Matthieu Le Corre, Ph.D.

Research

Matthieu Le Corre is director of the Laboratory of Ecology and Marine Research (ECOMAR), director of the Doctorate School of Science, Health and Technology, and director of the Master’s in Biodiversity and Tropical Ecosystems Program at the University of Reunion. Le Corre’s Pew fellowship research focused on the foraging and migratory behavior of seabirds in the tropical Indian Ocean and the identification of marine biodiversity hotspots in the region. Top predators such as seabirds are powerful indicators of ocean health because they often feed on prey that tunas and other species drive to the ocean’s surface, revealing highly productive areas where prey species are concentrated. Le Corre deployed miniaturized transmitters on a range of seabird species breeding in Réunion, Europa, Mauritius, Madagascar, and Seychelles to track diverse habitat use patterns throughout national territories and the high seas. The project provided the first substantial indications of the locations of high seas biodiversity hotspots in the western Indian Ocean. To learn more about Le Corre, read his bio.