Abstract
The BIOSOLAB programme offers to study the impact of changes in agricultural practices on biodiversity by focussing on organic agriculture plots. Organic agriculture uses no chemical or synthetic products, and in particular no synthetic plant protection products. A priori, it therefore has little impact on biodiversity. Organic farmers however wish to be actively involved with their farms. In the framework of this project, the volunteer farmers will actively take part in the implementation of agricultural practices in favour of biodiversity. They wish to be involved in building lasting test spaces in their farms, in an approach geared towards progress. In the framework of this project, the volunteer farmers will actively take part in the implementation of practices in favour of biodiversity, such as tillage, agroforestry, hedge or grass strip planting, as well as in the study of the practices on biodiversity. We suggest studying the impact of changes in agricultural practices on the mesofauna, which is not well known and under-used in research and in the management of natural areas relative to its high importance in soil formation and evolution. This fauna and especially the not very migrating collembola react very quickly to soil disturbances and to the level of evolution of the disturbance towards a new balance. The analysis of the mesofauna communities present according to cultural practices and compensatory methods will allow for a precise evaluation of the consequence of changes in organic farmers’ practices on biodiversity. This project will be a chance to evaluate the relevance of the collembola model as a decision-making support tool, potentially implemented to meet the requirements set out by the Soil Protection Framework Directive currently being discussed.
France