Scientific Research Laboratory on Coral Reefs - CRIOBE, UAR 3278

Founded in 1971, the Scientific Research Laboratory on Coral Reefs (CRIOBE) is one of the most renowned French laboratories in the field of marine ecology, particularly for the study of coral reefs. Since 2019, it has been a CNRS support and research unit (UAR 3278), associating the École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE-PSL), the University of Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD), and the CNRS, with the EPHE-PSL as its primary supervisor.

CRIOBE brings together a team of approximately 80 people—researchers, professors, engineers, technicians, and doctoral students—who work between two complementary sites: the Perpignan campus in metropolitan France and the Moorea research station in French Polynesia, located in the heart of an exceptional natural environment.

This dual geographical presence allows CRIOBE to combine field research, long-term observation, and scientific innovation, directly linked to the environmental realities of tropical and temperate island territories. The laboratory is at the forefront in diverse fields such as ecology, population genetics, environmental chemistry, microbiology, and human-nature interactions in coastal areas.

In a context of rapid global change—climate warming, pollution, and overfishing—CRIOBE's research aims to better understand the functioning of coral reefs, their vulnerability, and their adaptive capacity, but also to support environmental decision-making and promote nature-based solutions.

As a committed player in open science, training, and scientific outreach, CRIOBE welcomes numerous students, researchers on exchange, and international partners each year. It actively contributes to raising awareness among the general public and decision-makers of the vital importance of coral reefs for biodiversity, the climate, and human populations.

Director: Pierre Sasal

Deputy Director: Nicolas Inguinbert

Unit website:  https://www.criobe.pf/en/home/