 months in M2), i.e. a total of 10 months of internship in 2 years of training.
At least one of the two internships must be in a research organization. Depending on the student's experience and project, the other internship can take place either in a conservation organization or in a research organization. Internships abroad are encouraged.
Select a program
M2 - Applied Research to Conserve Biodiversity - Learning
Salon de l'écologie-1
2 credits1hConservation biology
2 creditsNew technologies for studying biodiversity
2 creditsScience and communication
4 credits30hUE CHOIX 1
12 creditsYour choice: 1 of 4
UE CHOIX 2
12 creditsChoice of: 6 of 18
Urban ecology
2 creditsSustainable use of animal resources Hunting
2 creditsTOIC/TOEFL preparation
2 creditsEcology of marine and coastal ecosystems
2 credits8hAgroecology
2 creditsBayesian approach to variability
2 creditsEcological engineering and restoration (ERC sequence)
2 creditsMethods and analysis of SHS surveys
2 creditsBehavioral ecology
2 credits6hEthnoecology and sustainable development
2 credits15hSociété Ecologie Environnement Anthropo (Pyrenees seminar)
2 creditsTools and methods for the dynamic study of marine ecosystems
2 credits3hManaging a participatory science project
2 creditsImpacts of climate change on organisms, plants and animals
2 creditsAdvanced GIS
2 creditsGE 1 Individual Project
2 creditsRole of micro-organisms in ecosystems (with BEE)
2 creditsGlobal changes: characterization, impacts & adaptations
2 credits
UE CHOIX 4
12 creditsGE 2 Individual Project
4 creditsUE CHOIX 5
8 creditsChoice of: 6 of 18
Urban ecology
2 creditsSustainable use of animal resources Hunting
2 creditsTOIC/TOEFL preparation
2 creditsEcology of marine and coastal ecosystems
2 credits8hAgroecology
2 creditsBayesian approach to variability
2 creditsEcological engineering and restoration (ERC sequence)
2 creditsMethods and analysis of SHS surveys
2 creditsBehavioral ecology
2 credits6hEthnoecology and sustainable development
2 credits15hSociété Ecologie Environnement Anthropo (Pyrenees seminar)
2 creditsTools and methods for the dynamic study of marine ecosystems
2 credits3hManaging a participatory science project
2 creditsImpacts of climate change on organisms, plants and animals
2 creditsAdvanced GIS
2 creditsGE 1 Individual Project
2 creditsRole of micro-organisms in ecosystems (with BEE)
2 creditsGlobal changes: characterization, impacts & adaptations
2 credits
UE CHOIX 2
12 creditsYour choice: 1 of 2
UE CHOIX 5
8 creditsChoice of: 6 of 18
Urban ecology
2 creditsSustainable use of animal resources Hunting
2 creditsTOIC/TOEFL preparation
2 creditsEcology of marine and coastal ecosystems
2 credits8hAgroecology
2 creditsBayesian approach to variability
2 creditsEcological engineering and restoration (ERC sequence)
2 creditsMethods and analysis of SHS surveys
2 creditsBehavioral ecology
2 credits6hEthnoecology and sustainable development
2 credits15hSociété Ecologie Environnement Anthropo (Pyrenees seminar)
2 creditsTools and methods for the dynamic study of marine ecosystems
2 credits3hManaging a participatory science project
2 creditsImpacts of climate change on organisms, plants and animals
2 creditsAdvanced GIS
2 creditsGE 1 Individual Project
2 creditsRole of micro-organisms in ecosystems (with BEE)
2 creditsGlobal changes: characterization, impacts & adaptations
2 credits
Pollution and bioremediation of ecosystems
UE CHOIX 5
12 creditsEU CHOICE
4 creditsChoice of: 6 of 18
Urban ecology
2 creditsSustainable use of animal resources Hunting
2 creditsTOIC/TOEFL preparation
2 creditsEcology of marine and coastal ecosystems
2 credits8hAgroecology
2 creditsBayesian approach to variability
2 creditsEcological engineering and restoration (ERC sequence)
2 creditsMethods and analysis of SHS surveys
2 creditsBehavioral ecology
2 credits6hEthnoecology and sustainable development
2 credits15hSociété Ecologie Environnement Anthropo (Pyrenees seminar)
2 creditsTools and methods for the dynamic study of marine ecosystems
2 credits3hManaging a participatory science project
2 creditsImpacts of climate change on organisms, plants and animals
2 creditsAdvanced GIS
2 creditsGE 1 Individual Project
2 creditsRole of micro-organisms in ecosystems (with BEE)
2 creditsGlobal changes: characterization, impacts & adaptations
2 credits
GE 2 Individual Project
4 creditsPollution and bioremediation of ecosystems
M2-GE Apprenticeship Project
6 creditsTerritorial consultation tools
2 credits
COGITHON
4 creditsApprenticeship M2 GE RAINET
24 creditsUE CHOIX 1
2 creditsYour choice: 1 of 2
Scientific museography
2 creditsQuality management
2 credits15h
Salon de l'écologie-1
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
1h
This course starts with the integration seminar.
During this course, students will participate in the design and implementation of two major annual events in the field of ecology: the Festival de la biodiversité (Festi'Versité) and the Salon national de la biodiversité (SNB). Since 2008, these events have provided an opportunity to bring together, get to know and promote all the players in the professional ecology sector in France.
Working with partner organizations (OFB, F-CEN, UPGE, F-CPIE, UM, CNRS, local authorities, etc.) and the organizing professional structure, the students will assist in the management of the two events.) and the organizing professional structure, the students are assistants to the project management of the two events, occupying various positions according to their motivations, interests and abilities (experience, skills, proposed training courses) in conjunction with volunteers from other training courses (BTS): recruitment and reception of the public and speakers, media events, communication, safety (fire risk, first aid), logistics, fund-raising, eco-responsibility, etc. The positions are offered through job descriptions for which the students apply during the master's integration seminar.
Supported by an Adhoc structure (in the process of being set up) and under the direction of a steering committee bringing together their main stakeholders, these 2 events integrate the assistance of students from the Environmental Management master's courses at the University of Montpellier's Faculty of Science, as part of their teaching and through their student associations.
- Festi'Versité, the biodiversity festival. Festi'Versité raises public awareness of ecological issues through events, shows, games, conferences, screenings and photo exhibitions. It takes place over a weekend in late October/early November at Montpellier Zoo.
- The national biodiversity show. Combining a forum for careers and training, a scientific and technical congress and professional meetings, it features conferences and round tables, scientific and technical presentations, recruitment and professional exchanges. The show takes place over 2 days in January at the Parc des Expositions in Montpellier.
