A l'UM la science [S02-ep05]: From invasive fish to the sensory analysis stage

This week on A l'UM la science,Isem researcher Rodolphe Gozlan talks about invasive species, and freshwater fish in particular. In the second half of the program, Eric Picou takes us on a tour of the sensory analysis platform at the Sciences pour l'œnologie laboratory. Finally, Sylvie Rapior talks about the Autumn Mushroom and Plant Show.

Today we tell you the story of a spectacular escape. We're in 19th-century Paris. The capital pulsates with its status as an empire. Great explorations and colonization open France up to the world. Scientists, naturalists and the general public are thrilled by the plant and animal species brought back from the four corners of the globe to fill museums and botanical gardens. At the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, a fish from North America is the talk of the town, with its funny cat-like whiskers. Only cat-like? Not really, because like any self-respecting feline, the catfish is a freedom-loving creature that doesn't let itself be confined so easily, and it was via the sewer system that this non-native species finally made its way to the Seine. A century later, our escapee proved to be more invasive than he appeared, and it's now in the pest category that this die-hard is to be found.

As you can imagine, today we're talking about invasive species, and freshwater fish in particular. Our guest is a researcher at the Institut des sciences de l'évolution in Montpellier. He has co-authored a review on the subject published in Annual Review of ecology, evolution and systematics.

In the second half of the program, we head for the La Gaillarde campus, where Eric Picou takes us on a tour of the sensory analysis platform at the Sciences pour l'œnologie laboratory. Here, a panel of experts is trained to measure and control the organoleptic characteristics of wines. Whether flowery, fruity, woody, toasty or empyreumatic, they all serve the objectives of numerous oenology research programs.

Last but not least, Sylvie Rapior, researcher at the Centre d'écologie fonctionnelle et évolutive, will be our last-minute guest, telling us about the Salon des champignons et des plantes d'automne (Autumn Mushroom and Plant Show ) to be held on Saturday and Sunday at the Faculty of Pharmacy.

At UM la science you've got the program, here we go!

Coproduction : Divergence FM / Université de Montpellier
Animation : Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview : Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Reportage : Aline Périault
Editing : Bruno Bertrand
Production : Adeline Floc'h

Listen to the program "A l'UM la science" on Divergence FM 93.9