BIOAQUA
Inventroy and tracking of Polynesian insular habitat aquatic biodiversity : a basic tool for living natural ressources preservation and restoration
Studies on the coralline ecosystem, in Polynesia as well as throughout the world, are pretty recent as they started to develop in the 60’s. In Polynesia, apart from the last century’s big naturalist expedition, it is the EPHE, which widely contributed to the development of coral reefs understanding through the CRIOBE research station established in Moorea since 1971. The first research objective was the description of stocks, diversity and spatiotemporal structure with the Moorea’s reefs and ecosystem sitting as a pattern.
In spite of nowadays preservation objectives, efforts must continue on distant archipelagos biodiversity description. These tracking research efforts, descriptions and characterizations are still being led.
Within this context and as part of the Polynesian – State integrated research program, CRIOBE originated a biodiversity centered project. The project is entitled : “Inventory and tracking of Polynesian insular habitat aquatic biodiversity : a basic tool for living natural resources preservation and restoration (BIOAQUA) it is composed with the following actions :
- Collections and inventories of distant Polynesian archipelago of aquatic species (Marquises, Australes, Gambiers) on which biodiversity is poorly documented.
- Realization of published and digitally recorded physical collections (complete tissue samples) based on the previous collections and inventories. These collections will provide a fast access to essential info for the decision makers helping them for a better management of natural habitat.
- As for the major international “bar-codes” programs, a genetic bio-code will be researched for each taxa. It will be conducted in partnership with the International “Bar-code of Life” program allowing the Polynesian biodiversity census to figure on the worldwide base.
- Biodiversity tracking of some key ecosystems to demonstrate coralline reefs guarding role.
- Vulnerability’s signs characterization on some targeted species which are especially affected by fishing and habitat destruction taking into account the population dynamics and parasite’s effect.
Developed in 2006-2007, the program has been delayed and is still in progress.
This project is a partnership between the CRIOBE, the UMR 5244 (CNRS-EPHE-UPVD), the National Museum of Natural History, the University of la Rochelle, the UR 128 (IRD) and the Smithsonian (Washington) with the State and Country financial support.