Conservation biology
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
The courses present 4 aspects of Conservation Biology, based on current scientific research in this discipline:
- Introduction to Biodiversity Conservation(BC): definition of Conservation Biology. Why conserve biodiversity? Who are the main players in BC and the role of science in BC.
- Species conservation: What are the priority species? How can species be conserved? How do you know if a species is "well conserved"?
- Space conservation: What are the priority spaces? How to conserve spaces?
- Theimportance of social acceptability and political commitment. Need for biodiversity indicators and to measure the impact of conservation.
Students also carry out group work in which they present a BC project, based on the questions: why, what, where, how, how much does it cost and how do we know if it's effective?
New technologies for studying biodiversity
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Science and communication
ECTS
4 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
30h
The entire course is taught in English. The aim is to enable students to practice oral and written scientific communication at two levels:
1. Communicate on research activities (e.g. project start-up, publication of an article) in writing (e.g. creation of an infographic for twitter) and orally (e.g. interview for a thesis application).
2. Communicate scientific results in writing (review articles, research articles) and orally (conference talks).
Each student works on these different aspects of communication directly in connection with his or her M1 and M2 internships, and thesis project. The media used are varied (e.g. twitter, website, video, etc.).
Urban ecology
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
The expansion of the urban environment is leading to the fragmentation/destruction of natural habitats, conservation problems and a change in the relationship between man and nature. However, urban spaces can also be home to significant biodiversity in close proximity to man, which can then be used for conservation, awareness-raising, improving human well-being or even therapeutic purposes. It's a tall order to try to work in ecology while denying the existence and consequences of the urban environment and its particularities. The aim of this course is to help future ecology professionals find a compromise between urban development and respect for nature. Through courses given by a variety of professionals and a field trip to Montpellier, students will discover where (associations, consultancies, local authorities, etc.), with whom and how an ecologist can act in urban ecology.
Sustainable use of animal resources Hunting
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Ecology of marine and coastal ecosystems
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
8h
"I - Physical characterization and biogeochemical cycles of coastal marine ecosystems II - Biodiversity and functioning of coastal marine ecosystems III Coastal and marine law; Uses, conflicts and integrated management of the coastal zone. This course 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 a particular focus on hydric couplings with the open sea and their watersheds. Their biogeochemistry will be addressed, in particular to describe carbon and nutrient flows through the water and sediment compartments. Several aspects of their biodiversity will be illustrated to describe the importance of these ecosystems as living environments for the species they support, and in particular the role of this biodiversity in their functioning. The coastal zone is densely populated by man (40% of the world's population). Particular attention will be paid to human uses (e.g. aquaculture) and their territorial planning, including the evaluation of their ecosystem services in an economic context, management and protection measures (e.g. Marine Protected Areas, Natura 2000), and professionals involved in the management of these environments will present practical feedback. Finally, the implications of the Law of the Sea for the management of coastal zones will be discussed. "
Bayesian approach to variability
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
1. Bayesian inference: Motivation and simple example.
2. The likelihood.
3. A detour to explore priors.
4. Markov chains Monte Carlo methods (MCMC)
5. Bayesian analyses in R with the Jags software.
6. Contrast scientific hypotheses with model selection (WAIC).
7. Heterogeneity and multilevel models (aka mixed models.
Ecological engineering and restoration (ERC sequence)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Sustainable development, ERC sequence, green, blue, turquoise grid.
The aim is to present the regulatory and technical frameworks for integrating the environment into projects, plans and programs. The Avoid, Reduce, Compensate sequence, its challenges and the players involved will be presented, discussed and illustrated. The green and blue webs and their interface with the turquoise web will be analyzed as tools for improving biodiversity preservation in land management and development operations.
Learners will be asked to take a step back from the methods and know-how used to apply the ERC sequence in various fields, linked to plans, developments and programs with an impact on the environment.
A field trip is an opportunity to meet the players and the ERC actions deployed, and to draw up a diagnosis and outlook.
Applications will focus on the "trame turquoise" linking biodiversity law and water law, and on the ERC deployment of the development file.
Last but not least, the EU offers learners a real opportunity to critically analyze their know-how and produce innovative, inclusive solutions.
Methods and analysis of SHS surveys
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Behavioral ecology
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
6h
Behavioral Ecology takes an evolutionary approach to the study of behavior, investigating its mechanisms, function and contribution to evolutionary and ecological processes. The work carried out in Behavioral Ecology helps us to understand other phenomena observed in other disciplines of life biology, because all animals, from unicellulars to the most complex vertebrae, exhibit behaviors.
The module exposes students to the various basic concepts, as well as to the multitude of tools likely to be used (observations and experiments on natural populations or captive individuals, comparative analyses, use of modeling tools, ecophysiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, on-board electronics, etc.). Part of the training is based on specific discussions of the research approaches likely to be employed, the tools used and the limits of the inferences that can be made. Students will be expected to play an active role at all these levels, in particular through critical discussions of articles.
Topics range from the exploration of strategies for food provisioning, mate choice, habitat selection and investment in reproduction, to the study of animal communication and the reasons for group living. The historical dimension of the discipline is addressed in the introduction, but also according to the sensibilities of the contributors and the themes addressed (meaning and relationships between 'Animal Behaviour', 'Ethology', Behavioral Ecology etc.).
Ethnoecology and sustainable development
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
15h
1 "The way in which the modern West represents nature is the least shared thing in the world" (Descola, 2005, p. 56). According to anthropologist Philippe Descola, the category of "Nature", as a reality separate from the human world, was invented by Europeans, and is just one of the ways in which societies can account for the living and non-living beings that surround them.
While Philippe Descola is helping to renew questions concerning the relationship between society and the environment, he is also drawing on a long tradition in the human and social sciences. Numerous works have already explored the various forms of knowledge and social organization to which these relationships give rise: ethnoscience, anthropology of technology, economic anthropology, ethnoecology, sociology of science and technology, and so on.
This issue is far from being confined to the academic sphere. It is also of interest to those involved in conservation (biodiversity, natural resources, etc.) and industry (pharmacology). It is also mobilizing so-called "indigenous" populations who are demanding, both locally and internationally, access to resources and the preservation of an intangible heritage.
2. Situated at the crossroads of social sciences and life sciences, these disciplines analyze how human societies use plants, animals and other environmental components, and how their conceptions and representations of their environment(s) shape these uses. This research also explores how human societies organize themselves, perpetuate themselves, change to adapt to new contexts (globalization, global change) and transmit knowledge about their relationships with nature.
