BIODIVERSITY of CORAL REEFS - CNRS

Groupement De Recherche International (GDRI) 

«BIODIVERSITE DES RECIFS CORALLIENS» 

International Research Network 

«BIODIVERSITY of CORAL REEFS» 

Restitution Workshop of GDRI 

«Biodiversity of corals reefs» 

December 18-20th, 2013 

Paris, Aquarium de la porte dorée, France

Photographie Thomas Vignaud

Welcome 

GDRI Restitution Workshop 

December 18-20, 2013, Paris, France 

We are delighted and pleased to welcome you to the final restitution workshop of the GDRI (International 

Research Network) entitled «Biodiversity of coral reefs» sponsored by the National Center of Scientific 

Research (CNRS), the Center of Insular Research and Environment Observatory (CRIOBE), the Total 

Foundation, the Labex «CORAIL» and the Aquarium de la Porte Dorée. 

We would like to thank many people for their time and help to support and organize this event. We also 

would like to thank all the participants from France but also from foreign countries that are attenting this 

workshop. We also hope that the scientific network established during this event will promote a fruitful 

interaction between young scientifics, that will definitely contribute to implement knowledge on the 

biodiversity of coral reefs in the coming years. 

This workshop will provide on overview of the research performed on coral reefs. The topics of this GDRI 

workshop entitled «Biodiversity of coral reefs» are: 

- Axe 1 : Fragmentation, resilience et vulnerability of coral reef ecosystems 

- Axe 2 : Diversity of physiological processes in calcifying organisms 

- Axe 3 : Impact of micro-organisms on the function of coral reefs 

- Axe 4 : Chemical mediation in coral reefs 

- Axe 5 : Economical evaluation, patrimonial value and governance 

We would like to thank you all for your participation to this event and we hope that this international 

network that was generated by the GDRI «Biodiversity of Coral reefs» will not end with this restitution 

workshop, but in contrary that this event will create and/or reinforce the links among scientists from various 

disciplinaries and will hopefully last for years. 

Best Regards 

Serge Planes 

Director of the CRIOBE

Vue aérienne du CRIOBE à Moorea, Polynésie française 

Centre de Recherches Insulaires et 

OBservatoire de l’Environnement

Organizing Committee 



Dr Serge Planes 

CNRS Research Director 

Director of the CRIOBE 

USR3278 EPHE CNRS, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence 

«CORAIL», Perpignan, France 

Dr. Serge Planes has been involved in the study of population 

genetics of marine fish since the beginning of his career that 

started with his PhD in 1989. His early work suggested that 

coral reef fish populations are much more limited in space 

than was generally believed prior to the early 90’s. Most of the 

recent work using both genetic markers and other techniques 

has confirmed Dr. Planes’ view that marine populations 

conform to a stepping stone model, with limited gene flow 

occurring between adjacent populations and most renewal 

being from self-recruitment. Significant works have 

demonstrated the predominance of self-recruitment, using 

parentage analysis. This view has major implications for 

conservation planning. Over the past 20 years, he has 

published more than 150 papers in international journals 

dealing with the population genetics of coral reef fishes as 

well as ecology, ecology of marine protected areas and 

recruitment of marine fishes. 

Presently Dr. Serge Planes is directing the CRIOBE (USR 

3278 CNRS EPHE) as well as the Institute for Coral Reef of 

the Pacific (IRCP) and the LABEX “CORAIL” awarded in 2011 

for 10 years, this being the major structural framework for 

research on coral reef ecology in France. 

Dr Laetitia Hédouin 

CNRS Researcher 

USR3278 EPHE CNRS, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence 

«CORAIL», Perpignan, France 

Laetitia graduated her PhD degree in 2006 from the University 

of La Rochelle. Her PhD research investigated the 

characterization of tropical organisms as bioindicators of 

metal pollution in the lagoon of New Caledonia. After that, 

she joined the laboratory of Dr RD Gates at the Hawaii 

Institute of Marine Biology as postdoctoral fellow funded by 

the Local Action Strategy of Hawaii and the United Stated 

Geological Survey. She worked on the developement of 

indicators of coral health, using changing in coral ecology, 

physiology and histology as tool to identify which tools or set 

of tools are the most appropriate to investigate change in 

corals impacted by land-based pollution. She also worked on 

the response of corals to metal toxicity assessing whether 

adults or early life stages are the most senstive to stress. 

In 2010, she joined the Center of Insular Research and 

Environment Observatory (CRIOBE) as a postdoctoral fellow, 

and in 2011 she was hired by the CNRS as researcher to 

work at the CRIOBE. Since then, she is working in French 

Polynesia on the response of corals to various stressors, 

using either sexual reproduction as an indicator of coral 

health, or as a tool to better understand the resistance of 

coral throughout their life cycle.

Photographie Thomas Vignaud

Special Guest 



Dr René Bally 

Research Director at the CNRS, René Bally was director of the Direction of Research Programs and Capacity-Building for 

the development in South countries (DPF) of AIRD (Agence Inter-établissements de Recherche pour le Développement), 

from 2011 to 2013. 

Former Deputy Scientific Director of the Institute of Ecology and Environment at the CNRS, in charge of the biodiversity, 

ecology of health and ultra-marine from 2009 to 2011, he was also Deputy Scientific Director at the department of Life 

Sciences and at the department of Environment and sustainable development of CNRS from 2006 to 2009. 

From 1999 to 2003, he was the director of the Federative Institute of Research Sciences and Methods of Ecology and 

Evolution (IFR 41) at the University of Lyon 1 and at the INSA of Lyon. From 2003 to 2011, he led the research unit of 

Microbial Ecology (UMR 5557 CNRS INRA-University Lyon 1- National School of Veterinary of Lyon), specialized in the 

study of microbial ecosystems and their role in the interaction of micro-organisms-plants. In 2003, he was the Director of the 

interdisciplinary research program “Fundamental Microbiology “ of the CNRS. 

Author of more than 120 scientific articles and 3 patents, he isolated and characterized many “rhizospheric bacteria” and 

studied the mechanisms of interactions with their host. Among his main results, he discovered the first “bacterial laccase”, 

one bacterial inhibitor of parasite plants of cereals, and developed several bacterial inoculants to improve the growth of 

plants (especially cereals). 

René Bally took actively part to the works of the “alliances Aviesan and AllEnvi”, he was an expert in the working group 

Toxicology-Ecology of the Minister of Research and in the working group of the Foundation for Research on Biodiversity 

(FRB). He is a member of numerous scientific committees (CS of Lascaux) and steering committees programs (ANR, 

CNRS).

GDRI «BIODIVERSITY OF CORAL REEFS», 18-20 December 2013 

PROGRAM 



MERCREDI 18TH DECEMBER 2013 

TIME Topic Presenter 

9.30 am Registration and Coffee 

10.00 am Welcome and Official Opening 

11.00 am Axis 1. Fragmentation, resilience and connectivity of coral reefs 

12.30 am Lunch 

Scale, function and resilience of coral reefs 

Herbivory, diversity, and the resilience of coral reef ecosystems: 

beyond functional groups 

Generalist vs specialist species in the fragmentation and 

resilience debate 

Kirsty Nash 

Thomas Adam 

Michel Kulbicki 

2.00 pm Life on the edge: Optimal temperatures for aerobic performance 

of equatorial reef fishes are close to current day temperatures 

4.00 pm Coffee Break 

The vulnerability framework indicates alternative global protection 

priorities for coral reef fishes 

Pattern of morpho-functional diversification of damselfishes 

(Pomacentridae) 

The behavioural ecology of reef sharks 

A ten year study of individual-based genetic monitoring reveals 

the importance of self-recruitment for persistence of reef fish 

populations 

The origin and evolution of Indo-Pacific marine biodiversity, as 

illustrated by comparative phylogeography of ophiruroids and 

hydroids 

Jodie Rumer 

Valeriano Parravicini 

Bruno Frederich 

Johann Mourier 

Océane Salles 

Emilie Boissin 

4.30 pm Discussion and Synthesis on Axis 1: where we are, where we go? 

