Research team

FORSEAS

Biodiversity and Functioning of coastal ecosystems, Anthropogenic

Manager

Pascal CLAQUIN, Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
pascal.claquin@-Code to remove to avoid SPAM-unicaen.fr, +33 2 31 36 22 33

Team Members

Christelle CAPLAT, Assistant Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
christelle.caplat@-Code to remove to avoid SPAM-unicaen.fr, +33 2 31 56 52 97
Camille CARPENTIER, Doctoral student, , FORSEAS, MERSEA
Mathieu CHEVRETTE, Doctoral Student, , FORSEAS, MERSEA
Katherine COSTIL, Assistant Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
+33 2 31 56 58 28
Lise DELATTE, Doctoral student, , FORSEAS, MERSEA
Maël DELOOR, Research contract, FORSEAS, MERSEA
Maryline HOUSSIN, Associated research staff, FORSEAS, MERSEA
Fabian JEANNE, Research contract, FORSEAS, MERSEA
Alicia L. BRUZOS, Research contract, FORSEAS, MERSEA
Jean-Marc LEBEL, Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
+33 2 31 56 56 62
Amélie LEHUEN, Research contract, FORSEAS, MERSEA
Clara MASSINOT, Technician, FORSEAS, MERSEA
Isabelle MUSSIO, Assistant Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
Francis ORVAIN, Assistant Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
+33 2 31 56 51 16
Jean-Paul ROBIN, Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
+33 2 31 56 53 95
Anne-Marie RUSIG, Assistant Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
+33 2 31 56 65 79
Antoine SERPENTINI, Assistant Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
Pascal SOURDAINE, Professor, FORSEAS, MERSEA
Ines ZRIBI, Temporary Teaching and Research Attaché, FORSEAS, MERSEA
ines.zribi@-Code to remove to avoid SPAM-unicaen.fr

FORSEAS

General theme

The research team FORSEAS UR MERSEA focuses on thecoastal ecosystem of the Neck, characterized by gradients of human impact, with areas such as the Bay of the Seine highly affected by human activities. The research covers several issues related to the human impact, includingeutrophication, contaminants, and modification of habitats, in particular in the context of the development of offshore wind energy.

Projects are developed on the compartments of the pelagic and benthic integrating approaches ranging from the individual to the dynamics of populations and communities. Our work also examines the effects of thehuman impact and climate change on biodiversity, and the responses of marine organisms, by studying their ability toacclimation and the impacts on ecosystems and biological resources. The responses of organisms to contaminants, such as pesticides and metals, are tested on different species, while the effects of eutrophication on the primary producers are analyzed on the micro-and macroalgae.

In parallel, initiatives, ecological restoration, such as the restoration of mudflats in the estuary of the river Seine, and projects of bioremediation by macroalgae, are in progress. All of these approaches are deployed in a coordinated manner within the team to address the major issues related to the modification of habitats, in particular in the context of the urbanisation of coastal ecosystems in the Channel. These works are based on the average of the CREC-Marine Station of the University of Caen Normandy, on the analytical capacity of the US EMERDODE (UniCaen), on the national observation (IR ILICO), on projects of regional, national and european.

The work at the scale of coastal ecosystems normans allow us to respond to societal demands strong link with climate change, fisheries, aquaculture, invasive species etc,

The team is in parallel involved in research in the west Indies with a close partnership with the University of the west Indies for work related to the problems of ” Sargasso “, eutrophication and photobiology.

Areas of research

The team leads and work around the three forcings from anthropogenic major contaminants, eutrophication, and habitat changes, in the context of climate change. Two general questions can be released :

What are the capacities of acclimation of organisms and populations subjected to different environmental pressures ?

What are the effects of these forcings on the fundamental processes in the functioning of these ecosystems and biological resources ?

concretely, we are working on :

The responses of organisms and populations in the face of the contaminants

The responses to the pressures related to chemical contaminants (e.g. pesticides, additives, metals, microplastics) are studied on different biological models such as molluscs (bivalves and cephalopods), microalgae, echinoderms (sea urchins), elasmobranchs in considering indigenous species or introduced potentially invasive. These studies carried out in controlled conditions are used to measure the effects of acute or chronic condition mono-and/or multi-stress (e.g. coupling with environmental pressures such as changes in pH, temperature) on the different stages of life. The impacts of temperature and salinity on the physiology of a model elasmobranch will also be considered. In parallel, another approach (in-situ) is led from the study of natural populations and/or organizations transplanted into the natural environment impacted (bio-active). The desired effects are centered on the life history traits as well, and on the molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with the defense agencies, and the physiological state (immunity, reproduction, and metabolism). Beyond the physiological effects, the transfer of contaminants within food webs is also considered.

