A coordinated set of ecosystem research platforms open to international research in ecotoxicology, AnaEE-France

Abstract

The infrastructure for Analysis and Experimentation on Ecosystems (AnaEE-France) is an integrated network of the major French experimental, analytical, and modeling platforms dedicated to the biological study of continental ecosystems (aquatic and terrestrial). This infrastructure aims at understanding and predicting ecosystem dynamics under global change. AnaEE-France comprises complementary nodes offering access to the best experimental facilities and associated biological resources and data: Ecotrons, seminatural experimental platforms to manipulate terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, in natura sites equipped for large-scale and long-term experiments. AnaEE-France also provides shared instruments and analytical platforms dedicated to environmental (micro) biology. Finally, AnaEE-France provides users with data bases and modeling tools designed to represent ecosystem dynamics and to go further in coupling ecological, agronomical, and evolutionary approaches. In particular, AnaEE-France offers adequate services to tackle the new challenges of research in ecotoxicology, positioning its various types of platforms in an ecologically advanced ecotoxicology approach. AnaEE-France is a leading international infrastructure, and it is pioneering the construction of AnaEE (Europe) infrastructure in the field of ecosystem research. AnaEE-France infrastructure is already open to the international community of scientists in the field of continental ecotoxicology.

How to Integrate Experimental Research Approaches in Ecological and Environmental Studies: AnaEE France as an Example

“…Existing experimental platforms were first ranked along a control axis (Figure 2) leading to three categories of platforms including controlled environment facilities (Ecotrons), semicontrolled field mesocosms in which some environmental and biotic factors could be manipulated and field experiments with in natura ecosystems. Each experimental platform must allow for the simultaneous manipulation and monitoring of ecosystem processes through a multi-disciplinary approach (see Mougin et al, 2015 for more technical details on each platform type). Experimental platforms were selected based on their ability to manipulate a range of distinct, representative ecosystems types including forests, grasslands, croplands and aquatic ecosystems (Mougin et al, 2015).…”

“…Each experimental platform must allow for the simultaneous manipulation and monitoring of ecosystem processes through a multi-disciplinary approach (see Mougin et al, 2015 for more technical details on each platform type). Experimental platforms were selected based on their ability to manipulate a range of distinct, representative ecosystems types including forests, grasslands, croplands and aquatic ecosystems (Mougin et al, 2015). In addition, we included analytical platforms offering tools to describe the most relevant biotic and abiotic conditions (including metabarcoding, Yang et al, 2014) and we designed a new e-service dedicated to data management and modeling.…”

“…Modeling services were based on platforms hosting models and modules, offering model coupling facilities, direct access to the data and statistical tools (sensitivity analysis, parameter estimation, error assessment, output visualization).The modular structure of the proposed RI allowed for a better internal organization, but synergies between modules were promoted through regular workshops and meetings (see below). A full list of the services is summarized in Mougin et al (2015) and is also available on a dedicated web site (http://www.anaee-france.fr/).…”

“…The aim of this manuscript is therefore to provide a framework for the development of a network of experimental facilities open to a research community studying ecosystems' biology and ecology. This framework will be illustrated by the case of the Research Infrastructure (RI) AnaEE France, which is a set of open-access platforms offering services to experiment on, analyse, and model ecosystems (Mougin et al, 2015).…”

BRC4Env, a network of Biological Resource Centres for research in environmental and agricultural sciences

“…In Sophia, the BRCs and collection are line with the platform SPIBOC (microscopy, analytical biochemistry, bioinformatics, genomics). BRC4Env can also access to ecosystems through two networks: AnaEE-France (Mougin et al 2015 ) and Recotox ( https://www.recotox.eu/recotox_eng/ , Mougin et al, this Special Issue).…”