Biomass Removal Impact on soil Diversity, Geochemistry and tree Ecophysiology
PI : Marc Buée (UMR 1136 Interactions Arbres/Micro-organismes)
Co-applicants : L. Saint-André et B. Zeller, UR 1138 BEF – N. Bréda, D. Gérant, J. Levillain, P. Maillard and S. Ponton, UMR 1137 EEF – C. Rathgeber, UMR 1092 LERFoB.
Collaboration : Noémie Goutal-Pousse, ONF R&D
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Context — The term “forest biomass” includes whole-tree, but also primary residues, generated during forest operations such as site preparation, salvage logging, thinning, and final felling. Biomass is the single renewable resource that has the potential to supply a significant portion of substitutes for fossil fuel. Nevertheless, these woody residues represent also essential habitat resources for a wide variety of forest organisms, and consecutively an energetic and biological motor for the forest ecosystem services.
Objectives — The “Biomass Removal Impact on soil Diversity, Geochemistry and tree Ecophysiology” (BRIDGE) project aims to provide knowledge about the consequences of logging residues removal on ecosystem services and related sensitive components, such as soil fertility, water availability, soil microbial diversity and functioning. Moreover, the originality of this project is to expand the short-term physiological responses of tree to its root associated microbiome after this anthropogenic restraint.
Approach — By the coupling of tree and microbial physiology, biogeochemistry, molecular ecology and metagenomics approaches, we propose an integrative study of the tree/root microbe nutrition and resource management by the tree in response to natural and anthropic disturbances: seasonal variations of water uptake and plant carbon allocation (according to tree phenology) and modulation of soil organic resources and soil fertility, following a massive biomass export.
Expected results and impacts — Finally, coupling these different modules (resulting from WPs), we expect to improve of our understanding of the forest functioning by revealing how processes and functional dynamics of species are determined by management ways and environmental conditions. This project should provide sustainability assessment and potential early warning indices for management of a temperate forest ecosystem under strong disturbances in soil equilibrium and fertility.
