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A conference on marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean

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Join us this Thursday, June 8—World Oceans Day—for the presentation of the BioDivMed 2023 Scientific Mission. This conference on marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean will be presented at Planet Ocean in Montpellier by David Mouillot, a marine biology researcher at the MARBEC laboratory at the University of Montpellier, in the presence of Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, Alicia Dalongeville and Benjamin Allégrini (SpyGen), Pierre Boissery (Water Agency) and sailors, and Anthony Maire (EDF). Far from being a simple presentation of techniques and results, this conference will be structured around five short presentations, each followed by a discussion with the audience.

© Greg Lecoeur

About BioDivMed 2023

What is the goal of the BioDivMed Mission? To identify and better understand the distribution of fish, crustacean, and marine mammal species, and then create a detailed, high-resolution map of marine biodiversity. To achieve this, environmental DNA (eDNA) technology will be used to enable a standardized inventory of the Mediterranean, conducted in a synchronized manner through four sampling campaigns: over four months, more than 700 eDNA filtrations will be carried out in marine and brackish waters spanning over 2,000 kilometers.

DNA metabarcoding is a new technology that enables the assessment of aquatic biodiversity through the DNA traces left by species in their environment. The filtration and analysis of environmental DNA enable the detection of numerous species and thus hold great potential for developing a new generation of indicators of the health of marine waters under human impact or subject to protective measures. Never before has such a synchronized and standardized inventory of marine biodiversity been undertaken on French territory.

This unprecedented effort stems from the collaboration and synergy of four oceanographic expeditions scheduled for this year between May and August 2023:

  • PISCIS, a monitoring program assessing the health of Posidonia and coralligenous seagrass beds, carried out on behalf of the Water Agency by Andromède Océanologie; 
  • PIAF, a study of marine life in soft and sandy substrates; PIAF is coordinated by the University of Montpellier; 
  • The OceanoScientific Expedition, which will sail along the Mediterranean coast from the Italian border to the Spanish border to collect DNA samples; to educate and raise awareness about issues related to the ocean and its biodiversity by organizing the "Tour Mer & Métiers" as part of the Exemplary Mediterranean Coastline – Famex 2030 program;
  • The Pelagos Expedition organized by the We are Méditerranée association, whose goal is to study marine life in the pelagic zone, particularly within the Pelagos Sanctuary, a marine protected area (MPa) designed to protect marine mammals within a triangle formed by the French and Italian mainland, with Corsica at its apex.

Thanks to this collaboration, an initial map of marine biodiversity (with a resolution of 10 kilometers) will be made available to all stakeholders and managers of coastal and marine areas on the Medtrix and Vigilife Maps platforms (the Global Living Observatory, of which the University of Montpellier and SpyGen are two founding members) in 2024.

Key dates of the operation

  • April 27, 2023: Launch of the PIAF program from Carnon.
  • May 9, 2023: Launch of the Pelagos expedition from the port of Nice.
  • May 20, 2023: Launch ofthe OceanoScientific Expeditionfrom Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône.
  • June 6, 2023: Launch of the PISCIS program from Carnon.
  • June 8, 2023: Presentation of the BioDivMed 2023 Mission in Montpellier, attended by partners and the press.
  • June 8, 2024: Presentation of the final results and a map of marine biodiversity in the French Mediterranean.

DNA: An Innovative Technique for Assessing Marine Biodiversity

© Laure Velez

Until now, monitoring marine wildlife has primarily relied on techniques such as fishing, visual surveys conducted by divers or using underwater cameras, and acoustic methods. However, these techniques are invasive or even destructive and do not provide a complete picture, as many species go undetected because they are elusive, too small, or rare.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a new technology that makes it possible to assess aquatic biodiversity by analyzing DNA traces collected from the environment. In fact, all species constantly secrete fluids and cells containing DNA that can persist in the environment for several hours. These eDNA traces are used to identify all species within a given taxonomic group present in the studied environment using a metabarcoding technique. For more information on the technology, click here.

Practical information:

  • Date: Thursday, June 8, 2023.
  • Location: Planet Ocean in Montpellier.
  • Registration: here.
  • For more information: click here.