I am a researcher in wildlife ecology and a project leader on large carnivores at the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB).

My research focuses on the ecology, genetics, dynamics and conservation of Pyrenean brown bear: non-invasive population monitoring ; conservation genetics ; role in ecosystem functioning ; interactions with other species ; functional connectivity ; spatial ecology ; impacts of human activities ; coexistence with humans.

I am currently leading a research project (called "ECOSYBEAR") investigating the role of the brown bear in the functioning and resilience of the Pyrenean ecosystems and which includes 3 main axes:

1. Evaluating the role of the brown bear as a mobile link agent in biotic and abiotic flows across the landscape (dispersal of seeds, fungal spores, mycorrhizal symbioses, nutrients, soil decomposers, ecosystems...).
2. Characterizing the trophic and non-trophic interactions (competition, predation, facilitation...) of the brown bear with other wildlife species (wild boar, red deer, roe deer, capercaillie, mall and medium-sized carnivores, birds of prey...),
3. Identifying the potential impacts of human activities (recreational activities, hunting, forestry, road traffic, livestock farming...) on the movements and behaviors of the brown bear, and consequently on its ecological role.

In particular, the objectives of the first axis are to evaluate more specifically the role of brown bear in :

• the long-distance dispersal of plant seeds and fungal spores by endozoochory (internal transport via consumption, partial digestion and defecation),
• the dispersal of mycorrhizal symbioses (co-dispersal of plant seeds and their associated mycorrhizae in feces),
• the dispersal of ecosystems (co-dispersal of seeds, mycorrhizae, nutrients, soil decomposers in feces),

The aim is also to assess the consequences for :

• plant phenotypic traits (germination dynamics, seedling growth, plant morphological traits...),
• the structure and dynamics of plant and fungus populations and communities,
• ecosystem functioning (primary production by plants, decomposition of soil organic matter, soil recycling of essential nutrients such as nitrogen).
• ecosystem resilience in the face of environmental change (altitudinal migration of species in the face of global warming and restoration of degraded habitats).

Part of this research project is carred out by a PhD student (Grégoire Pauly, INRAE, France).