Henri Robert

International Polar Foundation

The TANGO2 expedition ventured to accumulate new information and samples to delineate responses of marine ecosystems to shifts in ice regimes in the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), taking full advantage of a nimble sampling platform, the R/V Australis, a steel hulled, fully rigged motor sailor. TANGO2 took place between February and March 2024, sam...

The TANGO1 expedition ventured to accumulate new data on the responses of marine ecosystems to shifts in ice regimes in the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), taking full advantage of a nimble sampling platform, the R/V Australis, a steel hulled, fully rigged motor sailor. TANGO1 took place between February and March 2023, sampling two main locations...

The western Antarctic Peninsula is facing rapid environmental changes and many recent publications stress the need to gain new knowledge regarding ecosystems responses to these changes. In the framework of the Belgica 121 expedition, we tested the use of a nimble vessel with a moderate environmental footprint as an approach to tackle the urgent nee...

This dataset relates to the biodiversity census carried out during the Belgica 121 (B121) expedition to the Western Antarctic Peninsula from February to March 2019. One of the aims of the campaign was to explore the surroundings of the Gerlache Strait and to carry out a detailed biodiversity census focusing on inter- and subtidal shallow-water area...

Background Genome-wide data are invaluable to characterize differentiation and adaptation of natural populations. Reduced representation sequencing (RRS) subsamples a genome repeatedly across many individuals. However, RRS requires careful optimization and fine-tuning to deliver high marker density while being cost-efficient. The number of genomic...

This dataset relates to the biodiversity census carried out during the Belgica 121 (B121) expedition to the Western Antarctic Peninsula from February to March 2019. One of the aims of the campaign was to explore the surroundings of the Gerlache Strait and to carry out a detailed biodiversity census focusing on inter- and subtidal shallow-water area...

Genome-wide data are invaluable to characterize differentiation and adaptation of natural populations. Reduced representation sequencing (RRS) subsamples a genome repeatedly across many individuals. However, RRS requires careful optimization and fine-tuning to deliver high marker density while being cost-efficient. The number of genomic fragments c...

In 2015, we collected more than 60 000 scavenging amphipod specimens during two expeditions to the Clarion–Clipperton fracture zone (CCZ) in the Northeast (NE) Pacific and to the DISturbance and re-COLonisation (DisCOL) experimental area (DEA), a simulated mining impact disturbance proxy in the Peru Basin in the Southeast (SE) Pacific. Here, we com...

This is the cruise report of the Belgica 121 expedition to the Gerlache Strait

In 2015, we have collected more than 60,000 scavenging amphipod specimens during two expeditions to the Clarion-Clipperton fracture Zone (CCZ), in the Northeast (NE) Pacific and to the DISturbance and re-COLonisation (DisCOL) Experimental Area (DEA), a simulated mining impact disturbance proxy in the Peru basin, Southeast (SE) Pacific. Here, we com...

It is demonstrated here that Charcotia Chevreux, 1906 (Amphipoda) has priority over Charcotia Vayssière, 1906 (Gastropoda), and that Waldeckia Chevreux, 1906 has to be treated as an invalid objective junior synonym of Charcotia Chevreux, 1906. An analysis of a part of the mitochondrial COI gene of Charcotia indicates that Charcotia obesa sensu lato...

We investigated the role of hydrological features, such as water masses, fronts, eddies, and sea ice, in affecting the distribution of upper trophic level species in the Scotia Sea region during autumn. On board RV Polarstern, we performed 365 30-min strip transects recording seabirds and marine mammals along the North Scotia Ridge and the South Sa...

PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium The species first entered Belgium in 1979 by natural colonization from the UK introduced population and subsequently from established populations in neighbouring countries. The species was not introduced in Belgium although it is very likely that there have also been local escapes...

PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium The species was first recorded in the wild in Belgium in 1993 and is now established at a few sites (principally in Campine). The main pathway of entry is the trade for ornamental use in ponds and in aquaria with subsequent disposal of cultivated plants into the wild and possibly...

