The FRB in action
Project ongoing since 2023
DISCAR
DISturbance on small CARnivores
The DISCAR (DIS = disturbance, CAR = carnivores) project aims at providing an operational framework with analytical tools for assessing the impacts of human pressures on populations of small carnivores, and showcasing it with case studies in applied conservation. DISCAR will use small carnivores in French mainland and overseas territories as a case study to assess the population consequences or impacts of human pressures on animal populations.
These species hold important roles in ecosystems, such as influencing ecosystem structure and providing numerous ecosystem services, including pest/disease control and seed dispersal. Small carnivore species also respond to ecosystem disturbance in a fast, measurable, and interpretable way and therefore can be used as sentinels of global change. We will connect the fields of bioenergetics and demographic modeling in an integrated framework to assess human pressures on biodiversity, and to characterize then predict the impacts on small carnivores.
DISCAR will identify key parameters underlying coupling between pressures and impacts, and will make recommendations for stakeholders in terms of monitoring and mitigation strategies.
Find more about DISCAR on the website:
RESEARCHERS
PIs:
Olivier GIMENEZ – CNRS (France) ;
Sandrine RUETTE– OFB (France)
ouvrir/fermer
Participants:
DISCAR gathers specialists in the ecology of carnivorous species, modeling and impact assessments.
The project
DISCAR was selected from the 2022 FRB/MTE/OFB call for proposals. The selection process was carried out by a committee of independent experts.
Publications
[05] Bauduin S, Germain E, Zimmermann F, Idelberger S, Herdtfelder M, Heurich M, Kramer-Schadt S, Duchamp C, Drouet-Hoguet N, Morand A, Blanc L, Charbonnel A & Gimenez O (2025) Modelling Eurasian lynx populations in Western Europe: What prospects for the next 50 years? Peer Community Journal, 5, e60. DOI: 10.24072/pcjournal.543.
[04] Lacombe S, Devillard S, Kauffmann C, Aznar M, Dupuis O, Fournier-Chambrillon C, Isère-Laoué E, Fraissard C, Fuento N, Heugas T, Martin A, Perrin M, Roche A, Ruys T, Simonnet F, Thomas B, Souriau-Villeger A & Gimenez O (2025) Range expansion and reconnection of historical populations in the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in France: Insights from heterogeneous data and integrated species distribution modelling. Biological Conservation, 307, 111179. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111179.
[03] Speakman CN, Bull S, Cubaynes S, Davis KJ, Devillard S, Fryxell JM, Gallagher CA, McHuron EA, Rastello K, Smallegange IM, Salguero‐Gómez R, Bonnaud E, Duchamp C, Giraudoux P, Lacombe S, Marneweck CJ, Schroll L, Tableau A, Ruette S & Gimenez O (2025) Understanding and predicting population response to anthropogenic disturbance: Current approaches and novel opportunities. Ecology Letters, 28, e70198. DOI: 10.1111/ele.70198.
[02] Gimenez O (2024) Spatial occupancy models for data collected on stream. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, accepted. DOI: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.10017.
[01] Kervellec M, Couturier T, Bauduin S, Chenesseau D, Defos du Rau P, Drouet‐Hoguet N, Duchamp C, Steinmetz J, Vandel J & Gimenez O (2024) Bringing circuit theory into spatial occupancy models to assess landscape connectivity. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, accepted. DOI: 10.1111/2041-210X.14418.
RESOURCES
- [FR] Actualité CNRS : La loutre d’Europe signe un spectaculaire retour en France | CNRS Écologie & Environnement. (2025, juin 16).
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