5.30 pm End 

7 -9 pm Welcoming Buffet in the Aquarium de la Porte Dorée


PROGRAM 



THURSDAY 19TH DECEMBER 2013 


8.30 am Axis 2. Diversity of physiological processes in calcifying organisms 

10.00 am Coffee Break 

Study of coral biomineralization via stable isotope labeling and 

NanoSIMS ion-microprobe imaging 

Photosynthesis and calcification of the hermatypic coral 

Acropora muricata facing global change and anthropogenic 

impacts 

Corals going beyond borders, characteristics and role of highlatitudes 

coral communities 

Caribbean Scleractinian corals: larval development and 

settlement 

Chloé Brahmi 

Anne Chauvin 

Vianney Denis 

Jean-Philippe Maréchal 

10.30 am Sexual reproduction in coral : a strategy to adapt to change? Lola Massé 

Fluorescent census and DNA barcoding: useful tools for the 

identification of coral recruits 

Rythmic monthly planulation of scleractinian corals in captivity 

Hsu Chia-Min 

Isabelle Domart-Coulon 

11.30 am Discussion and Synthesis on Axis 2: where we are, where we go? 


2.00 pm Axis 3. Impact of micro-organisms on the function of coral reefs 

& Axis 4. Chemical mediation in coral reefs 

4.00 pm Coffee break 

Partitioning of Coral-Symbiodinium interactions across taxa, 

location and environment 

Origine of the symbiosis in tropical corals and evolution in a 

changing environment 

Unusual algal symbionts in Symbiodinium clade D dominate 

Montipora circumvallata, a resilient coral species on an 

exposed reef flat at Réunion Island 

A global metabolomic approach to discriminate stressed from 

heallthy corals 

Metabolomic as a tool to investigate abiotic stress on hard 

corals 

Hollie Putnam 

Leila Meistertzheim 

Mireille Guillaume 

Fahoullia Mohamadi 

Isabelle Bonnard 

4.30 pm Discussion and Synthesis on Axis 3 & 4 : where we are, where we go? 

5.30 pm End


PROGRAM 



FRIDAY 20TH DECEMBER 2013 


10.00 am Axis 5. Economical evaluation, patrimonial value and governance 

11.00 am Coffee Break 

The achievements of the axis 5: The contributions of the 

humanities and social sciences to the GDRI biodiversity of 

coral reefs 

Modeling coastal socio-ecological systems: application to the 

coral reef ecosystem of Moorea Island, French Polynesia 

Popular nomenclature and perceptions of seabeds and 

gorgonian corals among workers of the sea in Guadeloupe 

island (French West Indies) 

Nathalie Hilmi 

Pierre Leenhardt 

Véronique Philippot 

11.30 am Discussion and Synthesis on Axis 5: where we are, where we go? 


2.00 pm General discussion and synthesis 

4.00 pm End


Presenters to the GDRI Workshop 

This GDRI event entitled «Biodiversity of Coral Reefs» will be the final restitution workshop for scientists in Paris, 

18-20 december 2013. This restitution wish to promote the input of the GDRI into its action towards young scientists 

involved in each partners. Therefore this final workshop provide the opportunity to young researchers (PhD students, 

postdoctoral researchers, and young faculty members) from France and other countries to discuss their research on 

coral reefs. The goal of this workshop will be to provide a synthesis of the coral reef research related to the 5 topics of 

the GDRI but also to enhance international networking and encouraging collaborative research for those in the early 

stages of their career. 

The topics of this GDRI workshop entitled «Biodiversity of coral reefs» are: 

- Axe 1 : Fragmentation, resilience et vulnerability of coral reef ecosystems 

- Axe 2 : Diversity of physiological processes in calcifying organisms 

- Axe 3 : Impact of micro-organisms on the function of coral reefs 

- Axe 4 : Chemical mediation in coral reefs 

- Axe 5 : Economical evaluation, patrimonial value and governance

Presenters 

ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY 

ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Adam Thomas 

Postdoctoral Fellow 

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Miami, Florida, United States 

I am a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International 

University in Miami, Florida. My research aims to understand the ecological and physical processes 

that structure coral reef ecosystems, especially those that facilitate or prevent recovery of these systems 

to a coral-dominated state following disturbances. I am currently working in two systems, one in the 

Caribbean and one in the Indo-Pacific, which offer complementary perspectives. In the Pacific, I am 

studying the processes that confer resilience to the coral reefs in Moorea, French Polynesia, which have 

repeatedly recovered from major disturbances during the past several decades. In contrast, my work in 

the Caribbean is aimed at better understanding the factors that have prevented coral recovery on many 

reefs throughout the region during the same time period. Work in both systems highlights the critical 

role of herbivory, and much of my research has focused on understanding the impacts of herbivorous 

fishes on benthic communities. 

Herbivory, diversity, and the resilience of coral reef ecosystems: beyond functional 

groups 

Herbivores on coral reefs can prevent the establishment and proliferation of macroalgae that hinder the re-colonization of corals following a 

disturbance. On most coral reefs, algae are grazed by a diverse assemblage of herbivorous fishes and invertebrates. While much progress 

has been made in elucidating the unique functional roles played by these different herbivores, very little is known about how herbivores 

respond to disturbance—including the level of response diversity present within different functional groups. Here, I use a case study of a 

resilient coral reef in Moorea, French Polynesia to highlight the dynamic nature of herbivory on coral reefs. I then outline a conceptual 

framework that reveals the critical importance of understanding links between herbivore functional and response diversity for predicting the 

resilience of coral reef ecosystems. 

Dr Boissin Emilie 


USR3278 EPHE CNRS, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Perpignan, France 

My research focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying the current distribution of 

biodiversity. I use an array of disciplines (phylogeny, phylogeography and population genetics) and 

methodologies to study the triggers of diversification. The role of life history traits on genetic diversity 

and speciation processes has been a big component of my studies through the diverse array of larval 

type (brooding species, species with lecithotrophic or planktothrophic larvae) and mode of reproduction 

(sexual: selfing and outcrossing; and asexual: clonality) of the models I studied. More recently, I 

investigated the effects of palaeoclimatic changes and linked sea-level fluctuations on genetic diversity. I 

started on single species studies and now turned towards comparative multispecies approaches to avoid 

biases linked to generalization from single species. I worked on various organisms (fishes, crustaceans, 

echinoderms, hydrozoans, fungi and wasps) but now focus on more understudied groups: ophiuroids 

and hydroids. 

The origin and evolution of Indo-Pacific marine biodiversity as illustrated by comparative 

phylogeography of ophiuroids and hydroids 

In recent years, an increasing number of studies emphasized the need to conserve not only biodiversity but the processes that created it. 

However, deciphering such processes can be hampered by cryptic diversity. Sister species and recent speciation events represent, nevertheless, 

the insurance that signals have not been blurred over time by other mechanisms. By revealing cryptic diversity, large scale DNA barcoding 

surveys are therefore a prerequisite to any attempt to understand the dynamics of biodiversity. Here, I present an overview of our work on 

Indo-Pacific ophiuroids and hydroids using DNA barcoding and a comparative phylogeography framework. This work has highlighted the 

respective roles of oceanography, palaeoclimatic fluctuations and dispersal abilities on diversification patterns. It also emphasized (i) the 

problems arising from cryptic diversity when trying to decipher patterns of biodiversity and (ii) the importance of obtaining a temporal 

perspective using coalescent-based methods. The southwestern Indian Ocean was revealed as an evolutionary hotspot for both hydroids and 

ophiuroids and the Indo-Pacific barrier appears to have acted as a speciation pump through the Plio-Pleistocene epoch. This work set the 

foundations for a starting project on fire corals, Millepora spp. I will stress the exciting new possibilities arising from recently developed 

methodologies in the testing of different putative scenarios explaining Indo-Pacific biodiversity patterns.