For a long time, these disciplines focused more specifically on the interrelations between so-called "traditional" societies and their immediate environment. Then, from the 1970s onwards, researchers reconsidered the distinction between "traditional" and "modern" societies, to better address the new environmental and social transformations taking place today.
On the one hand, even the most isolated local societies are affected by events that are decided and unfolding on different scales (international conventions, economic crises). Their immediate environment is also affected by global phenomena (climate change, erosion of biodiversity, etc.). In return, their actions can also have international ecological, social and economic repercussions, when, for example, these companies organize to bring their demands to international arenas.
On the other hand, the relationship that modern societies have with their environment is being reconfigured in the face of an increasingly "artificialized" planet threatened by serious disruptions and crises. The place of flora and fauna is being reconsidered, and their rights are the subject of controversy. Moreover, the entry into a new geological era, the Anthropocene, is being used to call on both the natural sciences and the human and social sciences to take a fresh look at the shared history of the environment and society.
3. The very work of scientists and engineers is apprehended in a new light. A new scientific project in the humanities and social sciences aims to reconsider the role of "non-humans", and calls for analytical categories other than Nature and Culture. New scales and methods of investigation are also envisaged to analyze global processes.
These recent changes in scale invite researchers in the humanities and social sciences to (re)consider their approach through a reflexive lens: they are no longer mere observers, but can also be genuine actors in processes, when they are not directly involved in a social movement.
4. The aim of this module is to introduce these different scientific and operational fields. The aim is to provide students with benchmarks and food for thought, enabling them to construct scientific questions on the relationship between society and the environment, and to reflect on the ways in which current environmental and social issues can be tackled. The speakers' varied geographical and disciplinary backgrounds will illustrate the approach across a wide range of ecosystem types, socio-cultural contexts and themes. In the time available, we cannot claim to cover all the themes, approaches and methods exhaustively. Any student wishing to delve deeper into this field will need to take a more in-depth training course.
Société Ecologie Environnement Anthropo (Pyrenees seminar)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Tools and methods for the dynamic study of marine ecosystems
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
3h
The module covers the identification, quantification and modeling of interactions between climate, marine species and their exploitation.
Managing a participatory science project
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Impacts of climate change on organisms, plants and animals
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
The aim of this course is to deepen understanding of key concepts relating to climate change, to illustrate important concepts in ecology and evolution in the light of climate change, in many different ecosystems, and to produce a synthesis of the various scientific and societal questions and issues raised by CC.
GE 1 Individual Project
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Role of micro-organisms in ecosystems (with BEE)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Global changes: characterization, impacts & adaptations
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Climate change, global change, outlook, adaptation, resilience, hydrology modelling, future climate simulation, water resource availability, extreme events, impacts on ecosystems, ecological issues
This course provides students with an insight into the climatic, environmental and anthropogenic changes impacting our hydro-eco-socio-systems today and in the future.
The activities focus on a number of non-exhaustive aspects of this vast and constantly evolving field.
In addition to presenting issues, figures and concepts, students learn about hydrological modeling tools that can be used to develop future scenarios for resource development. They analyze a specific subject by combining different disciplines and approaches. They discuss possible adaptations to cope with the impact of change.
The activities consist of 3 parts: The course activity, the modeling activity and the bibliography activity.
- The courses explain the principles of climate modeling, the construction of climate change scenarios and their limitations. The orders of magnitude of the main changes are outlined, as well as the major challenges of sustainable development, climate change and global change. A special focus is placed on French Mediterranean watersheds (climate change hot spots, declining availability of water resources, agricultural practices and adaptations, irrigation, tourism, etc.).
- The concepts of hydrological modeling and calibration in a non-stationary or poorly gauged context are taught, and an introduction to hydrological modeling is given with an application case. Students work with general hydrological models (such as GR, HEC-HMS or WEAP) to evaluate flows and balances, feed them with climate model outputs, generate future flow and balance scenarios, and critique the resulting scenarios. The modeling work carried out in small groups is the subject of an oral presentation.
- Finally, the bibliography compiled in class and completed independently should enable students to specialize around a concrete case study of a change occurring in a compartment of a natural or urbanized hydro-eco-system (chosen by the students). They carry out a bibliographical analysis to identify the societal or environmental issues arising from these changes, as well as the scientific questions inherent in the implementation of impact reduction or adaptation measures. They must identify how their case study is similar to others, but also how it differs from them. Finally, they open their analysis with a more general methodology, applicable to other case studies, for characterizing these changes, their impacts and adaptation measures. Learners write
an operational summary (bibliography, similar case studies, controversies, operational tools, protocols, orders of magnitude). They then pitch their findings to the class.
GE 2 Individual Project
ECTS
4 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Urban ecology
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
The expansion of the urban environment is leading to the fragmentation/destruction of natural habitats, conservation problems and a change in the relationship between man and nature. However, urban spaces can also be home to significant biodiversity in close proximity to man, which can then be used for conservation, awareness-raising, improving human well-being or even therapeutic purposes. It's a tall order to try to work in ecology while denying the existence and consequences of the urban environment and its particularities. The aim of this course is to help future ecology professionals find a compromise between urban development and respect for nature. Through courses given by a variety of professionals and a field trip to Montpellier, students will discover where (associations, consultancies, local authorities, etc.), with whom and how an ecologist can act in urban ecology.
Sustainable use of animal resources Hunting
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Ecology of marine and coastal ecosystems
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
8h
"I - Physical characterization and biogeochemical cycles of coastal marine ecosystems II - Biodiversity and functioning of coastal marine ecosystems III Coastal and marine law; Uses, conflicts and integrated management of the coastal zone. This course 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 a particular focus on hydric couplings with the open sea and their watersheds. Their biogeochemistry will be addressed, in particular to describe carbon and nutrient flows through the water and sediment compartments. Several aspects of their biodiversity will be illustrated to describe the importance of these ecosystems as living environments for the species they support, and in particular the role of this biodiversity in their functioning. The coastal zone is densely populated by man (40% of the world's population). Particular attention will be paid to human uses (e.g. aquaculture) and their territorial planning, including the evaluation of their ecosystem services in an economic context, management and protection measures (e.g. Marine Protected Areas, Natura 2000), and professionals involved in the management of these environments will present practical feedback. Finally, the implications of the Law of the Sea for the management of coastal zones will be discussed. "
Bayesian approach to variability
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
1. Bayesian inference: Motivation and simple example.
2. The likelihood.
3. A detour to explore priors.
4. Markov chains Monte Carlo methods (MCMC)
5. Bayesian analyses in R with the Jags software.
6. Contrast scientific hypotheses with model selection (WAIC).
7. Heterogeneity and multilevel models (aka mixed models.
Ecological engineering and restoration (ERC sequence)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Sustainable development, ERC sequence, green, blue, turquoise grid.
