WADE Seminar

Alexander Kirdyanov et Marina Bryukhanova

25 October  from 10h00-12h00

Salle Tilleul – INRA Nancy center,  Champenoux

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On October 25th, we are pleased to announce that we will welcome to INRA Alexander Kirdyanov and Marina Bryukhanova from the E. Vaganov group (Sukachev Institute of Forests, Krasnoyarsk).  E. Vagonov is a respected and well known researcher in the field of wood formation. He is also known for his book published in 2006.

This seminar is supported by the WADE project and by Labex ARBRE.


Résumé Alexander Kirdyanov:

Dendro-science in Siberia. Case studies from the Tree-Ring Structure Lab (Institute of Forest, Krasnoyarsk, Russia)

Tree-rings were shown to provide comprehensive information on the environmental changes and physiology of tree functioning. The Laboratory of Tree-Ring Structure at the Sukachev Institute of Forest, Krasnoyarsk Russia is focused on extracting and interpreting this information with the goals to understand the impact of environment on tree growth and forest productivity. A short overview of some recent and current studies will be provided to show the main topics of interest and the potential of the Lab: transect studies, use of multi-proxy approach (tree-ring cell structure, density and isotope composition), studies on permafrost, etc. Examples will vary on both spatial (from one stand to continental) and temporal scale (seasonal growth with the resolution of 3-7 days to multi-millennia dendroclimatic reconstructions).

Résumé Marina Bryukhanova:
Growth of trees on permafrost: habitat driven response to climate

Global change is expected to alter boreal forest conditions with far reaching consequences for tree growth in these ecosystems. Within this study we aimed at determining which limiting factors control tree-growth on permafrost under different site conditions.
A tree-ring multi-proxy characterisation of mature Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. from a continuous permafrost zone of Siberia (Russia, 64°18′ N, 100°11′ E) was used to identify the physiological principle of responses related to the plant-soil system. Tree-ring width (1975-2009), carbon and oxygen stable isotopes, and xylem structural characteristics (2000-2009) indicated that an increased depth of the soil active layer favors a better exploitation of the available resources.

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The WADE project
Wood Acclimation to Disturbed Environments

ContextWood quality is variable and used by dendrochronology as a marker of past events. A better understanding of wood plasticity require new modeling approaches, as tree responses in frequently and strongly changing environments overlay many processes. Therefore, neither the usual modeling of wood properties from variables as tree ring width and cambial age, nor the empirical calibration of a few wood properties as markers of tree functioning and environmental disturbances, deliver robust and reliable predictions.

Objectives Wade aims at developing a new framework of wood analysis and quality modeling in the context of questions asked by acclimation to canopy disturbance.

Approaches — WADE is based on a multi-scale approach of wood structure and properties from the whole tree to the cell wall ultrastructure and chemical composition, with a large set of techniques including usual and new methods of both dendro-ecology and wood biophysics and chemistry. It includes a careful theoretical analysis of the functional relevance of the selected properties and of their spatio-temporal patterns of variations, using an ecophysiological and biomechanical framework to study how trees respond to changes of both light and mechanical micro-climate after gap opening.

PI: Meriem Fournier (UMR 1092 LERFOB Laboratoire d’Etudes des Ressources Forêts-Bois )


Presentation seminar for the EMERGE and SYLVABIOM projects

You are cordially invited to attend all or part of this presentation seminar supported by Labex ARBRE

Conference room at INRA Nancy center, Champenoux

18 September 2013, 10h00 – 18h00
19 September 2013,  8h30 – 16h00

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Agenda

Wednesday – September 18, 2013

10h Welcome coffee
10h30 – 11h30Outline of Emerge, objectives and database.
11h30 -13h : Volume models : total volume, stem volume, coefficients of expansion, bark coefficients.
13h-14h :  Lunch break at the cantine
14h-14h30 : Initial context perspectives : resource potential, population potential
14h30-15h30 : Scanner and fresh weight density
15h30-16h:  Coffee break
16h-18h : Ground-based laser and outdoor demo followed by ;

  • volume estimations and biomechanics
  • uses pertaining to stock
  • Computree project platform and algorithmic developments

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Thursday,  September 19, 2013

8h30-10h : Models of biomass and mineralomass
10h-10h30 : Coffee break
10h30-13h : Sylvabiom

  • Context and results of TtCR production of Poplars, Willow and Black Locust over four seasons of vegetation.
  • Variability and plasticity of the efficiency of the use of water and nitrogen in the Willow family grown in TtCR.
  • DNA Methylation, a descriptor of suitability for producing biomass in TtCR

13h-14h : Lunch break in the cantine
14h-16h : Sylvabiom : potential for total biomass production of fast-growing woody species cultivated in short-rotation trees.

16h-16h30 :  Coffee break and closing

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Science, precautionary principles, place of the future

Francis Martin, Director of LabEx ARBRE and researcher with the IAM unit, participated recently in a meeting with the President of the Republic and the Ministers in charge of research and ecology. The meeting was entitled “Science, precautionary principles, place of the future”.

At a luncheon, five researchers were invited to give their views on the consequences of the application of the principle of precaution on scientific activities in different fields: biology, genetic, ecology, climate change and nuclear physics. Exchanges were designed to support the reflection of the Executive office on the implementation of this principle written into law February 2, 1995.