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Bonnard Isabelle 

Assistant Professor 

Laboratoire de Chimie des Biomolécules et de l’Environnement , Perpignan, France 

Isabelle Bonnard obtained her academic degrees and PhD (in 1996) from the University of Perpignan 

after a specialization in marine chemistry at the University of Brittany. In the continuity of her thesis on 

the isolation and structural detemination of laxaphycins, marine cyclic lipopeptides from cyanobacterial 

origine (under the supersvision of Dr Bernard Banaigs and Prof. Christian Francisco), she joined the 

team of Prof. Kenneth Rinehart, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA), for a 

postdoctoral period (1997-1998), working on new saponins from holothuries and studying 

configurational structure of the marine depsipeptide Kahalalide F. She appointed as lecturer in 1998 at 

the University of La Réunion, developping marine natural products isolation from diverse marine 

organisms of the Mascareign Area and structural elucidation of isolated compounds. Then she moved 

in 2004 at the "Chimie des Biomolécules et de l'Environnement" laboratory, University of Perpignan 

Via Domitia (UPVD), focusing her research interest on chemical ecology. She is currently chairing the 

Department of Chemistry at the UPVD. 

Metabolomics as a tool to investigate abiotic stress on hard corals 

Amongst all –omics technologies, metabolomics is the most transversal and widely applicable to different organisms of all those reviewed. 

Metabolites reflect the integration of gene expression, protein interaction and other different regulatory processes. 

In this project, we focused our interest on reef builder hard corals living in symbiosis with microalgae (the zooxanthella). Periods of stress 

usually resulted in perturbation or symbiosis disruption which can be visualized by coral bleaching. The metabolome observation must make 

it possible to propose an image of the holobionte’s physiological condition and to characterize the variations of the physiological condition 

in response to environmental stressors . Our goal is to use a metabolomic approach to highlight the metabolite implication in the response of 

hard corals to environmental perturbations. Two stress experiments in aquaria were conducted on Stylophora pistillata and analyzed using 

metabolomic tools. A light stress experiment was performed by the Centre Scientifique de Monaco and a thermal stress was 

conducted in the aquarium of Canet en Roussillon. Liquid chromatography separation with mass spectrometer detection was 

used to collect metabolic fingerprints of corals hydroalcoolic and organic extracts. Then metabolic profiles were processed by 

XCMS pre-treatment tool and various statistical analysis (ACP, PLS-DA). Preliminary results show that the metabolomic tool 

can be successfully applied to define metabolic markers shifted during experimental stress. 

Dr Brahmi Chloe 


UMR 7159 IPSL-Ocean, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France 

I am currently a postdoctoral research at the IRD (Bondy, France). I completed my PhD work at the 

“Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle” in 2012 (Paris, France). My work focused on the biological 

mechanisms involved in coral skeleton formation (i.e., biomineralization), with the observation of trace 

element composition heterogeneities at the level of individual coral polyp skeletal structures and their 

correlation to differences in skeletal extension rate and tissue composition. Then, I redirected my postdoctoral 

research to work on the impacts of boring micro-organisms (i.e., euendolithic micro-algae, fungi, 

cyanobacteria) on structural and geochemical composition of coral skeleton, as these endolithic organisms, 

via their metabolic and calcifying activities, may affect coral geochemical signatures. The main aim of these 

studies is to better understand the impact of “vital effects” and secondary alterations due to early diagenesis 

(here, micro-bioerosion) on structural and geochemical composition of aragonitic corals in order to fully 

constrain the origin of the significant elemental and isotopic heterogeneities observed within their skeleton 

which are known to bias paleo-environmental reconstructions. In turn, this should help improving their 

reliability as tools for climate change studies. 

Study of coral biomineralization via stable isotope labeling and NanoSIMS ion microprobe 

imaging 

Scleractinian corals build aragonitic calcium carbonate skeletons (CaCO3). The processes by which the skeletal microstructures and 

composition are controlled are still poorly understood. One obstacle has been the lack of a method to study the growth dynamics on the submicrometer 

length scales on which individual structural components form. An experimental method to label marine biocarbonates - with 

high spatial and temporal resolution - was developed based on a concentration enrichment of a minor stable isotope of a trace element (a 

natural component of seawater). This biocarbonate was subsequently imaged with a NanoSIMS ion microprobe to visualize the locations of 

the isotopic marker, permitting resolution of all ultra-structural details. Ecotoxicological assays performed on labeled corals indicated that 

physiological processes were not perturbed by the experimental procedures. 

The method opens up new horizons in the study of biocarbonate formation because it holds the potential to observe growth of calcareous 

structures formed by a wide range of organisms under essentially unperturbed physiological conditions. 

!

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Chauvin Anne 

PhD Student 

Ecomar - FRE CNRS 3560, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», La Réunion, France 

I am currently a PhD student at the Marine Ecology lab (ECOMAR) of the University of La Réunion 

in the southwestern of Indian Ocean. I will defend my PhD early December 2013. I work on coral reefs 

ecology and particularly on interactions between global change and anthropogenic impacts on 

photosynthesis and calcification. I worked on the response of coral calcification to ocean acidification at 

the level of Acropora muricata nubbins from two nutrient enrichment sites. I followed over one year 

period the photosynthesis of Acropora muricata along a nutrient gradient. I worked with pH and 

pCO2 sensors to calculate metabolism budgets at the reef flat scale. 

Photosynthesis and calcification of the hermatypic coral Acropora muricata facing 

global change and anthropogenic impacts 

Coral reefs are globally threatened by (1) global change that is reflected in global warming and ocean acidification causing a decrease in 

seawater aragonite saturation state Ω Arag, and (2) at the local level by anthropogenic impacts, including increased nutrient inputs in the 

environment. The key processes of these ecosystems, photosynthesis and calcification, will be increasingly disturbed. In an attempt to assess 

the impact of these changes on coral reefs and the major reef-builders organisms, two studies have been conducted in the fringing reef of 

La Saline (Réunion Island, Southwestern Indian Ocean). The first one tested the response of the zooxanthellate scleractinian coral 

Acropora muricata to experimental acidification conditions at two sites naturally contrasted in terms of nutrient enrichment. Corals living 

in nutrient-enriched sites seem more resistant to acidification. A second study assessed for one year the photosynthetic performances of the 

same coral species along a natural gradient in nutrients. Zooxanthellae photosynthetic capacity (Fv/Fm) slightly decreases in summer due to 

the increase in temperature, but is not affected by nutrient enrichment. 

Dr Denis Vianney 

National Science Council Postdoctoral Fellow 

Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan 

My research interests are broad, but ultimately I focus on the effects of environmental changes on the 

coral reef communities, and on the underlying mechanisms of coral's resistance and resilience to 

disturbances. I obtained my PhD in 2011 on the acclimatization and adaption capacities of reef corals 

to global warming and anthropogenic disturbances. Since 2012, I have been working on the evolution 

of the interactions between the different functional groups of the coral communities and the variation 

of coral population performance in different habitats/regions along the Kuroshio Current. I have a 

specific interest on corals “going beyond borders” i.e. species successfully colonizing and/or expanding 

areas outside the traditional limits commonly assumed for coral reefs distribution. In particular, I am 

interested in identifying the driving processes for these species to survive environmental extremes. We 

know that coral reefs will undergo major modifications in the coming decades. However, the extend to 

which coral reef system will be affected and which species will successfully survive this modern period 

of extensive human pressure are still unclear, hence the object of my study. 

Corals going beyond borders, characteristics and roles of high-latitudes coral 

communities 

The role of the high-latitudes coral communities has recently emerged as an important facet of the coral reef conservation. Aside of 

insuring a continuity for the reefs at low latitudes, they have indeed the potential to act as refuges for tropical species. Marginal areas could 

further play a major role in the production and exportation of diversity, and support the resilience of tropical coral reef ecosystems. Here, 

we will review our current knowledge on high-latitudes coral communities with a specific focus on their characteristics and role in the context 

of climate change. From our observation and work along the Kuroshio Region, we will report major environmental changes occurring in this 

area and discuss the possible causes and consequences of such rapid modifications. We will present our on-going work to identify 

characteristics of those coral species colonizing/expanding areas beyond the usual limit of the coral distribution, and we will see how these 

species may further contribute in supporting global coral reef diversity. Finally, we will see that while stringent protection of areas where 

corals can develop can be prioritized in those areas, this can also have catastrophic consequences for the native ecosystem. In conclusion, we 

will discuss the need to re-think conservation priorities in a latitudinal context and the problem rising from emblematic species such as corals.

