Contamination and trophic ecology of seabirds of the French metropolitan, overseas, subantarctic and Antarctic coasts
Pollution of ecosystems is considered a threat to both wildlife and human health, thus requiring environmental monitoring. Among the great diversity of pollutants, mercury (Hg), which is the subject of the Minamata Convention and whose emissions are regulated, is still considered to be one of the pollutants representing a major threat to public health. In addition, ecosystems are increasingly exposed to “emerging” compounds such as poly- and per-fluorinated substances (PFASs). These molecules are particularly persistent (‘Forever Chemicals’) in our environments and present ecotoxicological risks. In this context, it is essential to study the distribution of these compounds on the French territory.
Within the framework of the ANR ToxSeabird (O. Chastel), my thesis project aims to study the levels of PFASs and Hg in seabirds of the French coasts in relation with their feeding ecology. Indeed, these species are relevant bioindicators of the contamination of the marine environment as top predators in the trophic chain. The project gathers about forty species distributed on the whole French territory as well as on the French overseas territories (Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, French Guyana and Reunion Island) and the French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF). The first objective is to valorize the data acquired in the framework of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) on chicks in metropolitan colonies. The second objective is to evaluate the health status of certain species of breeding adults in various colonies in France and to make the link with their feeding ecology. Together, these objectives will allow us to map, on a large spatial scale, the contamination hotspots on the French coasts.
PhD student in the ECOPHY (CEBC) and AMARE (LIENSs) team (2022-2025).
Supervisors: Paco Bustamante (Littoral Environnements et Sociétés) and Olivier Chastel (CEBC)
Scientific leader: Alice Carravieri (LIENSs / CEBC)
Doctoral school: EUCLIDE (La Rochelle University).
Funding agency: ANR ToxSeabird
prescillia.lemesle(at)cnrs.fr
Tel : 06.32.54.85.95
