Jean-Christophe Balouet

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Jean-Christophe Balouet (born November 12, 1956 in Caudéran , Gironde department , today part of Bordeaux ; † March 30, 2021 in Orrouy , Oise department ) was a French paleontologist who mainly focused on the osteology of fossil and subfossil species of birds and reptiles of New Caledonia , Tonga and other Pacific Islands , as well as environmental forensic scientists.

Life

In 1978 Balouet began working as a researcher at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle . In 1981 he received his master's degree in earth sciences at the University of Paris V . In 1982 he obtained the Diplôme d'études approfondies (DEA) in evolutionary biology and genetics at the University of Paris VII . In 1984 he received his doctorate from the Sorbonne . From 1984 to 1986 there was a postdoc phase at the Smithsonian Institution , where he and Storrs L. Olson went on an expedition to New Caledonia between August and September 1986 , during which they discovered the remains of extinct bird species, including Accipiter efficax , Accipiter quartus , and Porphyrio kukwiedei , Tyto? letocarti , Gallicolumba longitarsus , Rhynochetos orarius , Caloenas canacorum and Megapodius molistructor . Balouet also found the remains of the dwarf crocodile Mekosuchus inexpectatus and the extinct genus of tortoise Meiolania in New Caledonia . In 1987 he described the subfossil giant pigeon Ducula david from the island of Tonga . In 2005 he and Cécile Mourer-Chauviré set up the Sylviornithidae family for the extinct, flightless big-footed hen Sylviornis neocaledoniae from New Caledonia.

From 1989 to 1994 he was a scientific advisor in the Industry Technology and Economics Office of the United Nations Environment Program , where he was responsible for technology, scientific and global regulatory research.

In 1993, he founded Environment International , a company specializing in environmental forensics, advice and expertise, science and technology, regulations and standards, surveys, analysis, compliance and management issues in various industries.

He was also General Secretary of the Compagnie Nationale des Experts de Justice en Environnement (CNEJE).

Balouet wrote numerous scientific articles as well as popular science books, but also children's books on the subjects of endangered and extinct animal species.

In addition to his paleontological work, Balouet also did research in medical fields. In 1999, together with Harry Hoffman and Chris Winder, he coined the term “ aerotoxic syndrome ”, which occurs when you inhale contaminated cabin air too often on flights .

Balouet died of complications from a stroke in late March 2021 at the age of 64 .

Awards

In 1980 Balouet was awarded by the Fondation de la Vocation .

Fonts (selection)

  • with Storrs L. Olson: A new extinct species of giant pigeon (Columbidae: Ducula) from archaeological deposits on Wallis (Uvea) Island, South Pacific. In: Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Vol. 100, No. 4, 1987, pp. 769-775, ( digitized ).
  • with others: Encyclopédie du monde animal. Sélection du Reader's Digest, Paris et al. 1989, ISBN 2-7098-0284-8 .
  • with Storrs L. Olson: Fossil Birds from Late Quaternary Deposits in New Caledonia (= Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 469, ISSN  0081-0282 ). Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC 1989, doi : 10.5479 / si.00810282.469 .
  • with Éric Alibert : Le grand livre des espèces disparues. Éditions Ouest-France, Rennes 1989, ISBN 2-7373-0254-4 (In English: Extinct Species of the World. Charles Letts, London 1990, ISBN 1-85238-100-0 ).
  • Histoires insolites de la reproduction. J. Legrand, Paris 1991, ISBN 2-905969-49-0 .
  • with Barbara Behm: Endangered Animals of the Northern Continents. Gareth Stevens, Milwaukee WI 1994, ISBN 0-8368-1079-1 .
  • with Barbara Behm: Endangered Animals of the Southern Continents. Gareth Stevens, Milwaukee WI 1994, ISBN 0-8368-1080-5 .
  • with Barbara Behm: Endangered Wildlife. Gareth Stevens, Milwaukee WI 1994, ISBN 0-8368-1077-5 .
  • with Barbara Behm: Extinct Animals of the Islands. Gareth Stevens, Milwaukee WI 1997, ISBN 0-8368-1525-4 .
  • with Barbara Behm: Extinct Animals of the Northern Continents. Gareth Stevens, Milwaukee WI 1997, ISBN 0-8368-1526-2 .
  • with Barbara Behm: Extinct Animals of the Southern Continents. Gareth Stevens, Milwaukee WI 1997, ISBN 0-8368-1527-0 .
  • with Barbara Behm: Extinct Wildlife. Gareth Stevens, Milwaukee WI 1997, ISBN 0-8368-1524-6 .
  • with Chris Winder: The Toxicity of Commercial Jet Oils. In: Environmental Research. Vol. 89, No. 2, 2002, pp. 146-164, doi : 10.1006 / enrs.2002.4346 .
  • as an editor with others: Susan Lumpkin: Les animaux sauvages (= Les Clés de la Connaissance. 2). Nathan, Paris 2003, ISBN 2-0927-7231-7 .

literature

  • Kraig Adler (Ed.): Contributions to the history of herpetology (= Contributions to Herpetology. 21). Volume 2. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Saint Louis MO 2007, ISBN 978-0-916984-71-7 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Entry on Jean-Christophe Balouet in Fichier des personnes décédées .
  2. ↑ Obituary at the Aerotoxic Association , accessed on April 14, 2021 (English).
  3. ↑ Découvrez nos lauréats depuis 1960
personal data
SURNAME Balouet, Jean-Christophe
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French paleontologist and environmental forensic scientist
DATE OF BIRTH November 12, 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH Caudéran , Gironde department
DATE OF DEATH March 30, 2021
PLACE OF DEATH Orrouy , Oise department