Biodiversity Science for humans and nature Number 13 AGROPOLIS INTERNATIONAL agriculture • food • biodiversity • environment Agropolis International Agropolis is an international campus devoted to agricultural and brings together institutions of environmental sciences. There is significant potential for scientific research and higher education and technological expertise: more than 2 200 scientists in over in Montpellier and Languedoc- 80 research units in Montpellier and Languedoc-Roussillon, Roussillon in partnership with including 300 scientists conducting research in 60 countries. local communities, companies and regional enterprises and in close cooperation with Agropolis International is structured according to a broad range of international institutions. research themes corresponding to the overall scientific, technological This scientific community and economic issues of development: has one main objective– • Agronomy and Mediterranean the economic and social and tropical agricultural production sectors development of Mediterranean • Biotechnology and food technology and tropical regions. • Biodiversity, natural resources and ecosystems • Water, environment and sustainable development Agropolis International • Societies and sustainable development is an international space open • Genomics and integrative plant and animal biology to all interested socioeconomic development stakeholders • Food and health in fields associated with • Food quality and safety agriculture, food production, biodiversity, environment and Agropolis International promotes the capitalisation and enhancement rural societies. of knowledge, personnel training and technology transfer. It is a hub for visitors and international exchanges, while promoting initiatives based on multilateral and collective expertise and contributing to the scientific and technological knowledge needed for preparing development policies. Biodiversity—Science for humans and nature Biodiversity—Science 2 Biodiversity research expertise in Montpellier and Languedoc- Biodiversity Roussillon Science for humans and nature The term ‘biodiversity’ designates the variety of life forms at all organization levels, including genes, populations, communities and ecosystems, as well as humans because of their interactions with all biodiversity components*. Foreword: Issues, approaches Page 4 The biodiversity research community of and prospects for biodiversity research Montpellier (France) represents—if Tour-du- Valat, Banyuls and Perpignan are included—an Page 6 exceptional group, with 31 research units pooling Origin and evolution of biodiversity over 1 200 scientists and 400 PhD candidates. Ecology, evolution and social science research that is carried out spans all biodiversity science fields, with substantial interest in terrestrial and Functional biodiversity Page 22 marine environments in Mediterranean and tropical regions. The presence of major international equipment Page 44 and facilities, such as the Ecotron, terrestrial and Societies and biodiversity marine research platforms and observatories, facilitates links between fundamental research and other types of research designed to address key questions put forward by our societies on Modelling—biodiversity scenarios Page 56 the impacts of global changes under way and sustainable use of living resources, health and infectious diseases, biodiversity conservation and human wellbeing. The presence of a strong Biodiversity—a citizen science Page 66 research community in social science fields— economy, anthropology, management of living resources and biodiversity—is also a unique feature of Montpellier. Topics covered Page 76 The Montpellier scientific community has by the research teams unprecedented skills and expertise concerning issues in Mediterranean and tropical countries, and many research organizations and higher Training Page 78 education institutions offering a broad range of MSc and PhD training courses are also present. at Agropolis International This community was first organized within a federative research institution, and now within the Montpellier-Environnement-Biodiversité List of acronyms Page 82 federative research structure, which encompasses and abbreviations 17 research units**. The new Mediterranean Center for Environment and Biodiversity (CEMeB), a French Laboratoire d'excellence (LaBEx) consisting of nine units, organizes research on biodiversity in Montpellier, while also developing and structuring training and transfer initiatives in favour of communities. Another unique feature of Montpellier is that there are direct links between the city, citizens On the cover and biodiversity scientists, including associations, Main photo: natural parks, gardens and various collaborative Three marbled newts, Forêt de Rambouillet (France) P. Zagatti © Fondation pour la Recherche sur la Biodiversité citizen science projects. Thumbnail photos (top to bottom): • Apiary work at INRA’s Abeilles et environnement laboratory – © INRA * Convention on Biological Diversity: www.cbd.int • Small-scale fisheries landing (Senegal) – P. Chavance © IRD ** Montpellier Biodiversité: www.biodiversite-montpellier.org • Apple cropping in the High Atlas mountain region – © P. Jouve • Terns nesting on a salt island in the Salins de Giraud salt marsh (France) D. Cohez © Tour du Valat • Coralligenous formation – © Déclic Bleu Méditerranée • Coralberry plants in a forest – © Parc national de la Guadeloupe • Bearded vulture in flight – P. Arsan © Parc national du Mercantour • Mating African malaria-vector mosquitoes (Anopheles gambiae), female left, male right – N. Rahola © IRD • Macracanthus (11 mm) – É. Baras © IRD summary The information presented in this Dossier was valid on 01/01/2011. Foreword Issues, approaches and prospects for biodiversity research lobal changes under way Agropolis International has Montpellier hosts the second (climate change, land federated a community of scientists largest museum collection in G use change, biological conducting research on this topic. France, including herbaria and invasions, etc.) are forcing scientists It is one of the largest in France, other collections (paleontological, and societies to question the and likely in Europe, in terms of the entomological, etc.), and it thus has future evolution of biodiversity: number of researchers, the scientific long historical ties with the Muséum Is it a crisis situation? What areas covered—generic (genomic, National d’Histoire Naturelle in are, and will be, the impacts of integrative biology, evolutionary Paris. This wealth and diversity major biodiversity erosion on and functional ecology, economic, will be showcased in a Dossier on services provided by ecosystems anthropological, etc.) and targeted ‘Collections and taxonomic resources’ and on human wellbeing? Is the (management of living resources, which is currently being edited as a economic development of societies aquaculture, fisheries, forestry, supplement to this Dossier. inconsistent with biodiversity agronomy, conservation, health, preservation? public policy, etc.)—and in terms The present Dossier illustrates of the variety of environments biodiversity research that has The fate of biodiversity is thus studied (tropical and Mediterranean, been carried out by the scientific on the agenda in large-scale terrestrial and marine) and community of Montpellier and international meetings (Earth experimental equipment and region with the aim of boosting Summit, Millennium Development facilities (experimental evolution, international awareness on this Goals, etc.), of international Ecotron, observatories, etc.). unique French research platform. agencies and organizations This research is described in four (International Union for Many researchers and teams are chapters, along with a final chapter Conservation of Nature, Food and closely involved in international describing research involving Agriculture Organization of the programmes and networks such joint participation of citizens and United Nations, World Bank, etc.) as the DIVERSITAS programme*, scientists: and major NGOs (Conservation the European Platform for International, World Wide Fund for Biodiversity Research Strategy* and Origin and evolution of Nature, World Conservation Society, the Intergovernmental Science- biodiversity: evolutionary science etc.). However, to be able to adapt Policy Platform on Biodiversity and aims to describe and understand to changes affecting biodiversity, Ecosystem Services*. diversification mechanisms in living it is essential to gain insight into organisms. Research in this field the mechanisms of its evolution, This scientific community, which is combines descriptions, theories functioning and interactions with very integrated in French national and experiments and, is supported human societies that benefit from networks, has close links with the by many technical platforms (gene Biodiversity—Science for humans and nature Biodiversity—Science its trove of ecological, cultural and Fondation pour la Recherche en sequencing, microtomography, 4 socioeconomic services. Biodiversité*. cytogenomics, chemical ecology, etc.). S. Morand © UMR ISEM S A Cambodian market. Functional biodiversity: Recherches Halieutiques in Sète to collect data and, in return, they understanding ecosystem for marine ecosystems) and in the should boost public awareness on the functioning may reveal links Mediterranean region (e.g. the OSU research that they carry out and the between biodiversity and services OREME observatory which is more