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Domart-Coulon Isabelle 

Assistant Professor 

UMR 7245 CNRS-MNHN ‘MCAM’ 

Isabelle Domart-Coulon is an Assistant Professor (Maitre de Conférences - HDR) at the Département 

‘Régulations, Développement et Diversité Moléculaire’of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 

Paris, France, in the laboratory UMR 7245 CNRS-MNHN ‘MCAM’. She has a Masters’ degree in 

Biochemistry (Research Engineering diploma from the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon) 

and a PhD in Marine Cell Biology from the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon, France, with 

Habilitation (HDR) from Université Paris-Sud (Orsay). She is curator of the French national Porifera 

collection deposited at the MNHN. She did doctoral work with Pr. D. Doumenc at the Museum 

National d’Histoire Naturelle, and postdoctoral work on coral with Pr. GK Ostrander at Johns Hopkins 

University and University of Hawaii, as well as a postdoc at the Centre Scientific de Monaco (D. 

Allemand). She studies animal cell interactions with microorganism and biominerals in corals and 

sponges, in the context of reef symbioses. 

Rythmic monthly planulation of scleractinian corals in captivity* 

Colonies of the Indo-Pacific reef-building scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus 1758) cultured in aquarium settings are able 

to brood and release mature planulae larvae. The origin of these planulae and factors triggering their release are still a matter of debate. 

Emissions of planula larvae were recorded over successive years from Pocillopora damicornis colonies grown for more than 3 years in 

closed-circuit artificial conditions at the Aquarium Tropical, Palais de la Porte Dorée, Paris, France. Although the colonies were grown with 

a stable photoperiod and in the absence of moonlight, emissions of planulae followed a monthly rhythm, with a peak occurring a few days 

before full moon. The number (but not the size) of planulae released each month was dependent on the size of the colony nubbins and 

especially their tissue coverage. Implications of these results for the existence of endogenous controls over coral reproduction are discussed. 

*Domart-Coulon I, Lecointe A, Gilis M, Galois J-D, Joumier S, Luys N & Hignette M 

Dr Guillaume Mireille 

Lecturer 

Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Département Milieux et Peuplements Aquatiques, UMR 

CNRS-MNHN-UPMC-IRD BOrEA, 61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris. 

Mireille M.M. GUILLAUME, PhD in Oceanography (1988, Aix-Marseilles University), is Lecturer at 

the National Museum for Natural History (MNHN), Paris, seconded to the Réunion University 

(2004-2012). Curator of coral collections of the MNHN, CITES expert on corals for the Ministry for 

Ecology and customs (1991-2009), coordinator of the “ZNIEFF” marine inventory for the French 

Overseas Departments (1995-2009), government representative to international conventions 

(UNESCO, CBD, CITES). My research focuses on the evolution of coral communities in the South- 

West Indian Ocean and the resilience and adaptation capacity of reef corals to anthropogenic and 

climatic stresses. I am involved in assessing Marine Protected Areas effectiveness for coral reef 

management and conservation (La Réunion) but also I applied my ecological knowledge to paleoenvironnemental 

reconstructions (Eritrea, Glorieuses Is.). I presently lead a programme on coral 

suceptibility to bleaching at the Eparses Islands and on coral regeneration and reproduction at Réunion 

vs Guadeloupe (LabEx Corail). 

Unusual algal symbionts in Symbiodinium clade D dominate Montipora circumvallata, a 

resilient coral species on an exposed reef flat at Réunion Island * 

The genetic identity of symbiotic zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium spp.) can play a significant role in determining the ability of reef corals to 

survive temperature anomalies, with some symbionts in Symbiodinium clade D having been shown to increase the thermotolerance of their 

coral hosts. In April 2007 we surveyed the symbiont communities in a population of M. circumvallata from the Kiosque reef flat at Saint- 

Leu reef, Réunion Island. This exposed site receives high influx of oceanic water and maintains the highest coral diversity recorded at 

Réunion, among which M. circumvallata represents ~10% of living coral cover. We sampled upper and lower parts of ten coral colonies, 

used established methods (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis of the amplified Internal Transcribed Spacer-2 region of ribosomal 

DNA) and found a new Symbiodinium D-type, D16, dominated these corals. The preference of M. circumvallata to host D16 appears to be 

unique to this species (307 samples of 36 additional species show D16 to occur only once) and may have contributed to its resilience. This 

occurrence is unexpected in an exposed setting, as high water flow is considered to reduce temperature variability and decrease the potential 

for acclimation, resulting in corals that are less tolerant to temperature anomalies. The dominance of Symbiodinium D-types may represent 

relics of temperature anomalies experienced by M. circumvallata. M. circumvallata populations at Réunion have been affected recurrently 

by bleaching events. This species now dominates shallow reef flat communities where coral diversity has eroded over time. These 

observations suggest that this resilient species may become an important component of future coral communities in the region as the impacts 

of climate change continue. 

*Guillaume M.M.M., Boonstra R.K., Guérin F.J., Denis V., Bruggemann J.H. & Baker A.C.

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Hilmi Nathalie 

Environmental Economist 

Scientific Center Of Monaco, Monaco 

Dr N. Hilmi is a specialist in Macroeconomics and International Finance. Her PhD dissertation was on 

«The real dimension of the global and regional integrations process: the case of Turkey » obtained in 

2000, with honours. Then she passed the Post Doctoral Degree for Ph.D Supervision with a dissertation 

on “A multidisciplinary pathway towards sustainable development” in 2011. Recently, she joined the 

Centre Scientifique de Monaco as environmental economist and participated in the creation of a new 

research group, The Monaco Environment and Economics Group. This has been established between 

the Scientific Centre of Monaco and the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories to develop linkages 

between environmental science and economics, so as to better evaluate the socioeconomic extent of 

impacts and costs for action versus inaction, with regard to carbon emissions. On the basis of the 

outcomes of the workshop “Bridging the gap between ocean acidification impacts and economic 

valuation” held in Monaco the 16-18 November 2010, she was in charge of the coordination for the 

preparation and organization of the follow-up workshop in November 2012. Next workshop 

“Economics of Ocean Acidification” will be in November 2014. Since it has been launched, she 

participated in the GDRI “Coral reefs biodiversity” as co-coordinator of the Axis 5. 

The achievements of the axis 5: The contributions of the humanities and social sciences 

to the GDRI BIodiversity of coral reefs 

The axis 5 of the GDRI "Biodiversity of coral reefs " focuses on three study themes: protecting biodiversity and multiplicity of actors , 

governance of biodiversity and management of protected areas and biosphere reserves , and economic evaluation of reef management . It 

is a transverse axis aiming at transmitting the results obtained in the other axes to policymakers and stakeholders. The group was very 

dynamic and has produced interesting actions, including participation in national and international conferences, articles and obtaining EU 

funding for the project BEST entitled « CORAL REEFS IN A CHANGING WORLD - Ecosystemic services from coral reefs : public 

policy tools for decision-making in New Caledonia and French Polynesia (OCT)”. After conducting a critical analysis of the methods of 

ecosystem services valuation that leads to a new methodology, we seek to model ecosystem services in connection with the coral with 

emphasis on methods / policy interface for an integrated management of spaces and territories. 

Hsu Chia-Min 

PhD Student 

Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia 

Sinica, Taipae, Taiwan 

Mr. Chia-Min (Garmin) Hsu is a PhD candidate studying on coral reef ecology, photophysiology, and 

reproduction biology in Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taiwan. He was 

supervised by Dr. CA Chen and obtained his master degree in 2007 with thesis- “Temporal and 

photophysiological variations of symbiont communities in the reef-building coral, Isopora palifera ”. 

Then, he continues his PhD focusing on the thermal effects on the Symbiodinium shuffling through 

temporal and spatial scales by monitoring tagged coral colonies with photosynthetic responses to coral 

bleaching. Recently, he and his colleagues start a coral recruitment project and try to identify coral spats 

on settlement plates by combination of fluorescence census and DNA-barcoding techniques in 

southern Taiwan. This technique will facilitate the traditional identification to increase taxonomic 

resolution in the early coral life stage and can be very helpful in estimating the resilience among coral 

reefs with different anthropogenic stressors. 

