Pierre Chevaldonné

I work on marine biodiversity, with a naturalistic approach. My main area of interest is the ecology and evolution of underwater cave populations.
In these caves, I'm particularly interested in mysid and decapod crustaceans, as well as certain sponges with an affinity for the deep sea.
Caves provide a valuable island model for population studies on habitat fragmentation and connectivity.
I describe the communities and the species that make them up, including when they are new to science, and I study elements of molecular phylogeography and phylogeny.
I'm paying close attention to the global changes that are having an impact on these less resilient environments, particularly global warming.
My study areas are located mainly in the Mediterranean, but also in the near Atlantic (including Cape Verde and the Caribbean), Pacific (Marquesas) and Antarctic (Terre Adélie).