Executive summary PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium Because of its aesthetic value, L. peploides – originated from the America - is introduced intentionally as an ornamental plant. Readily purchasable in garden centers and on the internet (sometimes sold under different names), horticultural trade is considered...

Executive summary PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium Potential pathway of entry of these South African species in Belgium (and neighbouring countries) is voluntary introduction of individuals for ornamental or soil stabilisation purpose. If planted in adequate ecological/climatic conditions, subsequent endozoocho...

Executive summary PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium The first Sacred Ibis in Belgium was recorded in 1989. At the present time and in the future it is highly likely that individuals will enter Belgium through any of the two following pathways: free flying populations from zoological parks or escapes from aviarie...

Executive summary PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium The species was first recorded in the wild in Belgium in 1984 in a nature reserve near Aalst where it was most probably intentionally introduced as an ornamental plant or from discarded garden debris. Trade in horticulture for ornamental purpose and use in aqua...

Executive summary PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium If the sea food industry may have played a minor role during the 1980 - 1990s, current introductions in Belgium mainly result from the release of live animals used as pets by aquarium owners. Based on the current distribution of P. clarkii in France and the N...

Executive summary PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium Egeria densa is a popular aquarium plant that was first reported in the wild in Belgium in 1999. The principal pathway of introduction is the disposal of aquaria contents into local waterways. Further dissemination in natural habitats occurs through the spread...

Executive summary PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium The species was first recorded in the wild in Belgium in 1982 and is now established at more than 80 sites. The two main pathways of entry of C. helmsii are the trade in horticulture (for ornamental purposes and its characteristics as an “oxygenator” in aquaria...

Executive summary PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium H. ranunculoides was first observed in the Belgian wild in 1999. It is produced and sold in Belgium as an ornamental plant for aquariums and ponds (sometimes under erroneous and misleading names). Most introductions into the wild occur when plant fragments are...

Executive summary PROBABILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD (EXPOSURE) Entry in Belgium The species is already present in Belgium with a first observation in the wild dating from 1993. Populations are still isolated but spreading. The species was more than probably introduced initially by horticultural and aquarium trade. Continued (accidental or...

Because of the unique conditions that exist around the Antarctic continent, Southern Ocean (SO) ecosystems are very susceptible to the growing impact of global climate change and other anthropogenic influences. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand how SO marine life will cope with expected future changes in the environment. Studies o...

Because of the unique conditions that exist around the Antarctic continent, Southern Ocean (SO) ecosystems are very susceptible to the growing impact of global climate change and other anthropogenic influences. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand how SO marine life will cope with expected future changes in the environment. Studies o...

The marine ecosystem on the eastern shelf of the Antarctic Peninsula was surveyed 5 and 12 years after the climate-induced collapse of the Larsen A and B ice shelves. An impoverished benthic fauna was discovered, that included deep-sea species presumed to be remnants from ice-covered conditions. The current structure of various ecosystem components...

In the framework of the Census of Antarctic Marine Life, the Antarctic Marine Biodiversity Information Network (SCAR-MarBIN) is establishing a Register of Antarctic Marine Species (RAMS), providing accurate and complete taxonomic and distribution data openly accessible online. RAMS aims at compiling and managing an authoritative taxonomic list of s...

Accurate species identification is fundamental in biodiversity studies and relies on efficient identification tools, which are still lacking for some highly diverse and taxonomically difficult groups of the Southern Ocean, such as amphipods or polychaetes. Amphipod crustaceans are one of the most speciose animal groups in the Antarctic and sub-Anta...

Increasing our limited knowledge of the marine biodiversity and distributing efficiently the biodiversity information are presently high priorities in the cont€xt of global change and ..biodiversity crisis". In the fiamework of the scAR EASIZ programme, ANT'PHIPODA' a ..Reference Centre for Antarctic Marine Biodiversity" devoted to amphipod crustac...