Understanding fine-scale recruitment via flurorescence census and molecular 

identification 

Coral recruitment is a critical process for maintaining coral population and supporting the resilience of coral reefs. Early studies on coral 

recruitment focused essentially on the patterns of connectivity and larval dispersal. Relationship between recruitment and adult assemblages, 

spatio-temporal variation, and post-settlement mortality/ growth/ competition became then the main axes of research in this field. In situ 

fluorescence census has only been introduced recently to help with the coral recruits’ detection and the analysis of fine scale temporal 

pattern. However, the difficulty remains in accurately identify coral recruits. To date, most of the studies are limited to analyses at the family 

level due to the lack of skeleton characters for accurate identification of coral recruits, and the diversity of coral assemblages in many 

regions around the world. Here, we present a novel method to identify recruits by combining fluorescent census detection with genetic 

markers. Using COI barcoding, 90.3% (224/248) of recruits from 150 plates at 9 reefs of Kenting National Park in Taiwan were identified 

into Acropora, Isopora, Montipora, Pocillopora, Porites, and Pavona. PaxC further separated I. cuneata and I. palifera of Isopora from 

Acropora, and ORF could identify species of Pocillopora (except P. meandrina and P. eydouxi). Further molecular markers will be developed 

in future for coral recruits’ identification and a better understanding of the role of this critical life process in the resilience of coral reefs.

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Kulbicki Michel 

Researcher Director 

UR 227 CoReUs, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Banyuls sur mer, France 

I work mainly on reef fishes. My major interests are in macro-ecology, biogeography and their 

applications to local and regional management. More recently I started to analyze the ecology of 

Lessepsian species (species invading the Mediterranean from the Red Sea). I worked for 23 years in the 

South Pacific and came back to France in 2005. I lead at present an international group, GASPAR, 

which is focused on the diversity of reef fish and its consequences on ecological processes, from the 

local to the global scale. I also work on the trophic relationships of reef fish, mainly using stable isotopes 

of C and N as well as an extensive data base on reef fish diets. I also work on sampling methodologies, 

in particular on the biases linked to underwater visual censuses and their consequences on 

standardizing data from numerous sources. 

Generalist versus specialist species in the fragmentation and resilience debates* 

Fragmentation and resilience are major concerns in today's ecology. A common hypothesis is that generalist species are better adapted to 

changes than are specialist species. Therefore as fragmentation increases one would expect a decrease in the proportion of specialists, and 

similarly one would expect resilient systems to have a high proportion of generalist species. Generalization may concern many aspect of 

species. Here we will consider 3 types of generalization: trophic, habitat and behaviour. We will then test if the proportion of generalist 

species and abundance changes along a gradient of connectivity and of species richness. Indeed connectivity is strongly linked to 

fragmentation and it is commonly proposed that resilience increases with species richness as there are more and more species per functional 

group as species richness increases. We intend to show that generalist species tend to have wide geographical ranges and better colonizing 

capacities than specialized species in general. As a consequence we expect to see an increasing proportion of both species and abundance of 

generalist species as connectivity and species richness decrease. We also expect to see more wide ranging species in areas of poor 

connectivity or low diversity. We also expect that functional groups with at least one generalist species will see less decrease in their 

redundancy (number of species or individuals) than functional groups dominated by specialist species as connectivity or species richness 

decrease. 

* Kulbicki M, Parravicini V Claudet J, Galzin R, Vigliola L, Chabanet P, Friedlander A.M & Mouillot D 

Leenhardt Pierre 

PhD Student 


Graduated from the Agrocampus Ouest in 2009 with a diploma in Agricultural Engineering and a 

MSc in fisheries science, I worked on modelling governance of small-scale fisheries in French Polynesia. 

In 2009, I joined the GRAMP project, a trans-disciplinary research project that synthesizes the existing 

knowledge on the governance of large-scale MPAs. I analysed the key drivers that legitimized and 

enhanced the establishment of large-scale MPAs. In 2011, I joined the International PhD Program of 

University Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris to work on the modelling of coastal social-ecological system. 

Modeling coastal social-ecological systems: application to the coral reef ecosystem of 

Moorea island, French Polynesia 

Social-ecological systems (SESs) are conceptual systems that enable to depict, characterize and understand human-nature interactions from 

an integrative basis. Social-ecological systems are commonly recognized as complex adaptive systems. They are coupled heterogeneous 

systems that encompass an ecological subsystem intricately linked and affected by one or more social subsystems. Understanding how such 

systems are structured, evolve through time and respond to different pressures (e.g. stressors, policy decisions or management actions) is 

crucial to the sustainable management of SESs. Here we present a unified transdisciplinary framework to model (coastal) social-ecological 

systems. This framework synthesizes key concepts and properties for modeling social-ecological systems subjected to multiple natural and 

anthropogenic pressures (including both stressors and management actions). Our case study is the Moorea Lagoon, French Polynesia. This 

complex adaptive SES relies on the production of major provisioning and cultural ecosystem services (e.g. food production, recreation). Such 

knowledge is critical to explore the dynamics, the synergies and/or the trade-offs among the different ecosystems services and then to provide 

their sustainable management. Development of such models will facilitate the critical process of making explicit the differing mental 

constructs of various users, stakeholders and managers. This research will contribute to a better understanding of complexity and dynamism 

that characterizes SESs in a coral reef context and is a first step to provide critical tool and methodology for the management of sustainable 

SESs. 

!

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Maréchal Jean-Philippe 

Director "Nova Blue Environment", Director "Observatoire du Milieu 

Marin Martiniquais", Chargé de Conférences EPHE – UMR 3278 CNRS- 

EPHE, Associate director GDRI “Biodiversité des récifs coralliens” – 

CNRS 

JPM obtained his PhD from the MNHN in 2002 on maritime heritage in Brittany. He has been a 

Research Associate at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (UK) between 2002 and 2005 working on 

physiology and larval behaviour of crustaceans. He moved to Martinique (French West Indies) as the 

director of the Marine Institute of Martinique (OMMM) between 2005 and 2013, working on the 

implementation of the IFRECOR program for Martinique and the development of a coral reef 

research program. JPM is a Marine biologist specialised in coral reef ecology in the Caribbean, small 

scale fisheries sustainability, particularly interested in benthic communities changes and anthropogenic 

impact on coral reefs. His interest is also on coral reef restoration and larval development in 

scleractinian. JPM is also referee for the French government on the lionfish invasive species issues in the 

French Antilles. Since 2013, JPM is consultant in marine tropical ecology in his own company “Nova 

Blue Environment”. 

Caribbean Scleractinian corals: larval development and settlement* 

The complexity of coral reef benthic communities is due in part to their extraordinary species richness. The well-defined spatial organisation of reef 

communities raises many questions about the mechanisms involved in the recruitment processes of larvae and species interactions. Scleractinian coral biology 

is of particular interest due to the importance of corals in tropical reefs and increasing concerns about reef degradation. Few studies of chemical 

communication in cnidarians have focused directly on scleractinian corals. Diverse physiological processes in corals are almost certainly mediated by chemical 

signals, which are poorly understood. Examples include regulation of calcification, symbiosis and mass-spawning events. From the latter thousands of 

gametes (broadcast spawning) are released into the water column and develop to the planulae competent stages. The external signals that regulate or interfere 

with metamorphosis and recruitment of coral larvae are not well understood. Chemical communication in coral reefs is a research field that has been not yet 

explored in details and the role of environmental cues in coral settlement processes is unclear. Settlement competency stages, as shown by the capacity of 

organisms to actively search for suitable substrata to settle on and metamorphose, remain unknown for many species It is clear that marine invertebrate larvae 

can respond to physical, chemical or biological cues to locate their final adhesion substrata. External signals can modulate larval behaviour, as demonstrated 

for corals. We have followed mass spawning events in Guadeloupe for several years. As a consequence, we have been able to collect gametes of major reef 

building corals Acropora palmata, Orbicella (Montastraea) annularis and O. faveolata. Gametes were collected during mass spawning events in August - 

September 2011 and 2012. A protocol for field collection has been developed, as well as an in vitro fertilization procedure. Thousands of larvae were raised 

in the lab until competency has been reached. Larvae were then offered pre-conditioned substrates to settle and develop. We present results for field collection 

of gametes, raise of coral larvae and settlement processes. So far, none of the juveniles have survived under controlled conditions. 

