Missions

This project is part of a collaboration between the French Biodiversity Agency and the Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, focusing on the population dynamics of species exploited by humans with the aim of developing appropriate management strategies. It specifically aims to develop, explore, and evaluate new statistical analysis and diagnostic methods using different data sources to improve estimates of population size, temporal trends in population changes, and other demographic parameters (survival, fecundity, reproductive success, etc.). These integrated population models (IPMs) are increasingly used in ecology. They offer clear advantages, such as the ability to estimate certain parameters that are difficult to estimate on separate data sets and improve their accuracy, but require special precautions to avoid unrealistic results. The ultimate goal of this work will be to better assess the sustainability of harvesting (hunting or fishing) for different taxa with varying life history traits, which is essential for generalizing adaptive management approaches. IPMs have already been used to predict the impact of harvesting on the dynamics of exploited animal populations. This collaboration aims to take into account in greater detail the different types of harvesting, according to their chronology, spatial distribution, the category of individuals targeted, etc., considering a broad demographic spectrum (fast species – slow species) in three major groups of vertebrates (mammals, birds, and fish). The expected results are primarily methodological: to propose new methods or improve existing methods to increase our knowledge of population parameters and the impact of sampling on their dynamics. They will also make it possible to estimate parameters that are currently unknown or imprecise for a number of species and thus support decisions on national and European regulations to be adopted in the context of adaptive management. In the longer term, one of the operational challenges of the project will be to be able to predict the trajectory of a population based on harvesting (intensity, sex/age categories, etc.), taking into account the impact of other pressures, particularly climate change, in order to propose robust management scenarios based on population change objectives. It will also provide a better understanding of what data needs to be collected (and the related sampling plans) to address these issues.
To meet these objectives, the project will rely on the development of models integrating different data sources, initially based on data simulations, consistent with the data sets that are actually available or planned for acquisition, as well as on analyses of existing data sets whose collection is coordinated by the OFB (in particular long-term monitoring of wild ungulates, anatidae, woodcocks and snipe, and salmonids) or available from partners and field actors (e.g., hunting associations). The project will draw on several case studies with varying demographic patterns so that the results can be generalized to as many exploited species as possible.

Activités

- Bibliographic research
- Analysis of capture-mark-recapture data, fecundity data, population structure and size data, and hunting bag data
- Development and adjustment of integrated population models
- Development of simulations to validate the relevance of models
- Writing of scientific reports and international articles

Compétences

- Knowledge of/interest in wildlife management
- Strong skills in statistical modeling using Bayesian methods
- Skills in developing integrated population models
- Skills in animal population demography and dynamics
- Previous experience working with exploited species would be an advantage
- Ability to work actively in collaboration with local and remote partners
- Autonomy in work, particularly in data management and analysis

Contexte de travail

The postdoctoral researcher will be the key link in the partnership between CEFE and OFB. He/she will be based at CEFE in the HAIR (Human-Animal Interactions) team, which is at the forefront of population dynamics modeling. He/she will be supervised by Aurélien BESNARD at CEFE (EPHE director of studies at CEFE in the HAIR team) and Kévin LE REST at OFB (research fellow in the research and scientific support department).
He/she will also interact with other people involved in this partnership and will be required to travel to various OFB sites to meet some of them, in particular in Pérols (34), Châteauvillain (52), and Nantes (44), which are home to several OFB research fellows involved in issues of adaptive management of exploited species. He/she will also work more closely with Maryline Pellerin (OFB, research officer in the Research and Scientific Support Department), particularly on issues/data concerning wild ungulates.
A PhD program on this topic will begin in the fall of 2026, and the postdoctoral researcher will interact closely with the PhD student. He/she will support the project team in defining the thesis topic more precisely and will participate in its successful implementation.

Contraintes et risques

None