Project Description

Project Context :

The natural lakes and ponds of the Aquitaine coastline provide numerous ecosystem services and, through their geomorphological characteristics and remarkable biodiversity, constitute a major component of the national natural heritage. Their complex ecological functioning shapes management practices. Studied since the 1970s by many research teams across a wide range of scientific disciplines, they benefit from a substantial body of knowledge. The creation of a scientific observatory would help bring stakeholders together, improve knowledge, and integrate into a national observation network.

Project Objectives :

This project aims to assess the opportunity to establish a scientific observatory dedicated to the ecological and functional dynamics of the lakes and ponds of the Aquitaine coastline. The project will define the observatory’s scientific and operational objectives, identify existing initiatives, and propose an appropriate organizational and governance framework. Scientific and technical partners will be engaged to structure a dedicated research network. The project will conclude with a roundtable bringing together key territorial managers to assess the relevance of the initiative.

Project Results

This initiative will provide a structuring service for both the scientific community and managers by strengthening knowledge of the functioning and evolution of Aquitaine’s lakes in the context of global change. The project will result in clearly defined scientific and operational objectives for the observatory, the identification of existing initiatives and the most suitable format for the local context, the mobilization of a network of scientific and technical partners, and an assessment of the project’s relevance by the main territorial managers.

To go further

Contact : vincent.bertrin[at]inrae.fr