Research Centres


National Centre for Marine Sciences - activities

Research Projects undertaken

National network for observing the Lebanese coastal waters: permanent supervision
The center follows this activity since 1980; thirty representative sites of the coastal region are chosen alongside the Lebanese coastline. Physical, chemical, bacteriological and biological analyses are carried out monthly (2 times per month during the summer). An annual sites’ classification is established according to different types of degradation.

Follow up of impact contamination by the hydrocarbons on the Lebanese sea environment
This program was adopted after the pollution by the black tide that hit the Lebanese coasts in July 2006. It aims to evaluate the impact of this pollution on the whole marine ecosystem. A strategy following three phases was elaborated:
Short term – 2006
Middle term – 2007
Long term -2011,

Each phase includes several scientific activities

Influence of river provisions on the marine productivity before the dam installation: case of Nahr El Kalb.
The goal of this study is to estimate the enrichment of marine waters by river provisions and his beneficial effect on the first rung of pelagic ecosystem. This study will constitute a basic reference before the dam installation in the upstream of Nahr El Kalb river and will serve, after the water regulation by the dyke, to the impact estimation of this project on the sea environment.

Wind effect on the dispersion of water rejections of Ghadir (Beirut) purification station by applying a drug diverting strategy.
The purification station of Ghadir waste water treats the water by a “primary” and “secondary” process. Water treated is sent to the sea (2,5 Km offshore and a depth of 60 m). This project aims to follow spatio- temporally the evolution of the bacteriological, physico-chemical, chemical and biological characteristics of this water.

Scientific methodology and suggestion of a law project for chemical pollution protection of the Lebanese coast.
For the first time in Lebanon, an environmental study of marine pollution based on physico-chemical, chemical and bacteriological analyses will constitute a lawful tool for laws suggestion and a regulation to preserve the Lebanese marine environment.

The mercury study in precipitations at the Levantine basin level: rains and snows.
This project is concerned by the public health from the standpoint of one of the most toxic pollutant. It requires a special importance and a social economical dimension. The comprehension of the mercury biogeochemical cycle is essential for the classification, by scale order, of potential sources of contamination in order to regularize it.

Role of the macrophytic communities in the functioning of a Lebanese river course (Litani): relation macrophyte - water quality
To favor and justify the choice of macrophytes as biological tool to a better knowledge of water courses functioning and to evaluate the water quality in terms of management. Several physic-chemical descriptors will be studied in order to understand and interpret the biocenotic data.

Impact of chemical rejections of Selaata industry on meiofauna population of Batroun coastal zone
The usage of the méiofauna as indicator of anthropic disruptions with organic origin was revealed quite significant. This new approach will be applied in the coastal zone of Batroun subject to the chemical rejections of Selaata industry to evaluate the quality of marine waters referring to this type of bioindicators.

Theses:

CNRSL/Agro-Paris-Tech/Ifremer
Speciation of three trace elements (Hg, Cd, Pb) in the Lebanese coastal waters (expected in 2008).

CNRSL/COM Marseille
Evaluation and valorization of the marine biodiversity of Lebanon: study of the secondary metabolites of sponges and factors influencing their expression.

CNRSL/ University Aix-Marseille
Characterization of the seaweed microflora of the Lebanese water courses and usage as bioindicator of anthropic disruptions (expected in 2008).

CNRSL/Paris VI
Physical coupling biogeochemistry to several ladders through Ligure current using a bio-optical glider submarine.

Project financed by the Lebanese University

Impact of anthropisation on the quality of Nahr el Bared waters: usage of index methods and correlation of physico-chemical, bacteriological and biological parameters.

The importance of this stream results from the fact that it flows in a basin side heavily populated. People living along the river use its waters for domestic usage and for irrigation. Besides, this river constitutes an outlet for the domestic consumed waters and industrial one which degrade enormously the water quality. A characterization and a correlation of the biotic and abiotic parameters will be taken into consideration in this study to evaluate the water quality.

Projet CEDRE

In cooperation with Agro-Paris-Tech and Ifremer
Study of the Lebanese coastal waters contamination by the Hg, Cd and Pb: usage of bioindicators and regulatory approach regarding the creation of a National Network of Observation.

European projects

SEADATANET
A-pan-european infrastructure for ocean and marine data management.
SESAME
Southern European Seas: Assessing and Modeling Ecosystem Changes.
MYTIMED
Development of an interregional network for coastal water quality supervision by bio-integrators for a durable protection of the Eastern Mediterranean.
ECIMAR
Chemical Marine Ecology: Biodiversity Indicators and Valorization.
TERCOM (Italy)
Mechanism activation of the rural development and sustainable territorial arrangement in Lebanon.