The aim is to present the regulatory and technical frameworks for integrating the environment into projects, plans and programs. The Avoid, Reduce, Compensate sequence, its challenges and the players involved will be presented, discussed and illustrated. The green and blue webs and their interface with the turquoise web will be analyzed as tools for improving biodiversity preservation in land management and development operations.
Learners will be asked to take a step back from the methods and know-how used to apply the ERC sequence in various fields, linked to plans, developments and programs with an impact on the environment.
A field trip is an opportunity to meet the players and the ERC actions deployed, and to draw up a diagnosis and outlook.
Applications will focus on the "trame turquoise" linking biodiversity law and water law, and on the ERC deployment of the development file.
Last but not least, the EU offers learners a real opportunity to critically analyze their know-how and produce innovative, inclusive solutions.
Methods and analysis of SHS surveys
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Behavioral ecology
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
6h
Behavioral Ecology takes an evolutionary approach to the study of behavior, investigating its mechanisms, function and contribution to evolutionary and ecological processes. The work carried out in Behavioral Ecology helps us to understand other phenomena observed in other disciplines of life biology, because all animals, from unicellulars to the most complex vertebrae, exhibit behaviors.
The module exposes students to the various basic concepts, as well as to the multitude of tools likely to be used (observations and experiments on natural populations or captive individuals, comparative analyses, use of modeling tools, ecophysiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, on-board electronics, etc.). Part of the training is based on specific discussions of the research approaches likely to be employed, the tools used and the limits of the inferences that can be made. Students will be expected to play an active role at all these levels, in particular through critical discussions of articles.
Topics range from the exploration of strategies for food provisioning, mate choice, habitat selection and investment in reproduction, to the study of animal communication and the reasons for group living. The historical dimension of the discipline is addressed in the introduction, but also according to the sensibilities of the contributors and the themes addressed (meaning and relationships between 'Animal Behaviour', 'Ethology', Behavioral Ecology etc.).
Ethnoecology and sustainable development
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
15h
1 "The way in which the modern West represents nature is the least shared thing in the world" (Descola, 2005, p. 56). According to anthropologist Philippe Descola, the category of "Nature", as a reality separate from the human world, was invented by Europeans, and is just one of the ways in which societies can account for the living and non-living beings that surround them.
While Philippe Descola is helping to renew questions concerning the relationship between society and the environment, he is also drawing on a long tradition in the human and social sciences. Numerous works have already explored the various forms of knowledge and social organization to which these relationships give rise: ethnoscience, anthropology of technology, economic anthropology, ethnoecology, sociology of science and technology, and so on.
This issue is far from being confined to the academic sphere. It is also of interest to those involved in conservation (biodiversity, natural resources, etc.) and industry (pharmacology). It is also mobilizing so-called "indigenous" populations who are demanding, both locally and internationally, access to resources and the preservation of an intangible heritage.
2. Situated at the crossroads of social sciences and life sciences, these disciplines analyze how human societies use plants, animals and other environmental components, and how their conceptions and representations of their environment(s) shape these uses. This research also explores how human societies organize themselves, perpetuate themselves, change to adapt to new contexts (globalization, global change) and transmit knowledge about their relationships with nature.
For a long time, these disciplines focused more specifically on the interrelations between so-called "traditional" societies and their immediate environment. Then, from the 1970s onwards, researchers reconsidered the distinction between "traditional" and "modern" societies, to better address the new environmental and social transformations taking place today.
On the one hand, even the most isolated local societies are affected by events that are decided and unfolding on different scales (international conventions, economic crises). Their immediate environment is also affected by global phenomena (climate change, erosion of biodiversity, etc.). In return, their actions can also have international ecological, social and economic repercussions, when, for example, these companies organize to bring their demands to international arenas.
On the other hand, the relationship that modern societies have with their environment is being reconfigured in the face of an increasingly "artificialized" planet threatened by serious disruptions and crises. The place of flora and fauna is being reconsidered, and their rights are the subject of controversy. Moreover, the entry into a new geological era, the Anthropocene, is being used to call on both the natural sciences and the human and social sciences to take a fresh look at the shared history of the environment and society.
3. The very work of scientists and engineers is apprehended in a new light. A new scientific project in the humanities and social sciences aims to reconsider the role of "non-humans", and calls for analytical categories other than Nature and Culture. New scales and methods of investigation are also envisaged to analyze global processes.
These recent changes in scale invite researchers in the humanities and social sciences to (re)consider their approach through a reflexive lens: they are no longer mere observers, but can also be genuine actors in processes, when they are not directly involved in a social movement.
4. The aim of this module is to introduce these different scientific and operational fields. The aim is to provide students with benchmarks and food for thought, enabling them to construct scientific questions on the relationship between society and the environment, and to reflect on the ways in which current environmental and social issues can be tackled. The speakers' varied geographical and disciplinary backgrounds will illustrate the approach across a wide range of ecosystem types, socio-cultural contexts and themes. In the time available, we cannot claim to cover all the themes, approaches and methods exhaustively. Any student wishing to delve deeper into this field will need to take a more in-depth training course.
Société Ecologie Environnement Anthropo (Pyrenees seminar)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Tools and methods for the dynamic study of marine ecosystems
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
3h
The module covers the identification, quantification and modeling of interactions between climate, marine species and their exploitation.
Managing a participatory science project
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Impacts of climate change on organisms, plants and animals
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
The aim of this course is to deepen understanding of key concepts relating to climate change, to illustrate important concepts in ecology and evolution in the light of climate change, in many different ecosystems, and to produce a synthesis of the various scientific and societal questions and issues raised by CC.
GE 1 Individual Project
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Role of micro-organisms in ecosystems (with BEE)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Global changes: characterization, impacts & adaptations
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Climate change, global change, outlook, adaptation, resilience, hydrology modelling, future climate simulation, water resource availability, extreme events, impacts on ecosystems, ecological issues
This course provides students with an insight into the climatic, environmental and anthropogenic changes impacting our hydro-eco-socio-systems today and in the future.
The activities focus on a number of non-exhaustive aspects of this vast and constantly evolving field.
In addition to presenting issues, figures and concepts, students learn about hydrological modeling tools that can be used to develop future scenarios for resource development. They analyze a specific subject by combining different disciplines and approaches. They discuss possible adaptations to cope with the impact of change.
The activities consist of 3 parts: The course activity, the modeling activity and the bibliography activity.
