ORPHEE (France)

The ORPHEE tree species diversity experiment was established in south-western France in 2008 to investigate biodiversity and ecosystem functioning under the influence of a changing climate. The research focuses on the importance of leaf phenology, using 5 tree species of 2 functional groups (deciduous vs. evergreen).

Aerial view of the site in 2015

Design

The research site consists of 8 blocks, with 32 plots in each block. Every possible 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5-species combination was planted in each block; the last plot of a block was also planted with all 5 species. The plots are 20 m x 20 m large, and the planting distance between two trees was 2 m. Thus, 100 trees were planted per plot. The plots are randomly distributed in each block.

Half of the blocks will be irrigated to observe the changes in ecosystem functioning under a changing environment.

The plots within a block: 1 (light) - 5 (dark) species per plot

Planting design in a 3-species plot

Half of the blocks (in blue) will be irrigated.

Site characteristics

ORPHEE (Pierroton)

Country

France

Biome

temperate

Latitude

44.67

Longitude

-0.77

Soil type

sandy podzol on sandstone bedrock

Former land use

pine stands (Pinus pinaster)

Altitude

60 m

Design

regular alternate pattern

Plot shape

square

Plot size (m^2)

400 m²

Plant distance (m)

2

Number of trees planted

25 600

Planting date

January and February 2008

Diversity variables

species richness
functional diversity

Diversity gradient

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 sp.
deciduous, evergreen

Species pool

Betula pendula
Quercus pyrenaica
Quercus robur
Quercus ilex
Pinus pinaster

Contact person

Hervé Jactel

Email

herve.jactel@pierroton.inra.fr

Research

The research will focus on the differences in tree growth and herbivory damage between the two leaf phenology groups and the irrigation treatment. Plant-plant interactions will be studied along the gradient of species richness and functional levels.

Extra information

Send an e-mail to the contact person, visit the experiment on facebook or the experiment’s own website, or explore the publications that utilized data from this experiment.

