Research Environmental Research Observatory (OREME)
OREME focuses its scientific activities on natural hazards and the impact of global and anthropogenic changes on the Mediterranean region, drawing on the scientific and technical expertise of its partners in the fields of geosciences, hydrosciences, biodiversity sciences, and ecology.
Its mission is:
- to support systematic observation activities or their development in the fields of astronomy and environmental science;
- to support the development of open, shared environmental databases that are internationally referenced;
- to encourage the sharing of analytical tools (observation, experimentation, modeling) and expertise;
- to serve as the local hub for national observation networks and to establish itself as a key player in environmental initiatives focused on the Mediterranean.
OREME therefore focuses on three fundamental questions:
- the causes and assessment of natural and human-induced hazards and disturbances;
- the documentation of recent and ongoing global changes, their links to anthropogenic factors, and in particular changes in land use in the Mediterranean region;
- the response of the systems and mechanisms involved.
Drawing on the educational resources of the University of Montpellier to fulfill its educational mission, OREME focuses on its ability to mobilize extensive, long-term observational resources and recognized scientific and technical expertise on a wide range of aspects of the Mediterranean’s physical, chemical, and biological environment:
- Geodesy, Gravimetry, and Deformation of the Earth and Its Surface;
- hydrogeological, hydrological, and geophysical monitoring of aquifers, particularly karst aquifers;
- monitoring of the Languedoc coastline, the interface between the watershed and the marine environment, the coastline;
- pollution and biological adaptability downstream of former mining sites;
- flow measurements (CO2, water, gas) and ecosystem functioning;
- phenology of terrestrial flora and fauna;
- the dynamics of animal and plant communities;
- population dynamics of model organisms.
It is also home to three major regional research centers: GLADYS, which focuses on integrated coastal studies; AETE, which specializes in water pollution analysis; and the Sète Marine Station (SMEL).
OREME’s continuous monitoring enables the collection and dissemination of data on environmental change at the national and international levels, as well as the conduct of basic and applied research.
Label:Support and Research Unit Research UAR)
Primary sponsoring organizations: CNRS, UM, INRAE, IRD
Research cluster:Agriculture, Environment, Biodiversity – AEB
HAL portal: the unit’s publications
