The Foundation’s publications

Discover the hidden treasures of biodiversity, and promote and preserve it.

In the framework of its mission to promote and share knowledge, the Biotope Business Foundation for Biodiversity publishes two documentary reviews: the “Cahiers de la Fondation”, the Foundation’s Notebooks, and the “Carnets Naturalistes”, the Naturalist Journals.
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The Foundation’s Notebooks

The Foundation’s Notebooks are naturalist and scientific electronic reviews, which can be consulted free of charge (ISSN 2495-2540). They comprise articles which give fresh or summary information about means of helping with naturalist identification (determination keys), datasheets devoted to little-documented species, annotated lists of species observed in areas that are relatively unexplored, and study reports or inventories of animal or plant species in a given environment. 

When there is a discovery, the Notebooks enable a description of the new taxa to be published. That was the case for a new toad species (Notebook no. 11) and a new fish species, discovered in Gabon (Notebook no. 21) and also for new orchid hybrids between the subgenera Gymnadenia and Nigritella (Notebook no. 34). The Notebooks also made it possible to announce the discovery in France of a new species of plant bug (Notebook no. 30).

These notebooks are all about the fauna and flora, both terrestrial and marine, of mainland France, the French overseas departments and territories, and other regions of the world. They are illustrated with a wealth of high-definition photos, observation maps, and scientific and statistical data. 

Through herpetology, ichthyology, chiropterology, ornithology, entomology, and botany, we seek to cover a wide variety of animal and plant groups.  

The Naturalist Journals

The Naturalist Journals publish naturalist reports contributing detailed data that can be used by scientists or other naturalists.Simpler than the Foundation’s Notebooks, they make it possible to illustrate and comment on the diversity of the fauns and flora in natural environments that are already known or described.

The information published in this way can be a valuable source of data to be used at a later date, for temporal monitoring or to refine bio-geographical distribution summaries.

They often come from individual and voluntary projects by staff of the Biotope consultancy, but they may also be the fruit of projects led by associations or individuals who have received finance from the Foundation.

Are you planning to visit the Caribbean to watch the birds? Then consult our journal, “Endemic avifauna in the Lesser Antilles”. Are you going to Greece? Then why not read our journal, “Herpetofauna of Greece” so as to watch reptiles and amphibians during your walks? Are you keen on diving and thinking of going to the Red Sea? 

Then look at what our volunteer succeeded in observing during his stay in the journal, “Chance sightings of ichthyofauna in the Red Sea”.

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Reading Committee

The Foundation’s Notebooks and the Naturalist Journals are re-read by a Reading Committee comprised of experts in the various spheres.   Each reading committee is there to re-read the texts before publication, but it can also be consulted in the case of doubt or a question during the drafting of a notebook or a journal.  
The list of those taking part is long, so we will cite just a few:
  • Frédéric Melki, President of Biotope. Specialities: orchids and freshwater fish 
  • Thomas Menut, Study Director at Biotope. Speciality: marine fish of Europe and the Caribbean
  • Julien Renoult, CNRS Montpellier. Speciality: Marine birds and fish of Europe
  • Pierre-Yves Le Bail, retired Research Director at the INRAE of Rennes – Speciality: marine and freshwater fish, especially those of Guyana
  • Jean-Michel Hervouet, President of the Orchid Federation (the “FFO”) and retired EDF staff member at the French National Hydraulics and Environment Laboratory – Specialities: orchids
  • Raphaël Covain, ichthyologist at the Geneva Natural History Museum. Speciality: fish, and in particular the freshwater fish from the region of the Guyanas 
  • Xavier Rufray, Studies Director at Biotope. Specialities: Birds of the world, Mediterranean sea-slugs, Mediterranean marine fish

Would you like to publish an article in the Foundation’s Notebooks or the Naturalist Journals?

Contact the Foundation at the following address: fondation@biotope.fr.

Some practical advice on writing for the Naturalist Journals or the Foundation’s Notebooks is available on the following link.

Publishing a Foundation Notebook with us means: 

  • Free publication, without a financial contribution from the author 
  • Completely free access to the publications for the readers
  • No limit in terms of the number of pages or the quantity of illustrations
  • A high-quality page layout making the publication attractive and lively
  • A short time between the submission and the publication of the document
  • A review re-read by a reading committee comprised of experts
  • The chance to take part in reading committees for other publications
Do you need finance to carry out your plan to publish an article ? The Foundation may contribute to financing your project. For that to happen, you need to send in an application for support.