D.O.R.I.S., a perfect example of how participatory science can contribute to academic research into the biodiversity of marine species.

Naturalist divers have built D.O.R.I.S. for « Données d’Observations pour la Reconnaissance et l’Identication de la faune et de la flore Subaquatiques », an open-source website dedicated to marine species, accessible to anyone, and notably to divers.

This site is run by a community of validators- moderators, who are in contact with academic researchers for expert assessments. This website prently contains 3090 species pages, 19 different habitats, 2849 definitions in specific glossary, 129 965 messages on a friendly-used forum, 1089 contributors.

The information and illustrated pictures provide keys for identifying species at different levels: for individual divers or scientists, macro (and often micro) biological characteristics, geographical distribution, nomenclature of clades in line with the latest phylogenetic advances, etc.

D.O.R.I.S. exists from 2004, its incremental version V4 since 2015, thanks due to « Commission Nationale Environnement et Biologie Subaquatiques » (CNEBS) de la « Fédération Française d’études et de Sports Sous-Marins » (ffessm.fr). At the end of 2014, in addition to federal financial support, DORIS received help from a major new partner, the « Agence des Aires Marines Protégées » (AAMP).

Participatory science represents a huge field of observations that can help academic research, thanks to the thousands of divers scattered around the world's subtidal zones. DORIS is a perfect example of an interactive contribution, covering the French coastline, mainland France and overseas, as well as some more exotic locations, such as the Red Sea or the Pacific destinations frequented by French-speaking divers.

Education and public awareness are key to preserving the marine environment, and participatory science has an undeniable role to play in a sustainable future.

Our aim here is to present the D.O.R.I.S. website at One Ocean Conference, to promote interactions between academic and non-academic players, and to develop its visibilty to all the partners.

visit our site  at: https://doris.ffessm.fr/