People

Daniel Desbruyères

Works at: IFREMER, France

Research in the South Pacific: I am a deep-sea ecologist, and first began studying animals in the Lau Basin in 1989. A particular focus of mine is the taxonomy of polychaetes (segmented worms with bristles) from hot vent and cold seep environments. I have described 15 new species of these worms (e.g. the Pompeii worms and the ice-worm). I am also studying the biogeography of vent animals: what creatures are found where, and why. I am the head of the Deep-Sea Ecosystem Studies Department (Departement d'Etude des Ecosystemes Profonds), which contains 35 people working in deep-sea ecology, habitat patterns and interactions, and microbiology.

Bio snippet: I am currently working on a second issue of the Handbook of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Fauna. Outside work I am a keen photographer and windsurfer.