- The courses explain the principles of climate modeling, the construction of climate change scenarios and their limitations. The orders of magnitude of the main changes are outlined, as well as the major challenges of sustainable development, climate change and global change. A special focus is placed on French Mediterranean watersheds (climate change hot spots, declining availability of water resources, agricultural practices and adaptations, irrigation, tourism, etc.).
- The concepts of hydrological modeling and calibration in a non-stationary or poorly gauged context are taught, and an introduction to hydrological modeling is given with an application case. Students work with general hydrological models (such as GR, HEC-HMS or WEAP) to evaluate flows and balances, feed them with climate model outputs, generate future flow and balance scenarios, and critique the resulting scenarios. The modeling work carried out in small groups is the subject of an oral presentation.
- Finally, the bibliography compiled in class and completed independently should enable students to specialize around a concrete case study of a change occurring in a compartment of a natural or urbanized hydro-eco-system (chosen by the students). They carry out a bibliographical analysis to identify the societal or environmental issues arising from these changes, as well as the scientific questions inherent in the implementation of impact reduction or adaptation measures. They must identify how their case study is similar to others, but also how it differs from them. Finally, they open their analysis with a more general methodology, applicable to other case studies, for characterizing these changes, their impacts and adaptation measures. Learners write
an operational summary (bibliography, similar case studies, controversies, operational tools, protocols, orders of magnitude). They then pitch their findings to the class.
Urban ecology
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
The expansion of the urban environment is leading to the fragmentation/destruction of natural habitats, conservation problems and a change in the relationship between man and nature. However, urban spaces can also be home to significant biodiversity in close proximity to man, which can then be used for conservation, awareness-raising, improving human well-being or even therapeutic purposes. It's a tall order to try to work in ecology while denying the existence and consequences of the urban environment and its particularities. The aim of this course is to help future ecology professionals find a compromise between urban development and respect for nature. Through courses given by a variety of professionals and a field trip to Montpellier, students will discover where (associations, consultancies, local authorities, etc.), with whom and how an ecologist can act in urban ecology.
Sustainable use of animal resources Hunting
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Ecology of marine and coastal ecosystems
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
8h
"I - Physical characterization and biogeochemical cycles of coastal marine ecosystems II - Biodiversity and functioning of coastal marine ecosystems III Coastal and marine law; Uses, conflicts and integrated management of the coastal zone. This course 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 a particular focus on hydric couplings with the open sea and their watersheds. Their biogeochemistry will be addressed, in particular to describe carbon and nutrient flows through the water and sediment compartments. Several aspects of their biodiversity will be illustrated to describe the importance of these ecosystems as living environments for the species they support, and in particular the role of this biodiversity in their functioning. The coastal zone is densely populated by man (40% of the world's population). Particular attention will be paid to human uses (e.g. aquaculture) and their territorial planning, including the evaluation of their ecosystem services in an economic context, management and protection measures (e.g. Marine Protected Areas, Natura 2000), and professionals involved in the management of these environments will present practical feedback. Finally, the implications of the Law of the Sea for the management of coastal zones will be discussed. "
Bayesian approach to variability
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
1. Bayesian inference: Motivation and simple example.
2. The likelihood.
3. A detour to explore priors.
4. Markov chains Monte Carlo methods (MCMC)
5. Bayesian analyses in R with the Jags software.
6. Contrast scientific hypotheses with model selection (WAIC).
7. Heterogeneity and multilevel models (aka mixed models.
Ecological engineering and restoration (ERC sequence)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Sustainable development, ERC sequence, green, blue, turquoise grid.
The aim is to present the regulatory and technical frameworks for integrating the environment into projects, plans and programs. The Avoid, Reduce, Compensate sequence, its challenges and the players involved will be presented, discussed and illustrated. The green and blue webs and their interface with the turquoise web will be analyzed as tools for improving biodiversity preservation in land management and development operations.
Learners will be asked to take a step back from the methods and know-how used to apply the ERC sequence in various fields, linked to plans, developments and programs with an impact on the environment.
A field trip is an opportunity to meet the players and the ERC actions deployed, and to draw up a diagnosis and outlook.
Applications will focus on the "trame turquoise" linking biodiversity law and water law, and on the ERC deployment of the development file.
Last but not least, the EU offers learners a real opportunity to critically analyze their know-how and produce innovative, inclusive solutions.
Methods and analysis of SHS surveys
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Behavioral ecology
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
6h
Behavioral Ecology takes an evolutionary approach to the study of behavior, investigating its mechanisms, function and contribution to evolutionary and ecological processes. The work carried out in Behavioral Ecology helps us to understand other phenomena observed in other disciplines of life biology, because all animals, from unicellulars to the most complex vertebrae, exhibit behaviors.
The module exposes students to the various basic concepts, as well as to the multitude of tools likely to be used (observations and experiments on natural populations or captive individuals, comparative analyses, use of modeling tools, ecophysiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, on-board electronics, etc.). Part of the training is based on specific discussions of the research approaches likely to be employed, the tools used and the limits of the inferences that can be made. Students will be expected to play an active role at all these levels, in particular through critical discussions of articles.
Topics range from the exploration of strategies for food provisioning, mate choice, habitat selection and investment in reproduction, to the study of animal communication and the reasons for group living. The historical dimension of the discipline is addressed in the introduction, but also according to the sensibilities of the contributors and the themes addressed (meaning and relationships between 'Animal Behaviour', 'Ethology', Behavioral Ecology etc.).
Ethnoecology and sustainable development
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
15h
1 "The way in which the modern West represents nature is the least shared thing in the world" (Descola, 2005, p. 56). According to anthropologist Philippe Descola, the category of "Nature", as a reality separate from the human world, was invented by Europeans, and is just one of the ways in which societies can account for the living and non-living beings that surround them.
While Philippe Descola is helping to renew questions concerning the relationship between society and the environment, he is also drawing on a long tradition in the human and social sciences. Numerous works have already explored the various forms of knowledge and social organization to which these relationships give rise: ethnoscience, anthropology of technology, economic anthropology, ethnoecology, sociology of science and technology, and so on.
This issue is far from being confined to the academic sphere. It is also of interest to those involved in conservation (biodiversity, natural resources, etc.) and industry (pharmacology). It is also mobilizing so-called "indigenous" populations who are demanding, both locally and internationally, access to resources and the preservation of an intangible heritage.
2. Situated at the crossroads of social sciences and life sciences, these disciplines analyze how human societies use plants, animals and other environmental components, and how their conceptions and representations of their environment(s) shape these uses. This research also explores how human societies organize themselves, perpetuate themselves, change to adapt to new contexts (globalization, global change) and transmit knowledge about their relationships with nature.
