Explore the depths of the Mediterranean
As part of the 2024 edition of the Fête de la Science (Science Festival), Virginie Zajdel, school teacher and continuing education intern in the Master's program in Ecological Engineering and Biodiversity Management (IEGB) at the Faculty of Sciences ofthe University of Montpellier, has designed, in collaboration with the University Libraries, a photo exhibition on Marine Biology.
Marine biology awareness
Through this photo exhibition, Virginie Zajdel raises students' awareness of marine biology and, more specifically, of one particular ecosystem: sandy and/or muddy seabeds.
"I really wanted to raise students' awareness of a substrate, a habitat, an ecosystem: soft bottoms, i.e., sandy or muddy bottoms. It is an ecosystem with a very high species richness that is sometimes overlooked.
There is an abundance of life, but to discover it, one must dive at night. During the day, animals fear humans, noise, light, and other predators, and hide in the sediment: mud or sand. However, at night, they emerge to hunt, reproduce, and more. This results in an explosion of life, richness, and color. "
The richness of the Mediterranean coastline highlighted
After identifying various dive sites with different substrates and different sand grain sizes, Virginie Zajdel spent around 100 hours diving and systematically catalogued all the species she encountered.
Endemic species
"I wanted to highlight little-known animals that are sometimes endemic to our region, such as the Tethys, a 30-centimeter slug endemic to our Mediterranean coast, or the spotted seahorse, which may be endemic to the Thau lagoon."
Some animals have amazing mimetic abilities, incredible ways of defending and protecting themselves, or even extraordinary functions, such asthe sea slug Elysia chlorotica, which is able to eat chloroplasts, the cells in plants that are specific to photosynthesis, without destroying them. It inserts them into its own body cells and thus performs its own photosynthesis.
I thought it was so fabulous that I decided I had to put together an exhibition to explain it to students.
Non-native species
In this project, Virginie Zajdel also highlights the presence of invasive alien species or non-native species (ENI) that are developing on our coasts and, having no predators, are proliferating to the point of replacing native species.
This phenomenon, which is currently very poorly regulated, is influenced by both global warming and globalization.
Conferences and Practical Workshops
This exhibition appears to have been the catalyst for numerous marine biology projects at the University of Montpellier.
In response to the interest shown by students in the photo exhibition, Virginie Zajdel has scheduled a series of lectures throughout the year. During these lectures, she will study branches, specific groups of animals, and habitats (seagrass beds, rocky bottoms, sandy-muddy bottoms, etc.).
In addition, and to ensure that students feel involved and active participants in their learning, Virginie Zajdel also organized an educational workshop on photo identification.
The objective: To enable students who do not have the opportunity to dive to learn how to identify and classify a wide range of marine animals.
Thanks to the accreditation of a dedicated room at the Triolet University Library, students will be able to observe specimens using microscopes and binocular magnifying glasses.
"This year, I set myself the challenge of dedicating time to this project, which stems from the exhibition. The aim is to share knowledge. Several students have knowledge on these topics, so everyone can contribute."
New projects on the horizon...
The photo exhibition "Sous la surface" (Beneath the Surface) was the first point of contact with the students. This initial project ultimately served as a test of the interest of students at the University of Montpellier in marine biology.
Seeing the enthusiasm generated by the exhibition and the students' desire to go further and learn more about these topics, Virginie Zajdel works daily to create new projects.
"I suggested that we compile a monthly inventory of everything we see at the Thau lagoon. That way, we can work together to identify the potential presence of new species depending on the time of year, or changes in species. This is called monitoring the specific richness of the site."
Finally, the association "Immersion Aquatique" (Aquatic Immersion), recently created on the initiative of Virginie Zajdel, will be run by students with the aim of encouraging the development of projects and enabling Marine Biology to occupy an important place at the University of Montpellier.