Research papers

  • Blondeel H, Guillemot J, Martin‐StPaul N, Druel A, Bilodeau‐Gauthier S, Bauhus J, … Baeten L 2024 Tree diversity reduces variability in sapling survival under drought. Journal of Ecology 112(5): 1164-1180 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14294
  • Vázquez-González C, Castagneyrol B, Muiruri EW, Barbaro L, Abdala-Roberts L, Barsoum N, Fründ J, Glynn C, Jactel H, McShea WJ, Mereu S, Mooney KA, Morillas L, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker JD, Parker, WC, Roales J, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schuldt A, Verheyen K, Weih M, Yang B, Koricheva J 2024 Tree diversity enhances predation by birds but not by arthropods across climate gradients. Ecology Letters (27): e14427 - https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.14427
  • Depauw L, De Lombaerde E, Dhiedt E, Blondeel H, Abdala-Roberts L, Auge H, Barsoum N, Bauhus J, Chu C, Damtew A, Eisenhauer N, V. Fagundes M, Ganade G, Gendreau-Berthiaume B, Godbold D, Gravel D, Guillemot J, Hajek P, Hector A, Hérault B, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Kreft H, Liu X, Mereu S, Messier C, Muys B, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker JD, Parker WC, Paterno, GB, Perring MP, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich PB, Rewald B, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schnabel F, Sousa-Silva R, Weih M, Clara Zemp D, Verheyen K, Baeten L 2024 Enhancing Tree Performance Through Species Mixing: Review of a Quarter-Century of TreeDivNet Experiments Reveals Research Gaps and Practical Insights. Current Forestry Reports - https://doi.org/10.1007/s40725-023-00208-y
  • Desie E, Zuo J, Verheyen K, Djukic I, Van Meerbeek K, Auge H, Barsoum N, Baum C, Bruelheide H, Eisenhauer N, Feldhaar H, Ferlian O, Gravel D, Jactel H, Kappel Schmidt I, Kepfer-Rojas S, Meredieu C, Mereu S, Messier C, Morillas L, Nock C, Paquette A, Ponette Q, Reich PB, Roales J, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Seitz S, Schmidt A, Stefanski A, Trogisch S, van Halder I, Weih M, Williams LJ, Yang B, Muys B 2023 Disentangling drivers of litter decomposition in a multi-continent network of tree diversity experiments. Science of the Total Environment 857(3): 159717 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159717
  • Warner E, Cook-Patton SC, Lewis, OT, Brown N, Koricheva J, Eisenhauer N, … Hector A 2023 Young mixed planted forests store more carbon than monocultures—a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change (6): 1226514
  • FAO 2023 Towards more resilient and diverse planted forests. Unasylva (254)74: 2031/1. Rome. https://doi. org/10.4060/cc8584en
  • Bourdin A, Bord S, Durand J, Galon C, Moutailler S, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Jactel H 2022 Forest Diversity Reduces the Prevalence of Pathogens Transmitted by the Tick Ixodes Ricinus. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution - https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.891908
  • Cesarz S, Craven D, Auge H, Bruelheide H, Castagneyrol B, Gutknecht J, Hector A, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Messier C, Muys B, Brien MJO, Paquette A, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich PB, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Smith AR, Verheyen K, Eisenhauer N 2022 Tree diversity effects on soil microbial biomass and respiration are context dependent across forest diversity experiments. Global Ecology and Biogeography 31:872-885 - https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13461
  • Galmán A, Vázquez-González C, Röder G, Castagneyrol B 2022 Interactive effects of tree species composition and water availability on growth and direct and indirect defences in Quercus ilex. Oikos 5: e09125 - https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.09125
  • Maxwell TL, Fanin N, Parker WC, Bakker MR, Belleau A, Meredieu C, Augusto L, Munson AD 2022 Tree species identity drives nutrient use efficiency in young mixed-species plantations, at both high and low water availability. Functional Ecology - https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14109
  • Toïgo M, Castagneyrol B, Jactel H, Morin X, Meredieu C 2022 Effects of tree mixture on forest productivity: tree species addition versus substitution. European Journal of Forest Research 141: 165-175 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-021-01432-6
  • Kwon T, Shibata H, Kepfer-Rojas S, Schmidt IK, Larsen KS, Beier C, Berg B, Verheyen K, Lamarque J-F, Hagedorn F, Eisenhauer N, Djukic I, TeaCompositionNetwork 2021 Effects of climate and atmospheric nitrogen deposition on early to mid-term stage litter decomposition across biomes. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 4: 678480 - https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.678480
  • Poeydebat C, Castagneyrol B, van Halder I, Jactel H 2021 Changes in host basal area explain associational resistance of mixed forests to primary pests. Forest Ecology and Management 495: 119374 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119374
  • Strukelj M, Parker W, Corcket E, Augusto L, Khlifa R, Jactel H, Munson AD 2021 Tree species richness and water availability interact to affect soil microbial processes. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 108180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108180
  • Messier C, Bauhus J, Sousa-Silva R, Auge H, Baeten L, Barsoum N, Bruelheide H, Caldwell B, Cavender-Bares J, Dhiedt E, Eisenhauer N, Ganade G, Gravel D, Guillemot J, Hall JS, Hector A, Hérault B, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Kreft H, Mereu S, Muys B, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker JD, Perring MP, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich PB, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schnabel F, Verheyen K, Weih M, Wollni M, Zemp DC 2021 For the sake of resilience and multifunctionality, let’s diversify planted forests! Conservation Letters e12829 - https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12829
  • Castagneyrol B, Kozlov MV, Poeydebat C, Toïgo M, Jactel H 2020 Associational resistance to a pest insect fades with time. Journal of Pest Science 93: 427-437 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-019-01148-y
  • Corcket E, Alard D, van Halder I, Jactel H, Diaz BG, Reuzeau E, Castagneyrol B 2020 Canopy composition and drought shape understorey plant assemblages in a young tree diversity experiment. Journal of Vegetation Science 31(5): 803-816 - https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12903