For a long time, these disciplines focused more specifically on the interrelations between so-called "traditional" societies and their immediate environment. Then, from the 1970s onwards, researchers reconsidered the distinction between "traditional" and "modern" societies, to better address the new environmental and social transformations taking place today.
On the one hand, even the most isolated local societies are affected by events that are decided and unfolding on different scales (international conventions, economic crises). Their immediate environment is also affected by global phenomena (climate change, erosion of biodiversity, etc.). In return, their actions can also have international ecological, social and economic repercussions, when, for example, these companies organize to bring their demands to international arenas.
On the other hand, the relationship that modern societies have with their environment is being reconfigured in the face of an increasingly "artificialized" planet threatened by serious disruptions and crises. The place of flora and fauna is being reconsidered, and their rights are the subject of controversy. Moreover, the entry into a new geological era, the Anthropocene, is being used to call on both the natural sciences and the human and social sciences to take a fresh look at the shared history of the environment and society.
3. The very work of scientists and engineers is apprehended in a new light. A new scientific project in the humanities and social sciences aims to reconsider the role of "non-humans", and calls for analytical categories other than Nature and Culture. New scales and methods of investigation are also envisaged to analyze global processes.
These recent changes in scale invite researchers in the humanities and social sciences to (re)consider their approach through a reflexive lens: they are no longer mere observers, but can also be genuine actors in processes, when they are not directly involved in a social movement.
4. The aim of this module is to introduce these different scientific and operational fields. The aim is to provide students with benchmarks and food for thought, enabling them to construct scientific questions on the relationship between society and the environment, and to reflect on the ways in which current environmental and social issues can be tackled. The speakers' varied geographical and disciplinary backgrounds will illustrate the approach across a wide range of ecosystem types, socio-cultural contexts and themes. In the time available, we cannot claim to cover all the themes, approaches and methods exhaustively. Any student wishing to delve deeper into this field will need to take a more in-depth training course.
Société Ecologie Environnement Anthropo (Pyrenees seminar)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Tools and methods for the dynamic study of marine ecosystems
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
3h
The module covers the identification, quantification and modeling of interactions between climate, marine species and their exploitation.
Managing a participatory science project
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Impacts of climate change on organisms, plants and animals
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
The aim of this course is to deepen understanding of key concepts relating to climate change, to illustrate important concepts in ecology and evolution in the light of climate change, in many different ecosystems, and to produce a synthesis of the various scientific and societal questions and issues raised by CC.
GE 1 Individual Project
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Role of micro-organisms in ecosystems (with BEE)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Global changes: characterization, impacts & adaptations
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Climate change, global change, outlook, adaptation, resilience, hydrology modelling, future climate simulation, water resource availability, extreme events, impacts on ecosystems, ecological issues
This course provides students with an insight into the climatic, environmental and anthropogenic changes impacting our hydro-eco-socio-systems today and in the future.
The activities focus on a number of non-exhaustive aspects of this vast and constantly evolving field.
In addition to presenting issues, figures and concepts, students learn about hydrological modeling tools that can be used to develop future scenarios for resource development. They analyze a specific subject by combining different disciplines and approaches. They discuss possible adaptations to cope with the impact of change.
The activities consist of 3 parts: The course activity, the modeling activity and the bibliography activity.
- The courses explain the principles of climate modeling, the construction of climate change scenarios and their limitations. The orders of magnitude of the main changes are outlined, as well as the major challenges of sustainable development, climate change and global change. A special focus is placed on French Mediterranean watersheds (climate change hot spots, declining availability of water resources, agricultural practices and adaptations, irrigation, tourism, etc.).
- The concepts of hydrological modeling and calibration in a non-stationary or poorly gauged context are taught, and an introduction to hydrological modeling is given with an application case. Students work with general hydrological models (such as GR, HEC-HMS or WEAP) to evaluate flows and balances, feed them with climate model outputs, generate future flow and balance scenarios, and critique the resulting scenarios. The modeling work carried out in small groups is the subject of an oral presentation.
- Finally, the bibliography compiled in class and completed independently should enable students to specialize around a concrete case study of a change occurring in a compartment of a natural or urbanized hydro-eco-system (chosen by the students). They carry out a bibliographical analysis to identify the societal or environmental issues arising from these changes, as well as the scientific questions inherent in the implementation of impact reduction or adaptation measures. They must identify how their case study is similar to others, but also how it differs from them. Finally, they open their analysis with a more general methodology, applicable to other case studies, for characterizing these changes, their impacts and adaptation measures. Learners write
an operational summary (bibliography, similar case studies, controversies, operational tools, protocols, orders of magnitude). They then pitch their findings to the class.
Pollution and bioremediation of ecosystems
Component
Faculty of Science
This course aims to provide a better understanding of the main types of pollutants (organic vs. inorganic), their source(s), their fate in the environment and how they interact with living organisms (bioaccumulation, biotransformation, effects). The methods used in depollution and bioremediation will be discussed. Particular emphasis will be placed on the contribution of terrestrial and aquatic plants to phytoremediation, and on the role of micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi) in biodegradation, biotransformation or biosequestration mechanisms. This course will be illustrated by a number of case studies, covering examples of chronic and acute/accidental pollution of water, air and soil. In particular, the treatment of pollution linked to the mining, oil, plastics and phyto-pharmaceutical industries will be covered, as will the treatment of liquid effluents (wastewater, industrial effluents). A field trip to Saint-Laurent-Le-Minier will illustrate a current phytoremediation project on a former mining site.
Urban ecology
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
The expansion of the urban environment is leading to the fragmentation/destruction of natural habitats, conservation problems and a change in the relationship between man and nature. However, urban spaces can also be home to significant biodiversity in close proximity to man, which can then be used for conservation, awareness-raising, improving human well-being or even therapeutic purposes. It's a tall order to try to work in ecology while denying the existence and consequences of the urban environment and its particularities. The aim of this course is to help future ecology professionals find a compromise between urban development and respect for nature. Through courses given by a variety of professionals and a field trip to Montpellier, students will discover where (associations, consultancies, local authorities, etc.), with whom and how an ecologist can act in urban ecology.
