Description du sujet de thèse

The aim of the PhD thesis is to:
- update the ecological and economic knowledge and data needed to model the economic value of soil biodiversity and associated ecosystem services, with a focus on agrosystems in the French West Indies subject to toxicity (notably chlordecone pollution).
- to renew the integrated modeling strategy for maintained biodiversity, based on existing models that follow the principles of mathematical viability and its associated indicators.
- deduce prescriptions for public action and soil management strategies for food production.
All in all, the thesis should provide a panorama of biodiversity valuation drawn from agricultural production habitus in the French West Indies, in order to open up avenues for flexibility and adaptation of support systems for the safeguard and sustainability of soil-based food production systems.

Eligibility criteria
Hold a Master's degree or be about to do so in one of the following disciplines: Economics - Ecology - Mathematics or Computer Science applied to economics or ecology;
Be sensitive to issues related to economic ecology and sustainability sciences;
An interest in theoretical modeling and related computer programming;
excellent communication skills in French (written and oral)
English language skills (minimum B2).

Contexte de travail

This 3-year, full-time doctoral contract is 100% funded by the MITI (Mission pour les Initiatives Transversales & Interdisciplinaires) of the CNRS. It is part of the ongoing BioEcoSol research project on “the viability of the economic valuation of soil biodiversity for food use in the French West Indies”.
Given the interdisciplinary nature of the work, the results will be obtained under the joint supervision of the two partners behind the BioEcoSol project: PHEEAC in Martinique and UR ECOTERCA in Guadeloupe. The doctoral student will be based at PHEEAC, although he or she may be hosted by UR ECOTERCA in Guadeloupe if required.
All work will benefit from the expertise of researchers specialized in tropical ecology and ecological economics at the University of the French West Indies and the CNRS. The support of the INRAE Viability network will be mobilized.