PhD LMGE/LAPSCO (M/F)

Job Description

Thesis Subject

Volcanic lakes, emblematic of the Auvergne region, represent an exceptional geological and natural heritage. They are central to local activities and the economy through growing tourism, drinking water supply, and agriculture. However, these lakes are fragile and, for the most part, subject to a decline in water quality, exacerbated by global changes. This is particularly reflected in rising surface water temperatures, decreasing concentrations of dissolved oxygen, and an acceleration of the natural eutrophication process, leading to an increased proliferation of potentially toxic cyanobacteria, which impacts lake functioning and its uses.
Although information about these large-scale cyanobacterial blooms is increasingly reported in the media, public awareness of the associated risks remains limited. Furthermore, only designated bathing sites are monitored by the Regional Health Agency (ARS), and no data is currently available for most of these mid-altitude lakes, thus preventing any comprehensive assessment of the potential for cyanobacterial proliferation at these sites.
The objective of this PhD research is therefore, through the analysis of lake archives, to reconstruct the history of cyanobacterial blooms over the past decade. This approach, applied to all sites within the Volcanic Lakes Observatory (jointly managed by the Volcans d'Auvergne Regional Natural Park and the University Clermont Auvergne), will not only characterize the diversity and recurrence of cyanobacterial blooms at the territorial scale but also, more broadly, model the eutrophication trajectory of these lakes in order to propose more sustainable management strategies.
In addition, the assessment of the associated toxic potential and its spatio-temporal distribution will serve as a basis for research on risk perception among the population. The aim here is to examine the psycho-cognitive mechanisms involved in the perception and subjective evaluation of this type of risk, with a focus on heuristics and cognitive biases that may arise depending on how media announcements regarding usage restrictions - implemented in the event of toxic cyanobacterial blooms - are communicated and delivered.

Your Work Environment

The PhD funding is provided by MITI CNRS as part of the “Territories of the Future” Challenge.
The doctoral research will be carried out at the Microorganisms: Genome and Environment Laboratory (LMGE) (UMR UCA-CNRS 6023).
Within LMGE, the host team for this PhD project will be the “Interactions in Aquatic Trophic Networks” team, which focuses on community ecology and the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. This team is particularly interested in the ability of different microbial communities to adapt to variations in biotic and abiotic factors, especially in the context of global change. Our research aims to assess how local and global constraints affect the functioning of aquatic ecosystems, with a primary focus on the microorganism–metazoan interface.
A partnership has been established with the Social and Cognitive Psychology Laboratory (LAPSCO / UMR UCA-CNRS 6024), specifically for the part of the project focused on risk perception.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

2300 € gross monthly

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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