SEEM in a nutshell

 

La Station d'Ecologie Experimentale du CNRS à Moulis (SEEM) is a recently founded research and service unit (USR) of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). The director of the Station is Jean Clobert, a specialist in species dispersal. SEEM is a fully equipped ecological research station in the foothills of the Pyrenees in the region Ariege (France) and is run by a core of 10 permanent staff members. It is open to collaborators all around the world, which would like to conduct research in the area.

SEEM focuses on nine major research axes:

  1. Experimental approach to analyse the effect of global warming on the function and evolution of a metapopulation
  2. Biological diversity and global change: Links between genetics, phenotype and phenotypic abilities
  3. Animal perception and decision making in regard to environmental parameters
  4. Social information and cultural evolution
  5. Maintenance of strategies and spatial structure
  6. Microbiological ecology and behaviour: an experimental approach
  7. Adaption to new habitats: the case of cave species
  8. Environmental perturbations, reproductive strategies and senescence
  9. Landscape planning and biodiversity dynamics

SEEM is equipped with several lab facilities with 5-8 work places per lab. These lab facilities include a physiological lab, a genetic lab, a room for microsurgery, a lab for Soil analyses, and a microbiological - cell biology lab. In addition, equipment for field surveys (i.e. cars, field microscopes, pH-meters, individual marking etc.) is available. Further, one large teaching room can be used for university or public courses.

SEEM maintains four experimental sites: Animal houses for lizards, fishes and amphibians, a greenhouse, Avaries, and a 3ha metapopulation cage.

SEEM can host researchers and students visiting the station for up to 3 month in own, low priced one room studios. The overall capacity is 45 visitors. For meetings and teaching 2 conference rooms are available with a capacity of ca. 50 and 30 people, allowing also University classes to be held at SEEM.

 

Moulis, 27.11.2007