Sustainable use of animal resources Hunting
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Ecology of marine and coastal ecosystems
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
8h
"I - Physical characterization and biogeochemical cycles of coastal marine ecosystems II - Biodiversity and functioning of coastal marine ecosystems III Coastal and marine law; Uses, conflicts and integrated management of the coastal zone. This course 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 a particular focus on hydric couplings with the open sea and their watersheds. Their biogeochemistry will be addressed, in particular to describe carbon and nutrient flows through the water and sediment compartments. Several aspects of their biodiversity will be illustrated to describe the importance of these ecosystems as living environments for the species they support, and in particular the role of this biodiversity in their functioning. The coastal zone is densely populated by man (40% of the world's population). Particular attention will be paid to human uses (e.g. aquaculture) and their territorial planning, including the evaluation of their ecosystem services in an economic context, management and protection measures (e.g. Marine Protected Areas, Natura 2000), and professionals involved in the management of these environments will present practical feedback. Finally, the implications of the Law of the Sea for the management of coastal zones will be discussed. "
Bayesian approach to variability
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
1. Bayesian inference: Motivation and simple example.
2. The likelihood.
3. A detour to explore priors.
4. Markov chains Monte Carlo methods (MCMC)
5. Bayesian analyses in R with the Jags software.
6. Contrast scientific hypotheses with model selection (WAIC).
7. Heterogeneity and multilevel models (aka mixed models.
Ecological engineering and restoration (ERC sequence)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Sustainable development, ERC sequence, green, blue, turquoise grid.
The aim is to present the regulatory and technical frameworks for integrating the environment into projects, plans and programs. The Avoid, Reduce, Compensate sequence, its challenges and the players involved will be presented, discussed and illustrated. The green and blue webs and their interface with the turquoise web will be analyzed as tools for improving biodiversity preservation in land management and development operations.
Learners will be asked to take a step back from the methods and know-how used to apply the ERC sequence in various fields, linked to plans, developments and programs with an impact on the environment.
A field trip is an opportunity to meet the players and the ERC actions deployed, and to draw up a diagnosis and outlook.
Applications will focus on the "trame turquoise" linking biodiversity law and water law, and on the ERC deployment of the development file.
Last but not least, the EU offers learners a real opportunity to critically analyze their know-how and produce innovative, inclusive solutions.
Methods and analysis of SHS surveys
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Behavioral ecology
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
6h
Behavioral Ecology takes an evolutionary approach to the study of behavior, investigating its mechanisms, function and contribution to evolutionary and ecological processes. The work carried out in Behavioral Ecology helps us to understand other phenomena observed in other disciplines of life biology, because all animals, from unicellulars to the most complex vertebrae, exhibit behaviors.
The module exposes students to the various basic concepts, as well as to the multitude of tools likely to be used (observations and experiments on natural populations or captive individuals, comparative analyses, use of modeling tools, ecophysiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, on-board electronics, etc.). Part of the training is based on specific discussions of the research approaches likely to be employed, the tools used and the limits of the inferences that can be made. Students will be expected to play an active role at all these levels, in particular through critical discussions of articles.
Topics range from the exploration of strategies for food provisioning, mate choice, habitat selection and investment in reproduction, to the study of animal communication and the reasons for group living. The historical dimension of the discipline is addressed in the introduction, but also according to the sensibilities of the contributors and the themes addressed (meaning and relationships between 'Animal Behaviour', 'Ethology', Behavioral Ecology etc.).
Ethnoecology and sustainable development
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
15h
1 "The way in which the modern West represents nature is the least shared thing in the world" (Descola, 2005, p. 56). According to anthropologist Philippe Descola, the category of "Nature", as a reality separate from the human world, was invented by Europeans, and is just one of the ways in which societies can account for the living and non-living beings that surround them.
While Philippe Descola is helping to renew questions concerning the relationship between society and the environment, he is also drawing on a long tradition in the human and social sciences. Numerous works have already explored the various forms of knowledge and social organization to which these relationships give rise: ethnoscience, anthropology of technology, economic anthropology, ethnoecology, sociology of science and technology, and so on.
This issue is far from being confined to the academic sphere. It is also of interest to those involved in conservation (biodiversity, natural resources, etc.) and industry (pharmacology). It is also mobilizing so-called "indigenous" populations who are demanding, both locally and internationally, access to resources and the preservation of an intangible heritage.
2. Situated at the crossroads of social sciences and life sciences, these disciplines analyze how human societies use plants, animals and other environmental components, and how their conceptions and representations of their environment(s) shape these uses. This research also explores how human societies organize themselves, perpetuate themselves, change to adapt to new contexts (globalization, global change) and transmit knowledge about their relationships with nature.
For a long time, these disciplines focused more specifically on the interrelations between so-called "traditional" societies and their immediate environment. Then, from the 1970s onwards, researchers reconsidered the distinction between "traditional" and "modern" societies, to better address the new environmental and social transformations taking place today.
On the one hand, even the most isolated local societies are affected by events that are decided and unfolding on different scales (international conventions, economic crises). Their immediate environment is also affected by global phenomena (climate change, erosion of biodiversity, etc.). In return, their actions can also have international ecological, social and economic repercussions, when, for example, these companies organize to bring their demands to international arenas.
On the other hand, the relationship that modern societies have with their environment is being reconfigured in the face of an increasingly "artificialized" planet threatened by serious disruptions and crises. The place of flora and fauna is being reconsidered, and their rights are the subject of controversy. Moreover, the entry into a new geological era, the Anthropocene, is being used to call on both the natural sciences and the human and social sciences to take a fresh look at the shared history of the environment and society.
3. The very work of scientists and engineers is apprehended in a new light. A new scientific project in the humanities and social sciences aims to reconsider the role of "non-humans", and calls for analytical categories other than Nature and Culture. New scales and methods of investigation are also envisaged to analyze global processes.
These recent changes in scale invite researchers in the humanities and social sciences to (re)consider their approach through a reflexive lens: they are no longer mere observers, but can also be genuine actors in processes, when they are not directly involved in a social movement.
4. The aim of this module is to introduce these different scientific and operational fields. The aim is to provide students with benchmarks and food for thought, enabling them to construct scientific questions on the relationship between society and the environment, and to reflect on the ways in which current environmental and social issues can be tackled. The speakers' varied geographical and disciplinary backgrounds will illustrate the approach across a wide range of ecosystem types, socio-cultural contexts and themes. In the time available, we cannot claim to cover all the themes, approaches and methods exhaustively. Any student wishing to delve deeper into this field will need to take a more in-depth training course.
Société Ecologie Environnement Anthropo (Pyrenees seminar)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Tools and methods for the dynamic study of marine ecosystems
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
3h
The module covers the identification, quantification and modeling of interactions between climate, marine species and their exploitation.
Managing a participatory science project
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Impacts of climate change on organisms, plants and animals
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
The aim of this course is to deepen understanding of key concepts relating to climate change, to illustrate important concepts in ecology and evolution in the light of climate change, in many different ecosystems, and to produce a synthesis of the various scientific and societal questions and issues raised by CC.
