[Portrait] Raphaël MINGUET, doctoral student in ecology, ecoacoustics and agroecology (IMBE, EECAR - INRAE, PSH)
What is your research about?
My work focuses on studying the impact of agricultural practices in apple orchards on bird populations and some of their vocal characteristics, using ecoacoustic approaches. In practical terms, we deploy sound recorders in various orchards and analyse the audio files to obtain information about the bird communities that frequent them.
What are your current scientific activities?
I'm currently in my second year, and I'm focusing on developing the fieldwork carried out during my first year. I'm also planning to present my initial findings at a number of conferences this year.
Why did you choose to work in academic research?
My desire to work in research goes back to my early years at university. What attracted me most, and still attracts me today, is the constant learning that this field offers. Being able to combine this with my passion for birds reinforced my motivation to undertake this PhD.
What advice would you give to students who want to do research?
My first piece of advice would be to don't rush into choosing a thesisto find a subject that perfectly matches their aspirations. I would also recommend that they meet as many people working in research as possibleby exploring a variety of subjects. This would enable them to identify the topics that really interest them while assessing their compatibility with the expectations of a thesis.
What object or image from your business best illustrates you?
This photo represents the two objects I use the most, both in my thesis and outside it: a sound recorder and binoculars.
The EECAR team at the Mediterranean Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE)
Faced with the erosion of biodiversity due to global changes (land use, climate, biological invasions, pollution), theEECAR team seeks to develop approaches for diagnosing the state of health of ecosystems, and to produce original results and innovations for ecological restoration or the sustainable management of natural and cultural heritage, as well as assessing their effects and legal prospects.
On the one hand, the team relies on ecotoxicological approaches (development of biomarkers, in particular) and chemical (research into chemomarkers) and on the other hand, on the characterisation of populations and communities (vegetation, terrestrial invertebrates)The aim is to identify bioindicators and gain a better understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
The approaches used stem from therestoration ecologytheecological engineeringtheagroecologythe nature protection law and chemistry heritage. They enable EECAR to contribute to conservation-restoration of cultural heritagethe protecting, restoring and rehabilitating socio-ecosystems as well as the implementation of a sustainable management of agroecosystems. The team is also studying the legal instruments used to prevent damage to the natural environment, as well as their compensation systems.
The Plants and Horticultural Cropping Systems unit (INRAE PSH)
The mission of the PSH unit, located at the heart of the horticultural production zone in the south-east of France, is to use ecophysiological and agroecological approaches to help develop fruit and vegetable growing systems and landscape scenarios in the Mediterranean area, in order to improve the quality of the produce harvested and respect for the environment.
The research work of the PSH unit is part of the "Research" cluster. Integrated Horticultural Production "from the INRAE PACA centre.
The portraits
Mis à jour le 20 January 2025