The responses of organisms to communities in the face of eutrophication

Eutrophication and in particular the input unbalanced nutrient salts N/P are studied on the different compartments of primary producers (phytoplankton, microphytobenthos, macroalgae). The expertise on the characterization of the sources of nitrogen, associated with the approaches ecophysiological and ecological, allows the team to (1) understand the impact of these contributions on the community structure and primary productivity of the environment, and 2) to work on trajectories and scenarios involving the variation of the contributions due to climate change and/or public policy. These works are based on strong powers in photobiology which integrate work in multi-scale biological, temporal and spatial, based on innovative methodologies.

These functional studies are applied to bioremediation by macroalgae (reducing N and P) in development, in Normandy, an integrated aquaculture sustainable.

The responses of populations and communities in the face of habitat changes.

Highly anthropized that we study are characterized by strong gradients of human impact induced by the fishing, the sea infrastructure (e.g. extensions port, rock, wind farms), by the erosion of mudflats and shoreline and by the alteration of the fund. In recent years, with different projects of our team caennaise have studied these issues on the coasts of normandy (Interreg COCKLES and CEPHS&HEADS, GIP ITS PHARESEE, Interreg MARINEFF). The opportunity to measure the effects of the change of the properties of the substrates on the biodiversity and productivity of the systems in a context of anthropisation growing, allowing the development of ambitious projects incorporating infrastructure development eco-design and restoration of ecosystems, while helping with studies spatialized for a better planning of thespace marine. The skills of the team in terms of ecological restoration will, for example, result in the framework of the project EVEREST by the restoration of intertidal mudflats of the estuary of the Seine, focusing on the ecological functions of major systems. This work hunched along with skills in modeling, which allow a better understanding of the regulation of the process hydrosédimentaires and biogeochemical related to the activity of the benthos.

Recent publications

Journal articles

2025

ref_biblio: Hervé, V., Morelle, J., Lambourdière, J., Lopez, P.J., & Claquin, P. (2025). Together throughout the year: seasonal patterns of bacterial and eukaryotic microbial communities in a macrotidal estuary. Environmental Microbiome, 20 (1), 8. <10.1186/s40793-025-00664-y>. <hal-04903207>.

ref_biblio: Jeanne, F., Pilet, S., Bernay, B., Lagadu, S., Delépée, R., Sourdaine, P., & Dufour, S. (2025). Characterization of a direct role of GnRHs in the control of spermiogenesis and steroidogenesis in the small-spotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 368, 114734. <10.1016/j.ygcen.2025.114734>. <hal-05048773>.

ref_biblio: Jeanne, F., Pilet, S., Combarnous, Y., Bernay, B., Dufour, S., Favrel, P., & Sourdaine, P. (2025, Jul). Pleiotropic signaling of single-chain thyrostimulin (GPB5-GPA2) on homologous glycoprotein hormone receptors (ScFSHR, ScLHR, ScTSHR) in the elasmobranch Scyliorhinus canicula reproduction. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 604, 112553. <10.1016/j.mce.2025.112553>. <hal-05044952>.

ref_biblio: Marcout, A., Gras, M., Foucher, E., & Robin, J.-P. (2025, Apr). Biological sampling at Port-en-Bessin fish market: assessing the diversity and size structure of squid and cuttlefish populations in the English Channel. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 105, e35. <10.1017/S0025315425000281>. <hal-05043037>.

ref_biblio: Marcout, A., Foucher, E., Pierce, G., & Robin, J.-P. (2025, Mar). Derivation of a standardized index to explore spatial, seasonal and between-year variation of squid (Loligo spp.) abundance in the English Channel. Fisheries Research, 285, 107333. <10.1016/j.fishres.2025.107333>. <hal-05041580>.

2024

ref_biblio: Jeanne, F., Pilet, S., Klett, D., Combarnous, Y., Bernay, B., Dufour, S., Favrel, P., & Sourdaine, P. (2024, Nov). Characterization of gonadotropins and their receptors in a chondrichthyan, Scyliorhinus canicula, fills a gap in the understanding of their coevolution. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 358, 114614. <10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114614>. <hal-04720812>.

ref_biblio: Larivain, A., Zatylny-gaudin, C., Gonzalez, E., Pierce, G., Power, A., & Robin, J.-P. (2024). Progress in the analysis of English Channel loliginid squid diets using DNA-metabarcoding techniques. Marine Biology, 171 (7), 135. <10.1007/s00227-024-04448-9>. <hal-04601649>.

ref_biblio: Lehuen, A., & Orvain, F. (2024, Feb). A cockle-induced bioturbation model and its impact on sediment erodibility: A meta-analysis. Science of the Total Environment, 912, 168936. <10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168936>. <hal-04356296>.

ref_biblio: Lehuen, A., Rose-marie, O., Zhengquan, Z., Jaco De, S., Lennart Van, I., Francesco, C., Tjeerd, B., & Francis, O. (2024, Aug). Multispecies macrozoobenthic seasonal bioturbation effect on sediment erodibility. Journal of Sea Research (JSR), 201, 102525. <hal-04608768>.