* Maréchal J_P, Mazéas F & Gros O 

Massé Lola 

PhD Student 

Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (La Réunion), Oceanographic Research Institute 

(Durban, Afrique du Sud) 

Lola Massé is a PhD student working on the coral reproduction and recruitment in the south Western Indian 

Ocean. Her PhD aimed at comparing the reproductive traits and recruitment rate of coral between a tropical reef 

(Reunion) and a high-latitude reef (South Africa) to ascertain how coral may adapt their reproductive dynamic to 

different environments. Lola has done her undergraduate years at the University of La Reunion and her MSc in 

South Africa (University of KwaZulu-Natal). She worked on coral gametogenesis and spawning in Reunion and 

South Africa. She also collaborated on studies on the influence of food supply on coral fecundity. Lola is a 

professional diver (Class 1b) and has experience in the building of aquarium system, histology techniques, coral 

settlement and breeding in aquarium. performance in different habitats/regions along the Kuroshio Current. . She 

has written several research proposals to collect funding during her PHD project. In future projects, she is interested 

in working on coral connectivity using genetic, juvenile coral mortality to understand the dynamic of the adult 

community, and reef rehabilitation with sexual recruit. Lola is also enthusiastic about communicating in science. She 

has experience in teaching at the University and is a member of a local NGO (Vie Océane) that aims to protect the 

reefs of Reunion. 

Sexual reproduction in coral: a strategy to adapt to change? 

Some reef resilience is attributable to the ability of coral to continue producing propagules. Together, sexual reproduction and recruitment 

are therefore critical for the long-term survival of coral reefs and may give rise to individuals more adapted to a changing environment. 

These processes are nevertheless sensitive to changes in environmental conditions such as the ones linked to human activities, and must be 

closely monitored to ensure reef recovery. Coral fecundity reflects a successful gametogenesis and therefore may be a good indicator of coral 

health. Little is known however on the natural and anthropogenic factors that affect this parameter. Variation of coral fecundity may be due 

to the lack of available energy (e.g. following a bleaching event), or water pollution. It may also be associated with different life-history 

strategies especially in corals that can use mixed modes of sexual and asexual reproduction. Are coral going to invest more energy into 

sexual reproduction in a stressful environment? This assumption requires further research. In the expectation that a genotype will be better 

adapted to new condition, could we anticipate which genetic combination will be more advantageous? The recent progress in coral 

husbandry and the use of settlement tiles deployed on reef provide the required material for genetic study. This may also be used to ascertain 

the connectivity between reefs and determine the dispersal potential of larvae for reef reseeding.

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Meistzerheim Leila 



Researcher from the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in France, I am employed at the CRIOBE as a 

postdoctoral fellow working on the stress response of corals in a global change context. I have a broad 

range of research interests including population dynamics, sustainable harvest, global change impacts 

on biodiversity and adaptation processes, and work on a variety of taxa from the North coasts of 

Europe to the tropical environments. Actually, my work focuses on the evolution of the symbiosis 

between the tropical corals and the zooxanthellae in response to stress. The goal of this study is to 

better understand the role of maternal transmission by the corals of particular genetic clades of the 

microalgae Symbiodinium in the adaptation capability of corals in response to anthropic activities. The 

researcher required the use of physiogical and genetic tools, coupled with environmental data. 

Origin of the symbiosis in tropical corals and evolution in a changing environnement* 

Coral reef ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse and complex marine ecosystems worldwide supported by cnidarian– 

dinoflagellate symbioses. The stability and functional integrity of this complex association underpins the persistence of corals and coral reef 

ecosystems through time. However, this partnership is increasingly at risk due to changing climatic conditions. Biotic (diseases) and abiotic 

stresses (temperature, sedimentation, pollutants etc) impacts on coral reefs are expected to impacts coral reefs and induced spatially extensive 

bleaching events. The microalgae, Symbiodinium sp, presented a high genetic diversity allowing differential physiological performances for 

its hosts in function of the genetic clade. Some genetic clades of Symbiodinium are more consider as parasite than symbiont. Symbiotic 

flexibility allowed some corals to rapidly adapt to different environments by changing the type or the concentration of Symbiodinium with 

which they partner. However, maternal transfer of the endosymbiont from corals to its offspring could also allow increasing the adaptation 

capability of the corals in a changing environment. 

* Meistzerheim L & Hédouin L 

Mohamadi Fahoullia 

PhD Student 

Laboratoire de Chimie des Biomolécules et de l’Environnement , Perpignan, France 

Fahoullia MOHAMADI is 26 years old. After graduating for a master degree of environmental 

chemistry “Chimie des Molécules bioactive” at the University of Perpignan (France), she joined the 

“Laboratoire de Chime des Biomolécules et de l’Environnement” in October 2010 as a PhD student.. 

The objective of her thesis is to bring to light metabolites involved in the coral bleaching phenomenon 

using a metabolomic tool. During the 3 past years, she developed an extractive and analytical method 

on coral’s polar and non-polar metabolites, and carried out bleaching experiments in aquaria by 

increasing the temperature or the light irradiance on a scleractinian species. The metabolomic tool 

developed is able to target the impact of environmental disturbances (thermal stress, light stress…) on 

corals, by combining chemical fingerprints obtained by various spectroscopic and chromatographic 

(RMN, LCMS, GCMS) techniques and by screening hundreds of molecules simultaneously, in order to 

acquire a global view of the mechanisms occurring during bleaching. ! 

A global approach to discriminate stressed from healthy corals* 

During the past three decades, nearly 30% of the word’s coral reefs have been severely affected by bleaching. Coral bleaching is the 

consequence of the loss of corals’algal symbiont (zooxanthellae), or the deficiency/degradation of symbiont’s photosynthetic pigments. 

Understanding the mechanisms of bleaching is a real challenge as corals bleach under a broad range of external stimuli such as increasing 

sea temperature, increasing light irradiance or chemical pollution, that may occur sequentially or simultaneously. Metabolites, as the end 

products of metabolism, are good indicators of the organism physiological status. Under abiotic stresses, change in metabolites profiling 

represents the functional response of the organism and could help for bleaching diagnosis. Based on an experimental protocol in controlled 

conditions, we investigated the metabolome to detect coral bleaching and explore the physiological responses of corals to bleaching. After a 

validation phase, we carried out bleaching experiments in aquaria on two scleractinian species by increasing the temperature or light 

irradiance. We combined extraction of polar and nonpolar metabolites with three fundamental and complementary analytical techniques, 

GC/MS, LC/MS and NMR, to provide maximal coverage of the metabolome. We focused on compounds that reflect coral physiological 

status to improve the chemical fingerprints acquisitions. Multivariate statistical analyses (PCA, PLS-DA, ….) were processed on the chemical 

profiling to detect compounds that discriminate stressed and healthy corals.

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Mourier Johann 



I have been involved in the study of shark behaviour since 2005 when I completed my final internship 

on the great white shark behaviour in South Africa to graduate in marine science engineering school of 

Rennes. After being involved in a basking shark project in Britany (France), I started a Master thesis on 

the genetic structure and breeding patterns of sicklefin lemon sharks (Negaprion acutidens) in Moorea 

(French Polynesia) at Criobe in 2007. I continued with a PhD project on the behavioural ecology of 

blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) in Moorea between 2008 and 2011 and completed 

my PhD on May 2011. After my PhD, I obtained a Temporal Lecturer position (ATER) at EPHE 

(Ecole pratique des Hautes Etudes) and I have been involved in the coordination of a marine 

biodiversity expedition in Marquesas (French Polynesia) for AAMP (Marine Protected Area Agency) 

and CNRS as well as conducting shark research in French Polynesia. I am also the secretary and 

scientific advisor for the Shark observatory in French Polynesia (Observatoire des requins de Polynesie) 

and I am a member of the IUCN Shark Specialist group. 

