Network of mixed species plantations

Name

Network of mixed species plantations

Coordination

 INRAE, UEFP, 33610 Cestas

Website

https://uefp.isc.inrae.fr/travailler-collaborer-avec-nous/projets-programmes-de-recherche-et-reseaux

Description

This network groups together the trials installed in France to test the mixture obtained after planting different forest species. The number of species planted, their distribution and density are part of the treatments.

The ORPHEE site is located on the Castillonville domain in Cestas. It comprises 8 blocks, with 32 plots in each block. Each possible combination of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 tree species was planted in each block in January 2008. Plots are randomly distributed within each block. Half of the blocks have been irrigated since 2015 to observe the effects of climate change on ecosystem functioning.

http://www.treedivnet.ugent.be/ExpORPHEE.html

https://sites.google.com/view/orpheeexperiment/home

The ORPHEE-SO site is a mixed plantation of maritime pine and birch, comprising 8 repeated mixture modalities in 4 complete blocks. The percentage of maritime pine varies per plot between 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%, with scattered and aggregated patterns of pine lines in the plots. The system was installed in 2013. It has been awarded the “Application Trial” label by the TreeDivNet network.

https://treedivnet.ugent.be/trials.html

https://biogeco.hub.inrae.fr/ressources/in-situ-dispositifs-de-terrain-observation-experimentation/ecologie-forestiere/plantations-mixtes-sore

Two trials in Gironde (FORMIX-INRAE-Gironde) and Limousin (FORMIX-INRAE-Limousin) are testing mixtures of two to four species adapted to local conditions and intended for different uses. Tree species are mixed in alternating monospecific rows, i.e. in a row-wise intermingling pattern, but above all at different densities to anticipate the long-term silvicultural management of the species. These trials are part of the European Formix network and TreeDivNet.

https://formix.plantedforests.org/the-network/

Services

The data collected from all the sites are centralized and available for use in collaborative projects. It is possible to collect samples and make additional measurements, provided that the experimental modalities are not modified by these interventions.

Team

The network is coordinated by UEFP(INRAE Cestas) with BIOGECO.   Experimental monitoring is carried out by the staff of UEFP and by the various network partners. UEFP also ensure links with land owners and managers.

Operations and data access

The network's experimental sites are open to other research teams within the framework of their research projects  or in more formal collaboration (collaborative projects or research agreements). The sites are also open to teachers and trainers for all levels of training. Other access needs are discussed on a case-by-case basis.

Cost

Cost determined according to each project

Available measurements

No particular devices. Some of these sites benefit from weather stations and continuous microclimatic data measurement. It is possible to install equipment such as litter traps, carabid traps, sap flow sensors, etc. in these systems during a given period.