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A conference on marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean

[] - Published on in Press Room

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, 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), 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 objective of the BioDivMed Mission? To determine and better understand the occurrence of fish, crustacean, and marine mammal species, then establish a detailed map of marine biodiversity. To do 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 a period of four months, more than 700 eDNA filtrations will be carried out in marine and brackish waters spanning more than 2,000 kilometers.

eDNA metabarcoding is a new technology that enables the inventorying of aquatic biodiversity via DNA traces left by species in their environment. The filtration and analysis of eDNA enables the detection of numerous species and therefore offers great potential for developing a new generation of indicators of the health of marine waters under human impact or protection measures. Never before has such a synchronized and standardized inventory in favor of marine biodiversity been undertaken on French territory.

This unprecedented effort is the result of collaboration and synergy between four oceanographic campaigns planned for this year between May and August 2023:

  • PISCIS, a campaign to monitor the health of Posidonia and coralligenous seagrass beds, implemented on behalf of the Water Agency by Andromède océanologie; 
  • PIAF, a study of marine life in soft and sandy substrates, is coordinated by the University of Montpellier; 
  • The OceanoScientific Expeditionwill travel along the Mediterranean coastline from the Italian border to the Spanish border to collect eDNA samples; to inform and raise awareness about issues relating to the ocean and its biodiversity by carrying out the Sea & Professions Tour of the Exemplary Mediterranean Coastline program – Famex 2030;
  • The Pelagos expedition by the We are Méditerranée association, whose ambition is to study marine life in the pelagic zone, particularly that of the Pelagos sanctuary, a marine protected area (MPA) aimed at protecting marine mammals in a triangle comprising the French and Italian continents and including Corsica at its apex.

Thanks to this cooperation, 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 Observatory of Life, of which the University of Montpellier and SpyGen are two of the 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 in the presence of partners and the press.
  • June 8, 2024: presentation of final results and a map of French Mediterranean marine biodiversity.

eDNA: an innovative technique for cataloging marine biodiversity

© Laure Velez

Until now, marine wildlife monitoring has mainly relied on techniques such as fishing, visual surveys using diving and underwater cameras, or acoustics. However, these techniques are invasive, even destructive, and incomplete, as many species are not detected because they are elusive, too small, or rare.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a new technology that allows aquatic biodiversity to be inventoried using DNA traces collected from the environment. All species constantly secrete fluids and cells that contain DNA that can persist in the environment for several hours. These eDNA traces are used to identify all species of a given taxonomic group present in the environment studied 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.
  • Additional information: here.