More information on my research can be found on my website: http://johannmourier.wordpress.com/ 

The behavioural ecology of reef sharks 

Reef associated sharks are key elements of the coral reef food web but are also vulnerable to exploitation and anthropogenic perturbations 

due to particular life history traits. However, little is known about their ecology and behaviour at remote oceanic islands. Global population 

declines of these predators in many regions have led to growing concerns about their conservation. Human pressures have put many top 

predator populations at risk of extinction. Recent years have seen alarming declines in sharks worldwide, while their resilience remains 

poorly understood. Studying the ecology of small populations of marine predators is a priority to better understand their ability to 

withstand anthropogenic and environmental stressors. We studied movement patterns of reef sharks at a tropical island using acoustic 

telemetry and determined the population socio-spatial dynamic using individual-based analysis. The reproductive patterns were assessed 

using parentage analysis and underwater monitoring. Finally we also investigated the influence of provisioning activities on the behaviour, 

ecology and populations of sharks. Our findings highlight that shark population structure can be complex, which should be taken into 

account in management strategies. 

Nash Kirsty 

PhD Student 

ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia 

Kirsty is originally from the UK, where she studied Oceanography with Marine Biology (BSc Hons). 

She moved to Townsville, Australia in 2002 and completed a MAppSci in Tropical Marine Ecology at 

James Cook University. She spent a number of years doing field research and teaching field techniques 

in association with the Marine Park Authority in the Seychelles, and teaching college level courses in 

marine biology and oceanography in the Caribbean. In 2009 she returned to Australia, completing a 

Masters of Education and a Postgraduate Certificate in Statistics at Charles Sturt University. She 

worked as a research assistant at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook 

University prior to starting her PhD. Kirsty is currently in the final year of PhD. Her research looks at 

the spatial scales over which fish are interacting with the reef and providing their functional roles. She 

is exploring how this contributes to the resilience of reefs within a coral-dominated state. Webpage: 

http://www.coralcoe.org.au/students/kirsty-nash. 

Scale, function and resilience of coral reefs 

The functional roles played by organisms have been identified as critical for supporting the resilience of ecosystems. The concepts of spatial 

and cross-scale resilience have been developed to understand how the scales over which organisms provide their function influence the 

resilience of ecosystems. Much of the work looking at both spatial and cross-scale resilience has focused on the terrestrial environment. To 

assess these theories on coral reefs, there is a need to draw together existing work on space use by reef fish to explore how scale and function 

provide support for the resilience of coral-dominated reefs. I will discuss existing home range research and compare it with work looking at 

the functional range of reef fish, where the functional range may only be a subset of the larger home range. I will then discuss the 

opportunities and problems of using existing spatial and cross-scale resilience frameworks for reef fish. Finally, the considerable gaps in this 

field will be highlighted, and potential new directions presented.

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Parravicini Valeriano 


UR 227 CoReUs, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Banyuls sur mer, France 

Following a PhD in Marine Environmental Science at Genoa University, Italy, Dr Parravicini visited 

Fiorenza Micheli in Stanford University for working on the effect of multiple stressors on marine 

ecosystems, before taking on a post-doc position with IRD based in France. He is currently working 

with a large international group on reef fish biogeography including Michel Kulbicki (IRD), David 

Mouillot (Montpellier). 

The vulnerability framework indicates alternative global protection priorities for coral 

reef fishes* 

Assessing the vulnerability of species assemblages has typically been subordinate to species richness prioritization but is increasingly needed 

given the immediacy of anthropogenetic impacts and potential losses of ecosystem services. Here we employed multi-criteria decision aid 

tools to quantitatively assess coral reef fish vulnerability using the three factors of the assemblages’ sensitivity to species losses, it’s exposure 

to threats, and the state of protection. These criteria were applied to a global database of tropical reef fishes to evaluate and compare the 

potential losses of both taxonomic and functional diversity. We found that species-richness priorities were spatially mismatched with both 

sensitivity and vulnerability estimates and that the existing global MPA network does not efficiently protect the most vulnerable assemblages. 

Nevertheless, there is strong spatial match between taxonomic and functional vulnerabilities, which may allows for a global win-win strategy 

if protection is implemented. 

* Parravicini V, Villéger S, McClanahan TR, Arias-González JE, Bellwood DR, Belmaker J, Chabanet P, Floeter SR , Friedlander AM, 

Philippot Véronique 

PhD Student 


Véronique Philippot is just starting a PhD at the USR 3278 EPHE CNRS CRIOBE, studying gorgonian 

corals in a perspective of biological conservation. Véronique has started her work on Gorgonians in the 

French West Indies in the eighties at the marine biology laboratory at the University of Antilles-Guyane. 

where she performed an inventary of gorgonian corals in shallow waters and studied ecological factors that 

determine their distribution. Very soon, she was confronted with classical sytematic of Cnidaria Octocorals 

and started to develop a referential collection, that is now conserved at the Marseille’s Museum of natural 

history in France. Following that, Véronique became a biology teacher but she has never fogotten the 

vulnerability of the marine ecosystems and became increasingly interested in the relationships between 

mankind and wildlife. She has led many school teaching projets on environmental education. Véronique 

enrolled in an interdisciplinary master in «environment, development, territories and societies” at the 

National Museum of Natural History of Paris in 2011 thus discovering an ethnobiological approach to 

environmental and biodiversity conservation issues. As of today, Véronique’s passion for gorgonians corals is 

still intact. However, she has a more global view of these lesser known invertebrates. 

Popular nomenclature and perceptions of seabeds and gorgonian corals among workers 

of the sea in Guadeloupe island (French West Indies) 

The island of Guadeloupe is promoting the preservation of biodiversity, to protect the ecosystems of reefs which have been subjected to 

overfishing. The fishing industry need to incorporate legal requirements into the traditional practices still largely passed on through practical 

apprenticeship. Gorgonian corals found in the coral reefs of Guadeloupe are the emblematic species of the French West Indies. However 

there is a conflict between different cultures and knowledge in the context of a fast-changing socio-economically world. The fourteen 

fishermen and wholesale fish-merchants interviewed have an empirical view of the coral reefs which sits uncomfortably with modern 

scientific evidence. The words cay, coral and coral reef, usually used, conjure up a soft-focus, dynamic image rather than a precise zoological 

classification. They describe a recognizable entity, the mixture of components, living and inert, essential to fishes. The relationship of the 

fishermen to the creatures of the seabed is above all tactile, from handling fishing nets and hoop nets. The disagreeable nature of handling 

leads to a mistrust reinforced by religious beliefs. The place of the Gorgonians within practical classifications is uncertain, but they are 

currently classified as plants. A popular classification based on the interviews is being suggested. Despite an inadequate vocabulary and 

difficulty in description, the reticulated forms observed are easy to recognize visually. While it remains difficult to promote the protection of 

the sea-floor (apart from the Madreporian corals), the Gorgonian corals have, however, two useful values: they are essential for the well-being 

of the fish and nurture local knowledge useful for tourism, and for this, they require an efficient protection and conservation.

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Dr Putnam Hollie 

Assistant Researcher 

University of Hawaii, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Hawaii, United States 

I am currently an assistant researcher at the University of Hawaii in the School of Ocean and Earth 

Science and Technology’s Young Investigator Program. I am based at the Hawaii Institute of Marine 

Biology and conduct my research in Hawaii, French Polynesia, Taiwan, and Japan. I strive to 

understand how the immediate abiotic environment and biotic interactions drive organism phenotype. 

To date, I have utilized reef-building corals as a model system. My work is focused on providing the 

context and mechanistic framework to advance our understanding of signal transduction and resilience 

in corals through the interaction of genetics, epigenetics, symbiosis, and ontogeny with a combination 

of physiological and genetic approaches. Specifically, I am conducting surveys and experiments to 

understand the contributions of symbiosis and acclimatization to stress response in corals under climate 

change. 

