Contribution of the network of old-growth forest elements to the conservation of habitats and species

Assessing the conservation state of forest habitats is mainly based on indirect methods. For species at stake, the contribution of forest structural elements to population remains poorly known, and, therefore, the link between natural habitat state of conservation and species is not evident.

Objectives

The present project aim is both for knowledge and methodology:

• In terms of knowledge, we propose to test the links between to potential state of conservation indicators (black woodpecker cavities and forest structural maturity) and the diversity of species from habitat and species European directives (owls, woodpeckers, bats), and with other species not included in any directive but which have a high functional role (saproxylic fungi);
• In terms of methodology, we use different methods for assessing biodiversity: environmental DNA for fungi, ecoacoustics for birds and bats.

The Biosefair funding completes the one obtained from MNHN-OFB (TRAMETES 2021-2023) and allows a better representation of ecological gradients as well as deeper exploration of ecological links between species and ecosystem structure.

INRAE units involved

• Département ACT
  • LESSEM  Research Unit - Mountain Ecosystems and Societies Laboratory
• Département ECODIV
  • UEFM Experimental Unit - Entomology and Mediterranean Forest
  • USC ecodiv – Rouen University - Study and Understanding of BioDiversity Laboratory
• Département SPE
  • PSH Research Unit - Plants and Cropping Systems in Horticulture

External partnerships

• Laboratoire EGCE IRD taxonomy of wild bees
• Society Fold AI (Germany) eco-acoustics