[Coral-List] Sponge Biodiversity Workshop in La Martinique

[Bob Thacker]

 Dear Colleagues,
See below for an announcement for a sponge biodiversity workshop in La
Martinique, 1-8 December, 2013.
Best regards,
Bob

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SPONGE BIODIVERSITY OF THE CARRIBEAN SEA:
Workshop In La Martinique
1-8 December 2013

Coordinator : Thierry Perez, CR1 CNRS UMR 7263 IMBE « Institut
Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale. Station
Marine d’Endoume, rue de la batterie des lions, 13007 Marseille. Tel. : 04
91 04 16 29 ; Mobile : 06 17 15 51 51 ; e-mail : thierry.perez at imbe.fr

Scientific committee: Thierry Pérez (Coordinator), Jean Vacelet
(CNRS-IMBE), Nicole Boury-Esnault (CNRS-IMBE) & Cristina Diaz (Harbor
Branch, USA)

Organisation committee : Thierry Pérez (Coordinator), Adeline
Pouget-Cuvelier (Impact Mer La Martinique), Jean-Philippe Maréchal (OMMM la
Martinique), et Sophie Carteron (Ginger La Martinique)

Other contributors : Alexander Ereskovsky (CNRS-IMBE), Michelle Klautau
(UFRJ Brésil), Robert W. Thacker (UAB USA) et Sven Zea (UNC Colombia)

The Caribbean is a hotspot for marine biodiversity, especially for sponges
which form a dominant group in terms of diversity and biomass. To improve
our knowledge of sponge biodiversity, there is a need for training new
taxonomists. This course has several objectives: 1) train young scientists
and marine stakeholders in the fundamentals of sponge taxonomy, 2) improve
our knowledge on the sponge biodiversity of the Caribbean Sea by exploring
less-studied ecosystems, 3) create a database as a basis for a field guide
to the sponges of La Martinique, and 4) implement Pan-Caribbean research
projects that will provide management strategies and conservation plans for
marine biodiversity. These objectives require an educational programme that
must be practical and closely tied to the marine environment.  This course
is responsive to the need for knowledge transfer from scientists to the
stakeholders of La Martinique, including all persons who need to develop an
expertise in sponge taxonomy: students, technicians, researchers, teachers,
and marine environment managers. The course will be divided into three
units:

1. Fundamental basis of sponge classification (lectures)

2. Study of the biodiversity of sponges of La Martinique (practical and
field work)

3. Prospective Workshop: Which research programs will improve our knowledge
of Caribbean sponge biodiversity and contribute to strategies for the
conservation of marine ecosystems?

English and French will be the official languages of the course.

The course will be based at Les Anses d’Arlets, a small town in the south
of La Martinique Island (http://www.ville-ansesdarlet.fr).  This location
offers close proximity to the ecosystems that will be studied during the
course: coral reefs, submarine caves, and mangroves. If you are interested
by this course, send an email of intention to Thierry Pérez
thierry.perez at imbe.fr. In return, you will receive a pre-registration form.
The course is limited to 20-25 participants, therefore applications will be
screened.  Candidates selected for the course will be notified in July 2013..

The pre-registration procedure is now available on our web pages.

http://www.imbe.fr/ecole-thematique-biodiversite-des.html

http://www.imbe.fr/training-course-sponge.html