• Energy, Ecology, Environment
  • Quality of life - Health - Food

Functional ecology and ecotoxicology of agroecosystems

Research unit

Description

The laboratory research of functional ecology and agroecosystems ecotoxicology is divided into four poles. They range from the study of plant ecophysiology, to soil science, bioclimatology and ecotoxicology. More generally, this work aims to treat in an integrated manner the functioning of agroecosystems and their relations with the environment. Agroecosystems are in fact shaped by external or internal constraints or forcings. These forcings can directly impact agroecosystems, but more often they induce technical actions carried out by the farmer (nitrogenous inputs, pesticides, organic amendments, waste products, tillage etc.) allowing mitigate or circumvent constraints to maintain production targets. The unit is based on concepts of functional ecology and ecotoxicology, taking into account the flows of matter and energy and the functions of isolated organisms or in interaction with their environment.

Contacts

  • Mrs Sabine HOUOT

Innovation themes

Map and access

22 place de l'Agronomie
Campus Agro Paris-Saclay
91120 PALAISEAU

Our research areas

Expertises

- plant ecophysiology
- soil science
- bioclimatology
- ecotoxicology

Applications sectors

  • Other business
  • Agriculture

Total number of employees

Total number of employees : 116
Number of researchers : 56
Number of doctoral students : 19

Keywords

Our results

Valuation offer

- Observation and experimentation service on the recycling of organic waste products in agriculture (SOERE PRO - AnaEE-France)
- Service d'analyse de la qualité de l'air et des composés organiques volatiles (PTRMS - AnaEE-France)
- Biochem-Env environmental biochemical analysis platform (IBISA platform, AnaEE-France, https://www.biochemenv.fr/)
- Agrosystems Business Unit (INRA-Transfer): analysis and engineering services in the field of air quality and greenhouse gas emissions

Projects examples

- development of a model to explore carbon-nitrogen interactions within a plant (CN-Wheat)
- the ESCAPADE project has broadened the scope of interdisciplinary research on nitrogen management. it has made it possible to assess the effect of agricultural practices and landscape arrangements on environmental nitrogen losses in the territories.
- the REVOLUC study synthesizes scientific knowledge on the environmental impacts of land use changes linked to agricultural, forestry or territorial reorientations.
See the ECOSYS highlights 2017

Industrial and scientific relations

Scientific collaborations

- In France, ECOSYS works with laboratories in the various INRA Departments (Environment and Agronomy, Plant Health and Environment, Plant Genetics and Breeding, Sciences for Action and Development, Economics). It collaborates with units of other research organizations within the framework of research infrastructures (SOERE-PRO grouping INRA, CIRAD and IRD, ANAEE-F with CNRS, INRA), or structuring operations (Laboratory of Excellence BASC (Biodiversity, agroecosystems, society, climate), CLAND Convergence Institute, Federation Île-de-France de recherche sur l'environnement (FIRE), for example). It has partnerships with target agencies (Environment and Energy Management Agency and National Office for Water and Aquatic Environments), technical institutes, particularly within the Alter'N UMT (INRA - Inovia Lands partnership), and other private partners (Veolia, GPN, plant protection industries, for example), the unit being a member of the Carnot 3BCar Institute.
Unit experts contribute to standardization activities (Afnor, Iso) and expertise with ANSES (Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail), and AllEnvi (Alliance nationale de recherche pour l'environnement),
- In Europe, ECOSYS develops programs in collaboration with: Horticulture Research International, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Universities of Dundee and Aberdeen, Rothamsted Research, Food and Environment Research Agency (GB), Bari Agricultural Institute (IT), Universities of Wageningen, Energy Centre Netherland (NL), Stuttgart, Hohenheim, Göttingen (DE), Gembloux and Louvain (BE), National Environment Research Institute, Ahrus University (DK), Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NO), Académie des Sciences (CZ), Universities of Salamanca, Navarre, Vigo and Madrid (ES), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala (SE), AgrosCope (CH),
- Internationally, ECOSYS collaborates with the Universities of Alberta and Toronto (CA), Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Riverside (US), Cordoba (AR), Medellin (CO) and the Chinese Academy of Science (CN), Agriculture Agro-Food Canada and the Environmental Protection Agency (US). It is involved in international evaluations (IPBES).

Private collaborations

- Technical institutes, particularly within the Alter'N UMT (INRA - Inovia Lands partnership) and MAGNUM (INRA - ARVALIS partnership)
- Other private partners: Veolia (waste treatment and recycling), GPN (fertilizer manufacturer), phytosanitary industries
- Member of the Carnot 3BCar Institute.

Ecosystem

Establishments of affiliation