Continental experiments and sampling

Presentation

This experimentation and field service is essential for the monitoring and describing species. Using tools such as marking, photographic trapping, GPS beacons and transects, researchers can study current ecosystems or reconstruct past events (climate, vegetation, etc.) using core sampling techniques. This monitoring enables us to gain a better understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and to analyse the impact of human pressures on these ecosystems.. By combining these data with controlled experimental conditions, it is possible to anticipate the responses of species to future environmental changes and adapt conservation efforts accordingly. Such monitoring provides a more detailed understanding of biodiversity and is essential for protecting threatened species and restoring habitats.

This monitoring is carried out in different environments such as cliffs, meadows, lakes, peat bogs, etc.

cordistes le long d'une paroi

Managers

Scientific manager of the ET department
MCF-Maitre de Conferences
Technical manager of the ET department
ITA-Engineer Administrative Technician
Scientific manager of the ET department
MCF-Maitre de Conferences

Instruments and techniques

Photo gallery

The St Jérôme experimental botanical garden includes three greenhouses and several experimental areas. These experimental areas benefit from detailed monitoring of the microclimate, in particular soil and air temperature, rainfall, water potential, wind, light and air humidity, with online data transmission and management using the COOPERATE database. In addition to the experimental areas, there are collections of living plants, both indoors and outdoors, with a focus on plants from Mediterranean climates. The experimental botanical garden is complemented by two greenhouses at l'Arbois and two greenhouses at St Charles. In addition, 17 culture chambers (phytotrons) are used for the germination and growth of plants within the IMBE, as well as the development of micro-organisms. The phytotrons make it possible to control temperature, light and, to some extent, air humidity for experiments on climate modification and the growth of plants, micro-organisms and the activity of soil mesofauna.
All these experimental facilities are used to study, for different models, (i) the effect of climate and edaphic and biotic factors such as hydric stress, allelopathy and pollution on the germination and growth of plants and the activity of soil mesofauna and microorganisms, (ii) the importance of biotic interactions such as competition, herbivory and pollination for growth/reproduction, (iii) the relationship between climatic factors for germination and growth in situ and the models developed in vitro and (iv) the environmental variables relevant to the processes concerned (e.g. water, soil and microorganisms), and pollination for growth/reproduction, (iii) the relationship between the climatic factors of germination and growth in situ and the models developed in vitro and (iv) the environmental variables relevant for the processes concerned (air temperature vs. soil temperature, precipitation vs. soil water potential) as well as the spatio-temporal resolution (monthly vs. sub-horary).

Microclimatic and soil instrumentation in the experimental garden
The instrumentation used to measure microclimatic and soil parameters at the St Jérôme Botanical Garden is part of several research programmes and enables variables to be monitored in a way that is comparable to other observation sites. O3HP and CLIMED.

In addition, the experimental areas at the Saint Jérôme site have been used to monitor the phenology of herbaceous plants in detail, and in particular their germination, since autumn 2013. These experiments are used to comparatively study the germination phenology of around thirty species of the genus Silene (Caryophyllaceae) and Mediterranean annual plants.
In this context, water potential and temperature measurements must be more precise than daily in order to assess average water and temperature times. For germination, water potential measurement ranges from -0.1 MPa to around -7 MPa, with a resolution of 0.1 MPa achieved by Campbell matrix water potential probes.

Existing equipment
Weather station : A weather station with the usual variables (air temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and direction) has been installed. It is complemented by a Davies digital rain gauge and two global light sensors.
Water potential/Campbell : Two experimental areas in the garden are equipped with two water potential sensors (Campbell 229 water Matric Potential Sensor + excitation module CE4). The water potential sensors (Campbell 229 water Matric Potential Sensor) are connected to a Campbell CR1000, recording measurements once an hour. The data is stored and accessible via the COOPERATE database.
The electrical connections were buried thanks to resources from the GREATMED project in 2015, and the installation of a WIFI network. There are currently problems with WIFI data transmission, a problem that will be resolved in 2018 and 2019.
Equipment and measures covered :
1) Temperature at 12 points 1 time per hour (9 at ground surface, 1 at 1m above ground, 2 in greenhouses)
2) Water potential (-0.1 to -5MPa) at 4 points 1 time per hour (at the soil surface or at -1cm)
3) Air humidity at 4 points once an hour (resolution and range of values to be defined)
4) Rainfall at 2 points (1/days)
5) Parameters of a conventional weather station: wind speed, hours of sunshine, etc.
6) Automatic data transfer and storage equipment in the COOPERATE database set up by ECCOREV.

Plan of experimental areas in the experimental garden

The teaching tool
The botanical garden includes an educational trail and a collection of over 100 plant species from a wide range of geographical origins, labelled and collected during various excursions.
botanical gardens used as part of undergraduate and postgraduate courses at Aix-Marseille University and also for local schools thanks to the work of the E4 Expertise Ecologique - Education à l'Environnement association.

Aix-Marseille University
Conservation or cultivation of plant samples used for practical work (L1, L2, L3, M and preparation for CAPES and Agrégation exams).
Visits by groups of students to observe plants of various origins (tropical plants, plants from arid environments, etc.) or rare species (protected species, etc.).
Setting up simple experimental protocols developed by students as part of their undergraduate or Masters courses, based on small research projects.

E4 Association - Ecological Expertise - Environmental Education
http://expertiseecologique.free.frhttp://e4asso.over-blog.com/
Since 2008, 60 classes from CP to Lycée have visited the botanical garden, learning about "plant morphology", "the round of the seasons", "botanical gardens and biodiversity" and "Mediterranean plants", "to each his own bark", "the history of life on earth", "plant morphology", "to each his own leaf" and "plants and the climate".