ref_biblio: Marcout, A., Foucher, E., Pierce, G.J., & Robin, J.-P. (2024). Impact of environmental conditions on English Channel long-finned squid (Loligo spp.) recruitment strength and spatial location. Frontiers in Marine Science, 11, 1433071. <10.3389/fmars.2024.1433071>. <hal-04691689>.

ref_biblio: Raoux, A., Salaün, J., Pezy, J.-P., Vivier, B., Navon, M., Deloor, M., Claquin, P., Pioch, S., Niquil, N., & Dauvin, J.-C. (2024). Trophic Modelling, a Key Framework to Provide Adapted Metrics to Feedback Ecological Performance of Artificial Structures. SSRN : Social Science Research Network. <10.2139/ssrn.4711725>. <hal-04730328>.

ref_biblio: Raoux, A., Salauen, J., Pezy, J.-P., Vivier, B., Navon, M., Deloor, M., Claquin, P., Pioch, S., Niquil, N., & Dauvin, J.-C. (2024). A trophic modelling framework: Key metrics for the ecological assessment of artificial structures. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 80. <10.1016/j.rsma.2024.103890>. <hal-05060957>.

ref_biblio: Slaby, S., Geffard, A., Fisson, C., Bonnevalle-normand, M., Allonier-fernandes, A.-S., Amara, R., Bado-nilles, A., Bonnard, I., Bonnard, M., Burlion-giorgi, M., Cant, A., Catteau, A., Chaumot, A., Costil, K., Coulaud, R., Delahaut, L., Diop, M., Duflot, A., Geffard, O., Jestin, E., Le Foll, F., Le Guernic, A., Lopes, C., Palos-ladeiro, M., Peignot, Q., Poret, A., Serpentini, A., Tremolet, G., Turiès, C., & Xuereb, B. (2024, May). Advancing environmental monitoring across the water continuum combining biomarker analysis in multiple sentinel species: A case study in the Seine-Normandie Basin (France). Journal of Environmental Management, 358, 120784. <10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120784>. <hal-04542022>.

ref_biblio: Taormina, B., Leclerc, J.-C., Rusig, A.-M., Navon, M., Deloor, M., Claquin, P., & Dauvin, J.-C. (2024, Oct). Diversity and structure of epibenthic communities across subtidal artificial hard habitats in the Bay of Cherbourg (English Channel). Biofouling, 1-15. <10.1080/08927014.2024.2419572>. <hal-04761463>.

Conference papers

2024

ref_biblio: Trancart, S., Oden, E., & Houssin, M. (2024, Jun). Genetics for the epidemiology of the oyster herpes virus OsHV-1 in Magallana gigas. Paper presented at the XIIe journée scientifique de l’association HerPAs, Tours, France. <hal-04616683>.

ref_biblio: Voisin, A., Gailhard-rocher, I., Lheureux, A., Jude-lemeilleur, F., Costes, L., Mornet, L., Lequeux, J., Labourdette, N., Nowaczyck, A., Parra, R., Meteigner, C., Rumebe, M., Rigouin, L., Gouriou, L., Ganthy, F., Antajan, E., Savoye, N., Lemoine, M., Claquin, P., Lefebvre, A., Sautour, B., & Del Amo, Y. (2024, Nov). Evolution long-terme des communautés planctoniques autotrophes dans les écosystèmes côtiers : tendances pluriannuelles. Paper presented at the EVOlution à Long terme des Ecosystèmes COtiers (EVOLECO), Plouzané, France. <hal-04963371>.

Other publications

2024

ref_biblio: Savoye, N., Lizon, F., Breton, E., Claquin, P., Joly, O., Sultan, E., Bozec, Y., Jung, J.-L., Boulard, C., Rimmelin-maury, P., Leynart, A., Agogué, H., Pineau, P., Del Amo, Y., Conan, P., Mostajir, B., Grégori, G., Mousseau, L., & Fabrice, M. (2024). SOMLIT (Service d'Observation en Milieu Littoral) time series (French Research Infrastructure ILICO): long-term core parameter monitoring of French coasts. <10.17882/100323>. <hal-04780540>.

Theses

2024

ref_biblio: Jeanne, F. (2024, Nov). Evolution of GnRH and glycoprotein hormone systems in endocrine and paracrine controls of spermatogenesis in the catshark, Scyliorhinus canicula. <tel-04822856>.

Preprints, Working Papers, ...

2024

ref_biblio: Lehuen, A., Dancie, C., Grasso, F., Smolders, S., Cozzoli, F., & Orvain, F. (2024, Sep). A novel quantile regression approach to define optimal ecological niche: a case study on habitat suitability of cockle populations (Cerastoderma edule). <10.12770/8f5ec053-52c8-4120-b031-4e4b6168ff29>. <hal-04438267>.

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