Dynamics and resilience

The implementation of an adaptive biodiversity management approach, in collaboration with stakeholders, was tested on INRAE experimental sites. ADORE shows mixed results depending on the target species. It also highlights the influence of the farmer’s personal background on the choice of target species and the role of their training in their perception of the approach. Translating a framework for action into a dashboard is a useful tool for facilitating the implementation of this type of approach. A survey of farmers highlighted the factors to be taken into account when applying it in real-world farming conditions.

AMDORE, building on ADORE, aimed to organise participatory workshops and then implement a results-oriented approach at two pilot sites. AMDORE demonstrated a shift in stakeholders’ perceptions of biodiversity and a change in attitude towards it, moving from viewing biodiversity as a nuisance to a more positive outlook. The actions defined by the group will be sustained following the numerous positive outcomes.

The literature review carried out by AMPLI GAMMA identified key research issues relating to geographical contexts, ecosystems and taxonomic groups in relation to the link between landscape heterogeneity and biodiversity.

BIOFORDIV has demonstrated the varying influence of forest management history and biogeographical factors on biodiversity and the structure of communities across several taxonomic groups (saproxylic beetles, birds, vascular flora). Passive acoustics and environmental DNA are innovative and promising methods for conducting such biodiversity monitoring.

C-DIVERS demonstrates the complex effects of crop diversity and hedgerows, at both the local and landscape scales, which do not, on their own, facilitate all the outcomes required for the development of multifunctional agroecosystems. However, the presence of a hedgerow at the edge of a plot does promote certain ecological (pollination) or agronomic (agricultural production) outcomes. In the long term (15 years), plant diversification becomes a key factor in pest management, reducing the use of chemical inputs and improving livestock feed.

By focusing on the concepts of “coalescence” (encounters between different communities) and “functional continuum” in the case of microbial communities present across the aquatic–terrestrial environmental continuum, CONTICOMIC has identified the limitations of current studies on these topics, as well as the needs in terms of concepts, methods and skills/disciplines required to advance research in this field.

Focusing on carbon sequestration and biomass production, DIMIVEA has developed, based on existing models, a simulator that takes microbial and plant diversity into account to calculate carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) fluxes in soils. It provides a more accurate representation of coupled C-N cycles by incorporating an explicit and dynamic representation of biodiversity. This led to the MODIMIV project and the MODIMIR thesis, which aim to further improve the simulator.

DISPERSAL shows the epizoochorous potential of sheep. Along the banks of the Loire river, sheep grazing pressure rapidly reduces food availability and necessitates frequent movement of flocks, thereby increasing the potential for seed dispersal. Sheep social behaviour influences seed transport, the presence of lambs reduces seed retention time, particularly that of an invasive alien species which is very common along the banks of the Loire river. Sheep grazing maintains a rich community of dung beetles.

DYNAMIC demonstrates that the stability of crop rotations and semi-natural landscape components in the Marais Poitevin is largely linked to the soil and climate constraints of the various sites. Bird communities are shaped by agricultural practices in floodplains and croplands.

iSERV has shown that the current population of Arctic char in Lake Annecy relies predominantly on restocking. The results suggest that the origin of the fry influences temperature tolerance. They show that char alters the structure of aquatic communities, though with little effect on the functioning of the lake. Restocking could therefore alter the lake’s ecosystem services. Potential conflicts between users are identified when they are asked about their preferred management of the lake.