ALCID : new research project at Oceanolab
Oceanolab has reopened with a new research project focusing on Breton algae: ALCID.
Project #4: ALCID
Seaweed beds shape both the marine landscape and the local economy in Brittany. However, faced with climate change and the arrival of invasive alien species, their balance is threatened. At Océanolab, scientists from the ALCID project are conducting a groundbreaking experiment to understand how these essential ecosystems will evolve in the coming decades.
Often overlooked, seaweed beds play a key role in Breton marine ecosystems. They are genuine underwater forests, providing shelter, food and support for numerous animal and plant species.
Some macroalgae, such as Himanthalia elongata (thong weed) and Laminaria digitata (oarweed), are also at the heart of local economic activities. They are harvested for human consumption or industrial uses.
Under their canopy, other edible algae also develop, such as dulse (Palmaria palmata), Irish moss (Chondrus crispus) and sea lettuces (Ulva sp.).
As Océanopolis Scientific Director Céline Liret points out: “Seaweed beds are much more than underwater landscapes. They support local marine biodiversity and the Breton economy.”
According to IPCC projections, ocean temperatures could rise by 2°C by 2100. This upheaval is already impacting some species.
In Brittany, Himanthalia elongata seaweed is in decline, particularly in the Bay of Brest and in the south of the region. It is gradually being replaced by species better adapted to warmer waters.
Among these, certain emerging algae profoundly alter the balance of marine ecosystems.
Introduced unintentionally through aquaculture activities, Japanese wireweed (Sargassum muticum) is now present on the Breton coast.
This invasive alien species is not exploited locally and its impacts are still poorly understood. However, it could compete with local species and transform marine habitats.
From April 11 to November 1 2026, researchers from the ALCID project (Algae, Climate, Invasive species, Diversity) will be based at Océanolab to tackle a central question: how will Breton algae react to global changes?
The scientific team, composed of researchers from UBO (Université de Bretagne Occidentale) and Océanopolis, is studying two major factors:
In controlled experimental tanks, scientists are observing the evolution of algae at the biological, physiological and chemical levels.
As Valérie Stiger, professor and director of UBO’s Biology Department at the Faculty of Science and Technology, explains: “The objective of the ALCID project is to understand how climate change…will modify Breton seaweed beds and to study the impacts of an invasive exotic species.”
At Océanolab, visitors can observe several iconic species :
Hosting the ALCID project at Océanolab has several objectives:
Océanolab is a programme designed by Océanopolis in conjunction with the European Institute for Marine Studies (IUEM) and the Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO). It consists of bringing together scientists and citizens around marine ecology research projects in a context where we are experiencing climate change, pollution and biodiversity erosion.
The objectives of the Océanolab programme are to share with the public ‘science in the making’. In other words, exhibiting in real time scientific work over the course of a year within a dedicated space in the heart of Océanopolis.
Against a background of misinformation and a loss of confidence in science, it is also a question of helping the public to discover the scientific approach and develop their critical thinking.
Océanolab is unique and is the first research laboratory open to the public.
Our mediation campaign uses a binocular magnifying glass, a microscope and a tank with an underwater camera to enable you to discover live, in the presence of a scientific mediator, the experiments taking place at Océanolab.
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