Determinism of nonadditive litter mixture effect on decomposition: Role of the moisture content of litters.

The mechanisms behind the plant litter mixture effect on decomposition are still difficult to disentangle. To tackle this issue, we used a model that specifically addresses the role of the litter moisture content. Our model predicts that when two litters interact in terms of water flow, the difference of evaporation rate between two litters can trigger a nonadditive mixture effect on decomposition.

Management and Characterization of Abiotic Stress via PhénoField, a High-Throughput Field Phenotyping Platform.

In order to evaluate the impact of water deficit in field conditions, researchers or breeders must set up large experiment networks in very restrictive field environments. Experience shows that half of the field trials are not relevant because of climatic conditions that do not allow the stress scenario to be tested. The PhénoField platform is the first field based infrastructure in the European Union to ensure protection against rainfall for a large number of plots, coupled with the non-invasive acquisition of crops' phenotype.

Response of C and N cycles to N fertilization in Sphagnum and Molinia-dominated peat mesocosms.

Plant communities play an important role in the C-sink function of peatlands. However, global change and local perturbations are expected to modify peatland plant communities, leading to a shift from Sphagnum mosses to vascular plants. Most studies have focused on the direct effects of modification in plant communities or of global change (such as climate warming, N fertilization) in peatlands without considering interactions between these disturbances that may alter peatlands' C function.