Temporal variations in the level of chlordecone in seawater and marine organisms in Martinique Island (Lesser Antilles).

The present study, conducted in the Galion Bay in Martinique, aims to highlight the temporal and seasonal variations of chlordecone contamination (an organochlorine pollutant) in the ambient environment (seawater) and also in the marine organisms in three main coastal marine habitats (mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs). To this end, two methodologies were used to measure and compare the chemical contamination of seawater during 13 months (spot samplings and POCIS technique). In parallel, concentrations of chlordecone and isotopic ratios (C and N) were carried out on marine organisms, collected during two contrasting climatic periods (dry and rainy), to evidence seasonal variations.

Fibropapillomatosis Prevalence and Distribution in Immature Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Martinique Island (Lesser Antilles).

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) threatens the survival of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations at a global scale, and human activities are regularly pointed as causes of high FP prevalence. However, the association of ecological factors with the disease's severity in complex coastal systems has not been well established and requires further studies. Based on a set of 405 individuals caught over ten years, this preliminary study provides the first insight of FP in Martinique Island, which is a critical development area for immature green turtles.

Fine scale geographic residence and annual primary production drive body condition of wild immature green turtles () in Martinique Island (Lesser Antilles).

The change of animal biometrics (body mass and body size) can reveal important information about their living environment as well as determine the survival potential and reproductive success of individuals and thus the persistence of populations. However, weighing individuals like marine turtles in the field presents important logistical difficulties. In this context, estimating body mass (BM) based on body size is a crucial issue.

Environmental fate of chlordecone in coastal habitats: recent studies conducted in Guadeloupe and Martinique (Lesser Antilles).

The organochlorine pollution by chlordecone, an insecticide spread in the past in banana plantations, is now recognized as a major ecological, economic, and social crisis in Guadeloupe and Martinique Islands. Due to its physical and chemical properties, this molecule is particularly persistent in the natural environment. Volcanic soil of Guadeloupe and Martinique contain allophanes (amorphous clays), which favor chlordecone trapping due to their structure and physical properties.

Connecting paths between juvenile and adult habitats in the Atlantic green turtle using genetics and satellite tracking.

Although it is commonly assumed that female sea turtles always return to the beach they hatched, the pathways they use during the years preceding their first reproduction and their natal origins are most often unknown, as it is the case for juvenile green turtles found in Martinique waters in the Caribbean. Given the oceanic circulation of the Guiana current flowing toward Martinique and the presence of important nesting sites for this species in Suriname and French Guiana, we may assume that a large proportion of the juvenile green turtles found in Martinique are originating from the Suriname-French Guiana beaches. To confirm this hypothesis, we performed mixed stock analysis (MSA) on 40 green turtles sampled in Martinique Island and satellite tracked 31 juvenile green turtles tagged in Martinique to (a) assess their natal origin and (b) identify their destination.

An integrated environmental approach to investigate biomarker fluctuations in the blue mussel Mytilus edulis L. in the Vilaine estuary, France.

Estuarine areas represent complex and highly changing environments at the interface between freshwater and marine aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, the aquatic organisms living in estuaries have to face highly variable environmental conditions. The aim of this work was to study the influence of environmental changes from either natural or anthropogenic origins on the physiological responses of Mytilus edulis.