Report on the first LSCE-BIAM meeting 2024

The Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE / UMR CEA – CNRS- UVSQ) and the Institute of Biosciences and Biotechnologies of Aix-Marseille (BIAM / UMR 7265 CEA-CNRS-AMU) organized two half-day sessions to discuss common and complementary themes on Monday, January 29, and Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at the LSCE.

In this article, you will find a summary of the event as well as all the videos, slides, posters and discussions. The sessions focused on the following themes: vegetation, aquatic environments, soils and solutions.

The meeting started with a few words from Philippe Chomaz (executive scientific director – DRF) and introductory presentations by the directors of the LSCE (Philippe Bousquet) and the BIAM (David Pignol). The program then consisted of sessions with presentations by researchers from the LSCE and the BIAM on vegetation, soils, solutions and aquatic environments. There were also presentations of the LSCE and BIAM technological tools (the ORCHIDEE model by P. Peylin, the PANOPLY platforms by A. Dapoigny, and the BIAM platforms by M. Sabaty and Y. Li-Beisson).

Interventions were on established / past LSCE-BIAM collaborations, prospective areas of interaction, and complementary themes investigated at the BIAM and the LSCE. Discussions between sessions also raised a number of points highlighting areas of common interest, challenges, …etc. These are summarized below.

Established LSCE collaborations:

Biomineralization and photosynthesis in coccoliths. Dan Chevrier – BIAM. Marie Pesnin – LSCE (also LIPHY, University Lyon 1, GEOPS).
Microbiology/geochemistry of magnetotactic bacteria at oxic / anoxic interfaces. Eric Viollier – LSCE, Christopher Lefèvre, Caroline Monteil – BIAM. (also IMMPC, Genoscope) (no talk due to cancellation, presentation available).
Rhizodeposition and carbon storage in soils Christine Hatté – LSCE, Wafa Achouak, Thierry Heulin – BIAM, collaboration initiated thanks to a DRF IMPULSION project and effective today in PEPR and ANR projects.

Prospective/emerging areas of collaboration:

Post-Fukushima studies. Following the Demeterres project, Nathalie Leonhardt -BIAM and Olivier Evrard -LSCE (who was not involved in the Demeterres project) initiated a collaboration due to shared interests that resulted in a joint project proposal to the ANR. Although they have not yet obtained funding, they remain motivated to continue the collaboration.
Greenscale, a project intended for submission to the PEPR FairCarbon, proposed testing low-nitrogen crops that require less fertiliser inputs (Jean Alric – BIAM, Nicolas Vuichard, Nicolas Viovy and Fabienne Maignan –LSCE).
A potential project was proposed on the parametrisation of stomatal function for global land surface models (Nathalie Leonhardt -BIAM).
A role for algal biology (notably carbon concentration mechanisms and photorespiration) on oceanic photosynthesis was proposed (Gilles Peltier -BIAM).
Two researchers from LSCE are interested in lipids and lipid analytical tools; therefore potential interactions could be established (presentation Y. Li-Beisson -BIAM).

Common areas of interest and challenges:

The construction of projects at the interface of our disciplines is an exciting and timely challenge that needs interactions and discussion to find fertile common ground. Funding to promote interactions and try out new research ideas would certainly facilitate the emergence of new projects.

The incorporation of increasing levels of detail in the global models like ORCHIDEE might require input from plant and microbial scientists. For example, regulation of photosynthesis and stomatal function during stress, integration of stress memory effects, phenotypic plasticity, understanding mortality cascades, nutrient content / allocation / storage.

As the Greenscale PEPR project proposal suggested (see talks) the reparametrisation of models to represent plants with modified characteristics may represent an attractive approach with potential for understanding the large-scale impacts of altered agricultural practices / plant mechanisms, and at the same time provide data for further refining models.

Plant and algal biologists use “model” organisms for their studies – however these might not be the most useful for integrating into global land surface models. We discussed whether biologists should aim for the adoption of new model organisms aligned with major plant functional types (PFT) used in models. Mediterranean forest and C3 crops were mentioned.

A potential role for algal biology (notably carbon concentration mechanisms and photorespiration) on oceanic photosynthesis was proposed. This raised an interesting discussion because carbon dioxide does not appear to be limiting in models of marine systems.

It was emphasised that attempts to increase carbon sequestration in soils must take into account the effects of microbial activity, and soil chemistry / history. Indeed, it was pointed out that the addition of carbon could even lead to net carbon release from long term stores (“priming effect”). This is the origin of the distinction between carbon storage and carbon sequestration. Only the latter can be considered positive for mitigating the global climate change.

The international PlantACT! collective of plant biologists concerned by climate change may be of interest to researchers from the BIAM and LSCE (PlantACT! Is likely to welcome the input of LSCE scientists) https://www.plant-act.org/fr/

The organizing team consisted of Virginie Chapon and Ben Field from the BIAM, and Christine Hatté, Fabienne Maignan and Nada Caud from the LSCE. Around 60 participants attended the meeting (in person and remotely).

Programm (videos, presentations and posters)

Présentations d’introduction (Directions DRF, LSCE et BIAM)

Introduction David Pignol BIAM (pdf)

Introduction Philippe Bousquet LSCE (pdf)