A new team of ecological restoration has been created at the university of Avignon (Southern France) !

This team specializes in the ecological restoration of terrestrial ecosystems, particularly herbaceous ecosystems (prairies, grasslands, steppes, etc.) in a Mediterranean climate (Provence, California). At present, we (Pr. Thierry Dutoit, Dr. Elise Buisson) work on three main themes at various levels of organization and various spatio-temporal scales:

1. Identify the original ecosystem. This involves trying to identify the ecosystems that may have existed before the first interaction with humans using paleoecological techniques (particularly pedo-anthracology).

2. Identify the alternative historical ecosystem (reference ecosystem). This consists of better defining the disturbance regimes (grazing, mowing, fires, cultivation) which led original ecosystems to be transformed into semi-natural ecosystems. The latter are often used as reference ecosystems for ecological restoration under a Mediterranean climate.

3. Carry out experimental restoration in degraded herbaceous ecosystems. This requires carrying out experiments of restoration to restore prairies, grasslands or steppe by manipulating environmental factors (topsoil removal, change nutrients availability, etc.), disturbance regimes (grazing, mowing, fires, etc.) and biotic relations (introduction or eradication of species).

For more information : http://www.iut.univ-avignon.fr/recherche/imep/index.html

Home page in English : 

http://www.imep-cnrs.com/dutoit/english/index.htm

http://www.imep-cnrs.com/buisson_e/index.htm

Our latest international papers

Buisson E., Holl., K.; Anderson S., Corcket E., Hayes G. Peeters P.& Dutoit T., 2006. Using grazing, topsoil removal and weeding to re-introduce native perennial bunchgrasse Danthonia califonica to degraded California coastal prairies. Restoration Ecology, (in press).

Buisson E. & Dutoit T. 2006. Creation of the Natural Reserve of La Crau: implications for the creation and management of protected areas. Journal of Environmental Management, 80: 318-326.

Buisson E., Dutoit T., Torre F., Römermann C., Poschlod P., 2006. The implications of seed rain and seed bank patterns for plant succession at the edges of abandoned fields in Mediterranean landscapes. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 115 : 6-14.

Römermann, C., Dutoit T., Poschlod P. & Buisson E., 2005. Influence of former cultivation on the unique Mediterranean steppe of France and consequences for conservation management. Biological Conservation, 121 : 21-33.

Buisson E. & Dutoit T., 2004. Colonisation by native species of abandoned farmland adjacent to a remnant patch of Mediterranean steppe. Plant Ecology 174 : 371-384.

Our Ph. D students :

Fadda S., 2003-2007. Distribution and dynamics of Coleoptera communities in disturbed ecosystems: the case of a dry grassland ecosystems (Paul Cézanne University).

Debras J.F., 2003-2007. Roles of edges in fruit orchards: study of prey-predators relations (Avignon University).

Marco A., 2004-2007. Biodiversity and peri-urbanization in rural areas: The case of the Natural Regional Park of the Luberon. (Provence University).

Henry F., 2005-2008. Origin and long-term dynamics of a Mediterranean dry grassland ecosystems: The pseudo steppe of La Crau. (Paul Cézanne University).

Saatkamp A., 2005-2008. Dynamics of arable weeds plant populations in changing agricultural land-uses : functional traits and long-term population viability. (Paul Cézanne and Regensburg University - Germany)