Explore the programs and courses offered by Biodiversity and Environment
Browse Programs Admission InformationNatural resources are currently in a state of serious disrepair. Human activity, pollution and climate change are all factors in the degradation of these resources. Training in the field of Biodiversity will provide multi-disciplinary executives capable of implementing a global policy of ecosystem and environmental management from an ecological, legal and economic point of view, and of taking charge of setting up a conservation project.
The course offers students a multi-disciplinary education with a solid foundation for understanding and assessing the interaction between ecosystem dynamics and disturbances caused by human activities. It also provides a basic understanding of environmental sciences and the mechanisms of pollutant dispersion, circulation and transfer, and trains future researchers with interdisciplinary skills in environmental issues, with the aim of contributing to the implementation of sustainable development and the preservation of biodiversity.
The core courses, organized in four semesters over two academic years, are multi-disciplinary and take into account the constraints associated with ecosystem management, environmental protection and the management and evolution of biodiversity. Here are a few examples of topics covered in the core courses:
Ecosystem functioning: Understand how ecosystems function and identify the determinants of spatio-temporal variations in ecosystem functioning and sensitivity to environmental constraints.
Mediterranean ecosystem diversity: The study of the functioning of the Mediterranean ecosystem, its populations and communities, provides a theoretical and practical framework for biodiversity management and sustainable development.
Soil degradation and the Biosphere: This module aims to raise students' awareness of the importance of considering soil as a non-renewable resource in the equilibrium of .
Pollution bio-indicators: the study and monitoring of the ecological quality of ecosystems subject to pollution pressure, establishing a diagnosis of ecosystem quality in a polluted situation using only plant, animal and microbial bio-indicators.
Ecotoxicology: acquire the fundamental and applied knowledge needed to study and assess risks and their effects on the environment. Study the nature, source and types of ecotoxicological contamination.
Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Understand the different aspects of biodiversity, identify problems and threats to biodiversity, acquire the scientific and practical principles of conservation.
Environmental monitoring and toxicological risk analysis: Understand and learn methods for monitoring natural resources and signs of disturbance, so as to quickly obtain an overview of the actual state of the environment.
Restoration ecology: Learn about new ecological restoration techniques in the context of sustainable development.
Advanced subjects deepen the concepts and techniques presented in the basic courses and introduce more specialized areas. They are generally intended for students who already have a solid grounding in microbiology. Here are some examples of advanced topics:
Greenhouse effect and global change
Phytoremediation and
Effects of climate change on
Impact of forest fires on ecosystems
Collapse of webs
Agricultural intensification and disruption of soil functioning
Ocean acidification and disruption of ecosystems