ontact: Florian.deBettignies@unil.ch
Office: 3227
Research Interests
I joined the LAKES team as Research Assistant (PAT) for the QUAGGA-MUFFIN project. The program aims to investigate the trophic interactions between Quagga mussel populations and zooplankton communities.
My research interests focus on the functioning of aquatic ecosystems and their responses to stressors such as invasive species, climate change and human activities. As a marine biologist (PhD) and scientific diver, I have worked on coastal habitats connectivity, biodiversity patterns and foodwebs. My diverse background has led me to work in academic research, conservation at both local and international levels, and as scientific expert to advise stakeholders on aquatic habitats conservation. To study ecosystem functioning I use various approaches combining fieldwork campaigns (e.g. diving survey), experimental set-ups, isotopes analysis, taxonomic identification, biochemical assays, and modelling. In addition, I attach great importance to interdisciplinary projects, student training and scientific popularization.
Biography
2026 – Present: Research Assistant in the LAKES group of the Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
2023 – 2025: Scientific Expert in marine ecology and coastal ecosystems, development of monitoring protocols, conservation strategy, stakeholder assistance. Independent, UMS PatriNat, Switzerland.
2023: Expedition Engineer, science coordinator and logistics planning for a sailing expedition. Greenlandia, Greenland.
2021 – 2023: Hydrobiologist, monitoring programs in aquatic & tropical ecosystems. IMPACT MER, Martinique, France.
2020: Postdoc in marine ecology, monitoring kelp for better harvesting practices. IFREMER, Brest, France.
2020: Programme Officer in conservation of kelp forests, List of Threatened and/or Declining Habitats in OSPAR Commission. MNHN, Paris, France.
2016 – 2019: PhD in Marine Ecology, “Trophic connectivity between ecosystems: role of subtidal and intertidal detrital accumulations resulting from kelp export”. Roscoff Biological Station, Sorbonne University, France.
2016: Taxonomist in benthic macroinvertebrate, Mangroves foodwebs. IUEM, Brest, France.
2015: Scientific Diver and Research Assistant, kelp ecology, tropicalization of reefs, GIS mapping. University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
2012 – 2014: Master in Oceanography and Marine Ecology. Sorbonne University and Roscoff Biological Station, France.
2009 – 2011: Bachelor in Biology and Marine Science. University of Brest and University of Quebec in Rimousky, France-Canada.
Publications
1. de Bettignies F, Riera P, Dauby P, Bohner O, Leroux C, Davoult D (In Revision). Laminaria hyperborea as a food source within food-web associated with kelp detritus accumulations: an in situ and dual stable isotope (13c, 15n) labelling experiment.
2. de Bettignies F, Beauvais S, Janson A-L, Gamp E, Gazay C, La Rivière M, de Bettignies T (2025). Indicateurs d’évaluation de l’état de santé des habitats benthiques marins: synthèse en appui aux gestionnaires d’aires marines protégées. PatriNat (OFB-CNRS-MNHN-IRD), 95 pp. https://hal.science/hal-05282999v1.
3. O’Dell A, Canvin M, Smale DA, de Bettignies F, Grisenthwaite R, Filbee-Dexter K, Hughes A, Hancke K, Krause-Jensen D, Macleod A (2023). A review of carbon offset strategies with seaweed aquaculture–feasibility, current knowledge, and suggestions for future research. The Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, UK. Report prepared for the Scottish Government. Report number: 20230202. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.30992.17924.
4. Filbee-Dexter K, Feehan CJ, Smale DA, Krumhansl KA, Augustine S, de Bettignies F, Burrows MT, Byrnes JE, Campbell J, Davoult D (2022). Kelp carbon sink potential decreases with warming due to accelerating decomposition. PLoS biology 20:e3001702. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001702.
5. de Bettignies T, de Bettignies F, Bartsch I, Bekkby T, Boiffin A, Casado de Amezúa P, Christie H, Edwards H, Fournier N, García A, Gauthier L, Gillham K, Halling C, Harrald M, Hennicke J, Hernández S, Kilnäs M, Martinez B, Mieszkowska N, Moore P, Moy F, Mueller M, Norderhaug K M, Ó Cadhla O, Parry M, Ramsay K, Robertson M, Russel T, Serrão E, Smale D, Sousa Pinto I, Steen H, Street M, Walday M, Werner T, La Rivière M (2021). Background Document for Kelp Forests habitat. OSPAR 788/2021, 66 pp. ISBN 978-1-913840-15-0. https://mnhn.hal.science/mnhn-04169442v1.
6. Leclerc J C, de Bettignies T, de Bettignies F, Christie H, Franco J N, Leroux C, Davoult D, Pedersen M F, Filbee-Dexter K, Wernberg T (2021). Local flexibility in feeding behaviour and contrasting microhabitat uses of an omnivores across latitudes. Oecologia, 196:441-453. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-021-04936-5.
7. Frontier N*, de Bettignies F*, Foggo A, Davoult D (2021). Sustained productivity and respiration of degrading kelp detritus in the shallow benthos: detached or broken, but not dead. Marine Environmental Research, 166:105277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105277.
8. Brunet M, de Bettignies F, Le Duff N, Tanguy G, Davoult D, Leblanc C, Gobet A, Thomas F (2021). Accumulation of detached kelp biomass in a subtidal temperate coastal ecosystem induces succession of epiphytic and sediment bacterial communities. Environmental Microbiology 23(3):1638-1655. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.15389.
9. de Bettignies F, Dauby P, Lepoint G, Riera P, Bocher E, Bohner O, Broudin C, Houbin C, Leroux C, Loisel S, Davoult D (2020). Temporal succession of a macrofaunal community associated with kelp fragment accumulations in an in situ experiment. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 656: 109-121. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13391.
10. de Bettignies F, Dauby P, Thomas F, Gobet A, Delage L, Bohner O, Loisel S, Davoult D (2020). Degradation dynamics and processes associated with the accumulation of Laminaria hyperborea (Phaeophyceae) kelp fragments: an in situ experimental approach. Journal of Phycology, 56, 1481-149.https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.13041.
11. Androuin T, Six C, Bordeyne F, de Bettignies F, Noisette F, Davoult D (2020). Better off alone? New insights in the symbiotic relationship between the flatworm Symsagittifera roscoffensis and the microalgae Tetraselmis convolutae. Symbiosis 81:161–171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-020-00691-y.