Joining Francis Martin were guests Edouard Brézin (physicist, president of the Academy of Sciences), Gilles Bœuf (biologist, president of the national Museum of natural history), Jean Jouzel (climatologist, Chairman of the High Council on science and technology) and Eva Pebay-Peyroula (biologist, former President of the ANR). The Ministers in charge of higher education and research (Geneviève Fioraso) and ecology (Philippe Martin) also attended the meeting which took place on Tuesday, August 20 at the Elysee.

An INRA-JGI Bastille Day tribute!

In the spirit of Bastille Day, longtime collaborator Francis Martin, head of the Lab of Excellence for Advanced Research on the Biology of Tree and Forest Ecosystems at INRA, the French National Institute of Agricultural Research, enthuses (in French with English subtitles) about the Joint Genome Institute’s contributions to the field of fungal genomics.

http://today.lbl.gov/2013/07/12/bastille-day-special-vive-la-collaboration-scientifique/

Highly Cited Researcher

Antonio Pizzi, a researcher in industrial chemistry with LERMAB (Laboratory of Studies and Research on Wood Material), was given for 2012-2013 the prestigious title of ‘Highly Cited Researchers’. Ranked 46th in the world of researchers in materials science, he is the first scientist from the University of Lorraine to rank inernationally as among the most cited researchers.

Each year, Thomson ISI Web of Science publishes the classification of the “Highly Cited Researchers”. This ranking highlights 250 academics in the world whose research is most frequently cited in other research articles across 21 thematic areas and over a period of 20 years. The “score” is an important measure for the researcher’s impact  at the global level and validates recognition of their work.

The research challenges for Antonio Pizzi are concentrated principally on the development of materials for industrial use made from natural materials and which are environmentally sound.  With this goal, the most notable developments that have led to international scientific awards are: plant adhesives derived from the bark of trees (used for the manufacture of wood panels), preservatives wood Biobased and ecological, natural fibre composites and insulation and floral foams based vegetable tannin. At the international level, Antonio Pizzi is recognized as the leading scientific expert in adhesives and wood adhesives. He is cited in particular for his part in the innovative discovery of welding for wood through friction (without glue). This unique method of assembling wood is of particular interest to the furniture industry and  interior carpentry.

His most cited publication (the first in this field) on chemical analysis allowing for the detection of changes in wood for treatment through heat  – a process widely used today in the industrial sector.

Research conducted by Antonio Pizzi has played an important role in the ambitious process of establishing the Lorraine region as a “European Valley of natural materials and energy”. His work also lends itself to the prioritized areas of research put forward in the convention 2013-2017 by the Lorraine region promoting public research of energy and engineering.

Contact : antonio.pizzi@univ-lorraine.fr

Les enseignants en forêt

Dans le cadre de l’offre de formations proposée par la Maison pour la Science et la Technologie Lorraine, ARBRE accueille les 2 et 4 avril 2013 sur le campus INRA de Champenoux 15 enseignants de primaire, pour une initiation à la démarche scientifique autour de l’écosystème forestier. La formation proposée a été construite en partenariat avec le Centre Permanent d’Initiatives pour l’Environnement Nancy Champenoux et la Maison Départemental de l’Environnement.

Les enseignants sont mis en situation d’observation de deux parcelles forestières (1ère demi-journée). En quoi sont-elles différentes ? Cette première étape les conduit à poser toutes les questions/hypothèses qui leur viennent à l’esprit. S’en suit alors un temps d’échange avec les formateurs pour discuter de ces différentes hypothèses et imaginer des pistes/approches pour tester ces hypothèses (2ème demi-journée). Cette demi-journée est aussi consacrée à une présentation par un chercheur INRA d’un projet de recherche en lien avec la problématique générale, et à la formalisation d’un nombre plus restreint de questions de recherche, pouvant donner lieu à un travail ultérieur en ateliers. Le 2ème jour est consacré à la découverte d’un autre type d’écosystème – un espace naturel sensible –, et des approches permettant de décrire la biodiversité d’un milieu. Au cours du troisième jour, le travail en ateliers alterne avec des apports de connaissances dispensés par des scientifiques du domaine. A partir des connaissances acquises et des ressources mises à disposition, il s’agit pour les enseignants de proposer des hypothèses en réponse aux questions posées le 1er jour. A la fin du 3ème jour, chaque groupe présente aux autres le fruit de sa réflexion sous forme d’un poster. Le 4ème jour est consacré à la construction de séquences pédagogiques permettant de répondre à chacune des questions dans l’objectif de tester chacune des hypothèses avec une classe. Ce travail est encadré par un maître formateur de l’IUFM.

Tous nos remerciements à Jean Garbaye, Yves Lefèvre et Laurent Saint-André

Avec le soutien de : 

   

EFI 20 Years Science and Policy Forum

EFI 20 Years Science and Policy Forum to be held in Nancy, France on 23–27 September 2013: ‘Our forests in the 21st century – ready for risks and opportunities?’

Also, the website of the EFI 20th Anniversary has been opened at: http://www.efi.int/portal/efi20years/

In addition to the website on the EFI 2013 Annual Conference, you can also find information on the EFI 20th Anniversary Photo Contest, celebrating the beauty and unique character of your favourite forests. More information on the photo contest is available at: http://www.efi.int/portal/efi20years/photo_contest/

I would kindly encourage you to get acquainted with the EFI 20th Anniversary website before the registration to the Annual Conference opens in late April. And while waiting for the registration to open, you have a great opportunity to start entering the first of your best photos on your favourite forests.