  • Field E, Castagneyrol B, Gibbs M, Jactel H, Barsoum N, Schönrogge K, Hector A 2020 Associational resistance to both insect and pathogen damage in mixed forests is modulated by tree neighbour identity and drought. Journal of Ecology 108(4): 1511-1522 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13397
  • Maxwell TL, Augusto L, Bon L, Courbineau A, Altinalmazis-Kondylis A, Milin S, Bakker MR, Jactel H, Fanin N 2020 Effect of a tree mixture and water availability on soil nutrients and extracellular enzyme activities along the soil profile in an experimental forest. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 148, 107864 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.107864
  • Morin X, Damestoy T, Toigo M, Castagneyrol B, Jactel H, de Coligny F, Meredieu C 2020 Using forest gap models and experimental data to explore long-term effects of tree diversity on the productivity of mixed planted forests. Annals of Forest Science 77(50) - https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-020-00954-0
  • Poeydebat C, Jactel H, Moreira X, Koricheva J, Barsoum N, Bauhus J, Eisenhauer N, Ferlian O, Francisco M, Gottschall F, Gravel D, Mason B, Muiruri E, Muys B, Nock C, Paquette A, Ponette Q, Scherer‐Lorenzen M, Stokes V, Staab M, Verheyen K and Castagneyrol B 2020 Climate affects neighbour‐induced changes in leaf chemical defences and tree diversity‐herbivory relationships. Functional Ecology - doi:10.1111/1365-2435.13700
  • Jouveau S, Toïgo M, Giffard B, Castagneyrol B, van Halder I, Vétillard F, Jactel H 2019 Carabid activity-density increases with forest vegetation diversity at different spatial scales. Insect Conservation and Diversity 13(1): 36-46 - https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12372
  • Kambach S, Allan E, Bilodeau-Gauthier S, Coomes D A, Haase J, Jucker T, Kunstler G, Muller S, Nock C, Paquette A, van der Plas F, Ratcliffe S, Roger F, Ruiz-Benito P, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Auge H, Bouriaud O, Castagneyrol B, Dahlgren J, Gamfeldt L, Jactel H, Kandler G, Koricheva J, Lehtonen A, Muys B, Ponette Q, Setiawan N, Van de Peer T, Verheyen K, Zavala M A, Bruelheid H 2019 How do trees respond to species mixing in experimental compared to observational studies? Ecology and Evolution 9: 11254-11265 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5627
  • Castagneyrol B, Jactel H, Moreira X 2018 Anti-herbivore defences and insect herbivory: Interactive effects of drought and tree neighbours. Journal of Ecology 106: 2043-2057 - doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12956
  • Castagneyrol B, Moreira X, Jactel H 2018 Drought and plant neighbourhood interactively determine herbivore consumption and performance. Scientific Reports 8: 5930 - doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-24299-x
  • Djukic I, Kepfer-Rojas S, Kappel Schmidt I, Steenberg Larsen K, Beier C, Berg B, Verheyen K, TeaComposition 2018 Early stage litter decomposition across biomes. Science of the Total Environment 628-629: 1369-1394 - doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.012
  • Rahman MM, Castagneyrol B, Verheyen K, Jactel H, Carnol M 2018 Can tree species richness attenuate the effect of drought on organic matter decomposition and stabilization in young plantation forests? Acta Oecologica 93: 30-40 - doi: 10.1016/j.actao.2018.10.008
  • Grossman JJ, Vanhellemont M, Barsoum N, Bauhus J, Bruelheide H, Castagneyrol B, Cavender-Bares J, Eisenhauer N, Ferlian O, Gravel D, Hector A, Jactel H, Kreft H, Mereu S, Messier C, Muys B, Nock C, Paquette A, Parker J, Perring MP, Ponette Q, Reich PB, Schuldt A, Staab M, Weih M, Zemp DC, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Verheyen K 2018 Synthesis and future research directions linking tree diversity to growth, survival, and damage in a global network of tree diversity experiments. Environmental and Experimental Botany 152: 68-89 - doi: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2017.12.015
  • Castagneyrol B, Bonal D, Damien M, Jactel H, Meredieu C, Muiruri EW, Barbaro L 2017 Bottom-up and top-down effects of tree species diversity on leaf insect herbivory. Ecology and Evolution 7: 3520-3531 - doi: 10.1002/ece3.2950
  • Damien M, Jactel H, Meredieu C, Régolini M, Van Halder I, Castagneyrol B 2016 Pest damage in mixed forests: Disentangling the effects of neighbor identity, host density and host apparency at different spatial scales. Forest Ecology and Management 378: 103-110 - doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.07.025
  • Verheyen K, Vanhellemont M, Auge H, Baeten L, Baraloto C, Barsoum N, Bilodeau-Gauthier S, Bruelheide H, Castagneyrol B, Godbold D, Haase J, Hector A, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Loreau M, Mereu S, Messier C, Muys B, Nolet P, Paquette A, Parker J, Perring M, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Reich P, Smith A, Weih M, Scherer-Lorenzen M 2016 Contributions of a global network of tree diversity experiments to sustainable forest plantations. Ambio 45: 29-41 - doi: 10.1007/s13280-015-0685-1
  • Haase J, Castagneyrol B, Cornelissen JHC, Ghazoul J, Kattge J, Koricheva J, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Morath S, Jactel H 2015 Contrasting effects of tree diversity on young tree growth and resistance to insect herbivores across three biodiversity experiments. Oikos 124: 1674-1685 - doi: 10.1111/oik.02090
  • Paine CET, Amissah L, Auge H, Baraloto C, Baruffol M, Bourland N, Bruelheide H, Daïnou K, de Gouvenain RC, Doucet J-L, Doust S, Fine PVA, Fortunel C, Haase J, Holl KD, Jactel H, Li X, Kitajima K, Koricheva J, Martínez-Garza C, Messier C, Paquette A, Philipson C, Piotto D, Poorter L, Posada JM, Potvin C, Rainio K, Russo SE, Ruiz-Jaen M, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Webb CO, Wright SJ, Zahawi RA, Hector A 2015 Globally, functional traits are weak predictors of juvenile tree growth, and we do not know why. Journal of Ecology 103: 978-989 - doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12401
  • Castagneyrol B, Régolini M, Jactel H 2014 Tree species composition rather than diversity triggers associational resistance to the pine processionary moth. Basic and Applied Ecology 15: 516-523 - doi: 10.1016/j.baae.2014.06.008
  • Castagneyrol B, Giffard B, Péré C, Jactel H 2013 Plant apparency, an overlooked driver of associational resistance to insect herbivory. Journal of Ecology 101: 418-429 - doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12055

One of the ORPHEE blocks in December 2010

The irrigation treatment has started! (May 2015)