Study models: penguins, cormorants, petrels, barnacle goose

Research projects

For diving seabirds, the way of resources acquisition play a key role because of important constraints imposed by the marine environment. Our objectives are to study the feeding behaviour during at-sea foraging in relation with trophic al and physical characteristics of the prospected environment. This study is based on the use of various dataloggers measuring the depth and the duration of the divings, swim speed, acceleration and frequency of captures of preys.

One of its application is the development of bio indicators indices of the availability of the marine resources on which rely these predators.
 
 

Impacts of climatic variability on marine predators

This study is based on interannual monitoring of the foraging performances of penguins with telemetric instruments (Argos system, data acquisition system). During foraging trip at sea, the sensors measure the temperature of water masses and the depths prospected during dive. With in situ data , we can reconstitute the fishing effort of this predators in 3D as well as the profiles of temperature of prospected water masses. The use of diving animals as, autonomous and efficient vector of oceanographic instruments in order to collect hydrological data, allow us to study the impact of changes of hydrological structure on the foraging efforts of marine predators and resources distribution at a regional scale (Kerguelen and Crozet areas) (collaboration with l’OdyC Département Milieux et Peuplements Aquatiques). Thereafter, it will be possible to propose scenarios concerning the influence of the climate variations on the distribution of resources of Southern Ocean (pelagic fish).
 

Relations between foraging strategies, plasticity of life-history traits and oceanographic conditions

The objective is to study the relations between foraging strategies, plasticity of life-history traits and oceanographic conditions on various populations of the same species (penguins, cormorants, petrels). We study the adaptative value of different variations observed, as well as the character, inherited or phenotypic, of the variations observed between colonies.
 

Wintering strategies of the Barnacle Goose on the western coast of France

I also partici pate to the study of the energetic strategy during wintering of the Barnacle Goose, an arctic goose whose significant population winter on the Charente coastal. This work undertaken with H. Fritz (CEBC-CNRS), study the modes of exploitation of wintering resources and the links between plasticity in foraging strategy and fitness.