GE 1 Individual Project
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Role of micro-organisms in ecosystems (with BEE)
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Global changes: characterization, impacts & adaptations
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Climate change, global change, outlook, adaptation, resilience, hydrology modelling, future climate simulation, water resource availability, extreme events, impacts on ecosystems, ecological issues
This course provides students with an insight into the climatic, environmental and anthropogenic changes impacting our hydro-eco-socio-systems today and in the future.
The activities focus on a number of non-exhaustive aspects of this vast and constantly evolving field.
In addition to presenting issues, figures and concepts, students learn about hydrological modeling tools that can be used to develop future scenarios for resource development. They analyze a specific subject by combining different disciplines and approaches. They discuss possible adaptations to cope with the impact of change.
The activities consist of 3 parts: The course activity, the modeling activity and the bibliography activity.
- The courses explain the principles of climate modeling, the construction of climate change scenarios and their limitations. The orders of magnitude of the main changes are outlined, as well as the major challenges of sustainable development, climate change and global change. A special focus is placed on French Mediterranean watersheds (climate change hot spots, declining availability of water resources, agricultural practices and adaptations, irrigation, tourism, etc.).
- The concepts of hydrological modeling and calibration in a non-stationary or poorly gauged context are taught, and an introduction to hydrological modeling is given with an application case. Students work with general hydrological models (such as GR, HEC-HMS or WEAP) to evaluate flows and balances, feed them with climate model outputs, generate future flow and balance scenarios, and critique the resulting scenarios. The modeling work carried out in small groups is the subject of an oral presentation.
- Finally, the bibliography compiled in class and completed independently should enable students to specialize around a concrete case study of a change occurring in a compartment of a natural or urbanized hydro-eco-system (chosen by the students). They carry out a bibliographical analysis to identify the societal or environmental issues arising from these changes, as well as the scientific questions inherent in the implementation of impact reduction or adaptation measures. They must identify how their case study is similar to others, but also how it differs from them. Finally, they open their analysis with a more general methodology, applicable to other case studies, for characterizing these changes, their impacts and adaptation measures. Learners write
an operational summary (bibliography, similar case studies, controversies, operational tools, protocols, orders of magnitude). They then pitch their findings to the class.
GE 2 Individual Project
ECTS
4 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Pollution and bioremediation of ecosystems
Component
Faculty of Science
This course aims to provide a better understanding of the main types of pollutants (organic vs. inorganic), their source(s), their fate in the environment and how they interact with living organisms (bioaccumulation, biotransformation, effects). The methods used in depollution and bioremediation will be discussed. Particular emphasis will be placed on the contribution of terrestrial and aquatic plants to phytoremediation, and on the role of micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi) in biodegradation, biotransformation or biosequestration mechanisms. This course will be illustrated by a number of case studies, covering examples of chronic and acute/accidental pollution of water, air and soil. In particular, the treatment of pollution linked to the mining, oil, plastics and phyto-pharmaceutical industries will be covered, as will the treatment of liquid effluents (wastewater, industrial effluents). A field trip to Saint-Laurent-Le-Minier will illustrate a current phytoremediation project on a former mining site.
M2-GE Apprenticeship Project
ECTS
6 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Territorial consultation tools
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
COGITHON
ECTS
4 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Innovation is the very culmination of scientific research, but it is also the condition for the survival and/or development of most companies and associations, and hence of all human organizations. Innovation is also a very important lever for the economic development of territories, where it is often coupled with the circular economy or the inclusion economy.
Being able to participate in the design and implementation of innovative projects, and finding the financial and partnership resources to do so, are skills that are increasingly in demand among all employees, whatever their status and role in the organization (in short, from blue-collar workers to CEOs, technicians, engineers and even ... researchers!) The aim is as much to inculcate a professional culture of innovation as to teach its basic methodological and technical principles. This educational program is based on a project-based pedagogy, and uses seminar work (7 days a week, 24 hours a day) in a closed environment, cut off from the outside world for better concentration. The pedagogical principle is to bring together several skills (in our case, those of 4 GE Master's courses and 2 Energy Master's courses) in the same time and place to work as a group on a local environmental issue. Conferences, meetings, visits, reflection and work will alternate to enable students to deliver a written response and an oral presentation at the end of the week. The best projects will be presented orally to a panel of professionals and defended by the students themselves.
Open to all GE majors in M2 (except GeIBioTe) in FI and APP, and to the Energy master's program.
With the exception of the Aquadura course, for which this UE takes place over the course of the semester, the Cogithon takes the form of a 6-day seminar. The seminar starts with a theoretical part (the first day) and then proceeds in the form of workshops in which students are organized into project teams. Teams compete to present a project in response to an invitation to tender, which changes every year and is drawn up in partnership with local players. The call for tenders is based on the work of the Aquadura course and their November restitution.
Apprenticeship M2 GE RAINET
ECTS
24 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Scientific museography
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
This course comprises 4 hours of lectures, during which students are introduced to the basic concepts that define scientific museum institutions (status, typology, missions, public, collection, conservation, exhibition, education and study functions), as well as the related professions.
These lessons are followed by 11 hours in the field, during which students take guided tours of scientific collections and museums (Jardin des Plantes, Herbarium, Zoological Park, Aquarium, Museum, etc.), focusing on scenography, itineraries and mediation systems.
Quality management
ECTS
2 credits
Component
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
15h
Introduction to quality management: issues and principles, process approach, interested parties, measurement and improvement systems. The normative context and the ISO9001 standard: certification, accreditation, labeling. Quality and continuous improvement tools and methods: activity description, problem solving, performance analysis and improvement. Risk management: concepts and vocabulary, tools and methods for identifying and controlling risks.
Admission
Target audience
For entry into M1: Holders of a bachelor's degree in Life Sciences (e.g. Biology Ecology course or equivalent) or equivalent diploma
For entry into M2: Holders of an M1 in ecology or equivalent (e.g. engineering and veterinary school students)
And then
Further studies
Possible continuation in a PhD
Studying abroad
Possible continuation in a PhD
Bridges and reorientation
At the end of the Master 1 in Environmental and Biodiversity Management, the student who has acquired his or her 180 ECTS can request to be redirected towards another Master 2 course with a specialization in Environmental Management than the one in which he or she had applied to enter Master 1 (among Rainet', ComBiodiv, IEGB and AQUADURA). However, this reorientation will be subject to the approval of the pedagogical managers of the course in question.
Professional integration
Chercheur.se , chercheur.se teacher in public and private research organizations.
Scientific project manager in biodiversity conservation organizations developing high-level scientific programs, in France and internationally.