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~hputnam/ 

Partitioning of Coral-Symbiodinium interactions across taxa, location and environments 

Reef-building corals, the engineers of one of the world’s most diverse and productive ecosystems, are comprised of a complex symbiosis 

between the cnidarian animal and single celled dinoflagellates, Symbiodinium. Symbiodinium make major energetic contributions to coral 

growth and reproduction and therefore a stable symbiotic union is critical to coral survival. Symbiodinium comprise a diverse genus, with 

strong physiological variation among the major lineages, or clades (A-I), as well as at the sub-clade level. Consequently, identifying patterns 

in the distribution of Symbiodinium is key to understanding coral performance across environment. Our work has focused on patterns of 

symbiont identity and symbiotic association across spatial, temporal, and environmental gradients. We have developed a Roche 454 

pyrosequencing approach to expand sequence coverage and depth for multiple coral species, and to determine Symbiodinium identity and 

similarity across species and temperature regimes. This approach has resulted in thousands of sequences per sample that have 1) revealed 

previously undescribed and dynamic aspects of the coral-Symbiodinium interactions, 2) allowed for complete quantitative comparative 

analyses, and 3) highlighted the value of deep sequencing in assessing coral response to environmental change. 

Dr Rummer Jodie 


Australian Research Council Super Science Fellow, Australia 

Jodie is originally from the USA where she completed honours, BSc, and MSc degrees in Biology and 

Marine Biology in Illinois and West Florida before moving to Vancouver, Canada to commence a PhD 

at the University of British Columbia. Her PhD research investigated oxygen uptake and delivery 

mechanisms in fish during stress, but she has also done extensive research on buoyancy, exercise, and 

oxygen and temperature stress in fish. After a post-doctoral fellowship in Hong Kong (2010-2011), she 

joined the Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University as an Australian 

Research Council Super Science Fellow where she is applying her broad research interests in 

conservation physiology. Jodie’s research aims to understand how evolutionary pressures have shaped 

physiological systems and the degree to which adaptation and acclimation to natural and 

environmental perturbations, such as anthropogenic climate change, can occur. 

Life on the edge: Optimal temperatures for aerobic performance of equatorial reef fishes 

are close to current day temperatures 

Equatorial populations of marine species are predicted to be most impacted by global warming because they could be adapted to a narrow 

range of temperatures in their local environment. The thermal range at which aerobic metabolic performance is optimum was 

investigated in equatorial populations of coral reef fish in northern Papua New Guinea. Four species of damselfishes and two species of 

cardinalfishes were held for 14d at 29, 31, 33, and 34°C, which incorporated their existing thermal range (29-31°C) as well as projected 

increases in ocean surface temperatures of up to 3°C by the end of this century. Resting and maximum oxygen consumption rates were 

measured for each species at each temperature and used to calculate the thermal reaction norm of aerobic scope. Results indicate that one 

of the six species, Chromis atripectoralis, is already living above its thermal optimum of 29°C. The other five species appeared to be living 

close to their thermal optima (approximately 31°C). Aerobic scope was significantly reduced in all species, and approached zero for two 

species at 3°C above current-day temperatures. One species was unable to survive even short-term exposure to 34°C. Our results indicate 

that low-latitude reef fish populations are living close to their thermal optima and may be more sensitive to ocean warming than higherlatitude 

populations. Even relatively small temperature increases (2-3°C) could result in population declines and potentially redistribution of 

equatorial species to higher latitudes if adaptation cannot keep pace.

Presenters 


ABSTRACT 

BIOGRAPHY 

Salles Océane 

PhD Student 


I received a Licence from the University of Perpignan in Biology-Ecology and a Master from the 

Practical School of High Studies (EPHE) in Environment and Biodiversity Management. 

I am currently in second year doctoral student from EPHE in Marine Ecology at the Insular Research 

Center and Environment Observatory under the supervision of Dr. Serge Planes. The missing link in 

our understanding of coral reef fish has always been: where do the larvae go? Well, as research has 

shown; the marine fish tend to go back home. In my thesis, I am interested in understanding the role of 

homing mechanism for persistance of reef fish populations. Thereby, I want to determine if (i) there are 

different performances between immigrants and natives (ii) assess if the transmission of certain 

characters promotes local adaptation and, (iii) develop a demographic model that will determine the 

conditions under which the population can persist. My study is based on a ten year study of individualbased 

genetic monitoring of the entire population of clownfish Amphiprion percula in Kimbe Island 

(Papua New Guinea). 

A ten year study of individual-based genetic monitoring reveals the importance of selfrecruitment 

for persistence of reef fish populations* 

Larvae have always been the missing link in our understanding of coral reef fish demography. In particular, we have never accurately 

understood where the larvae go when they leave their spawning site. Recently, individual-based genetic identification has shown that a 

surprising amount of those larvae go back home. At present, we are interested in understanding the role of homing mechanism for the 

persistence of reef fish populations in a conservation context. We developed a unique approach based on over 10 years of genetic 

monitoring of an entire population of Amphiprion percula at Kimbe Island (Papua New Guinea). This approach permits us to determine 

individual life-history parameters such as contribution to self-recruitment and survival, and to evaluate the amount of immigration. More 

than 50% of recruits come from self-recruitment, and this proportion is stable over 10 years. Using these parameters, we developed a 

demographic model that allows us to identify conditions for population persistence. In particular, we show that the Kimbe Island population 

cannot maintain itself without input from outside populations, but that current levels of recruitment are surplus to the requirements of 

persistence. The next step will be to (i) determine whether natives (i.e., self-recruits) and immigrants are demographically different, 

particularly in terms of survivorship, (ii) construct pedigrees to analyse the heritability of character traits that may explain the strategy of 

self-recruitment and (iii) evaluate the impact of homing on population genetic structure and persistence. 

* Salles O & Planes S 

Dr Zoccola Didier 

Researcher 

Scientific Center of Monaco, Monaco 

Didier Zoccola, Ph.D., is a molecular biologist studying the physiology of reef corals. Since 2000, he 

has been at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco with a focus on biomineralization and symbiosis. For 

the past 13 years he has combined molecular biology, biochemtry and immunochemistry to understand 

how corals build their skeletons, focusing on: (i) how ions are regulated during skeletogenesis, and (ii) 

the role of the organic matrix in biomineralization. 

Dr. Zoccola awarded his Master’s degree in 1989 in France, and was a Doctoral Fellow in immunology. 

He received his Ph.D. in 1993 in Life Sciences from the University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis, and 

worked after that at the Nice Hospital. His passion for the sea and scuba diving led him naturally to 

marine biology and coral reef science. He has been recently named as corresponding member of the 

UNESCO-linked European Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. 

Development of an experimental tool to study gene expression in Stylophora pistillata 

The principal issues of axis 2 were to: 1) investigate evolutionary biology and ecology of organisms, 2) understand function and evolution of 

aquatic biodiversity, and 3) predict responses to anthropic, climatic and global changes. More precisely, the major goal of this axis was to 

study basic mechanisms of major physiological processes such as calcification, nutrition and reproduction in normal and stressed conditions. 

As a first action, it was decided to provide a tool to Axis 2 and other GDRI groups by making a microarray dedicated to the coral Stylophora 

pistillata. The major activity of these last two years was i) to establish a microarray of 15,000 sequences of 60-mers, ii) to test and validate 

this microarray. Establishment and preliminary experiments were performed by Oren Levy (Bar-Ilan University) and CSM people (Christine 

Ferrier-Pagès, Didier Zoccola, Denis Allemand) to identify specific genes, which were expressed both in fed (F) and unfed/starved (S) coral 

colonies maintained under normal (LL) and light-stress (HL) conditions to target specific biological functions that are enhanced or repressed 

by irradiance levels and by feeding behavior. The first analysis of gene expression showed that the LLF vs. HLF and HLS vs. HLF 

comparisons produced lower numbers of differentially expressed genes (443 and 523, respectively) than did the LLS vs. HLS comparison 

(1,624 up- or down-regulated genes). It can be noticed that there was no difference in LLF vs. LLS comparison. Now, validation by qPCR is 

under process. These experiments clearly show that this microarray can be used to study gene regulation and may be now used for other 

projects.

International Research Network 

«Biodiversity of Coral Reefs» 

18-20 december 2013, Paris, FRANCE

BIODIVERSITY of CORAL REEFS - CNRS

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