OPTMix (Oak Pine Tree Mixture): an experimental site in temperate forest

(*)

OPTMix (Oak Pine Tree Mixture) is an experimental network of 33 instrumented plots in the state forest of Orléans over a total area of ​​40 ha. OPTMix allow to study cross factors : stand composition, stand density, with-without herbivores. Each plots covers an area of ​​0.5 ha where all trees have been mapped, and is surrounded by a buffer zone 20 meters wide. Most of the plots are equipped with microclimate sensors (measurement of temperature, relative humidity, radiation, rain, soil moisture at 3 depths, water table using piezometers). Dendrometers have been installed on a sample of trees in order to monitor their growth continuously and in particular on an intra-annual scale. At the same time, monitoring of populations of herbivores (wild ungulates and micromammals), diversity, vegetation dynamics and forest regeneration, and the use of resources by trees (water, light, nutrients) are carried out. The combined factors studied is rarely done at once and on the same forest and makes this site unique. Our objectives is to study the effects of the stand composition (pure sessile oak, pure Scots pine, mixed pine-oak), the stand density (number of trees/ha), and the presence of wild ungulates (roe deer, wild boar, red deer), on the ecosystem functioning such as tree productivity, resource use and allocation (including water and nutrients), biodiversity and understory vegetation dynamics including regeneration. OPTMix aims to improve knowledge on the functioning of mixed forests in temperate regions with direct applications to forest management, especially in the context of climate change.

(*) screenshots from the Oakpine1 simulator under the Capsis4 simulation platform

For more details see here.

OPTMix in a glance here.

Project leader: Nathalie Korboulewsky (INRAE, UR EFNO Nogent-sur-Vernisson)

Participants from INRAE:

Set up and management of the experiment: Couteau Camille, Pérot Thomas, Perret Sandrine*

Phenology, growth and productivity: Couteau Camille, Pérot Thomas*, Perret Sandrine

Resources use: Balandier Philippe*, Couteau Camille, Korboulewsky Nathalie*

Forest dynamics: Boscardin Yves, Hamard Jean-Pierre, Mårell Anders*, Rocquencourt Agnès

Biodiversity: Dumas Yann, Gosselin Marion, Mårell Anders*

* Leader(s) of the research topic

OPTMix team