About us

From 2012 to 2020 the Laboratoire d’Excellence BASC gathered fourteen laboratories within a multidisciplinary research project aiming at understanding and predicting the dynamics of socioecosystems in a context of global change, in particular climate change. One of the federative topics is the application of concepts and methods in agroecology to increase viability and adaptative capacity of agroecosystems and agricultural land. BASC works towards the design and implementation of innovative strategies for sustainable development, based on a strong potential for technical, technological and organisational innovations. BASC also aims at transfering knowledge to the general public, natural resources managers and policy makers. BASC also strives to develop graduate training and continuing education programs that will provide a broad vision of sustainability science, generate an understanding of the contribution of disciplinary research to interdisciplinary objectives and develop the skills to participate in successful interdisciplinary dialog.

In 2021, the LabEx BASC has given way to an enlarged project entitled C-BASC, Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on Biodiversity, Agroecology, Society and Climate, within the University of Paris-Saclay.

Biological diversity

14 September 2023
How insect pests have adapted to the domestication of fruit trees: towards biological control of aphids in apple trees?
Understanding the colonization mechanisms of insect pests in the face of recent changes in the Anthropocene is a major challenge for the coming century,...
14 September 2023
A conservatory, experimental and educational orchard of wild apple trees on the Saclay plateau
What are the response capacities of fruit trees to climate change and pest attacks? How, in a context of global changes (loss of biodiversity, climate...
14 September 2023
Towards a new biological control of the corn borer
The use of neonicotinoid-coated seeds or pyrethroid sprays currently protects 150,000 ha of young maize against sesamia in France. Having a biological...
14 September 2023
Adapative responses of insects to anthropic pressures
We have chosen to focus on insects because due to their short life cycle, insects develop rapid ecological and evolutionary responses to land use changes....
14 September 2023
Lutter contre la 'pollution génétique' du pommier sauvage par le pommier cultivé
Le projet a conduit notamment à réglementer la réimplantation de pommiers sauvages pour éviter de réintroduire des individus hybrides. Photo: Pommier...
14 September 2023
Understanding and improving the adaptive capacity of agroecosystems through knowledge of genetics and evolution
Understanding the mechanisms and limits to adaptive change in agroecosystems and their components in the face of global change is a major challenge with...
14 September 2023
Evaluer le caractère évolutif du principal champignon pathogène du blé
One main question in Biology is to understand how organisms in our ecosystems adapt to environmental changes. One main challenge to reach this goal is...
14 September 2023
Améliorer / expliquer la durabilité de certaines résistances variétales du colza à un champignon (phoma)?
Les champignons phytopathogènes représentent l’une des principales contraintes agronomiques. Le contournement des résistances variétales déployées...
08 November 2023
What is the adaptive potential of fungus poluations responsible for wheat septoria to global changes (climate)?
The project has initiated an ambitious research program, as explained in a recent video by the researcher. (Illustration: A. Symptoms of septoria in wheat....
14 September 2023
Adaptation des eucaryotes (qui comprennent les végétaux, animaux...) aux changements environnementaux : Apports des outils de séquençage à haut débit
Les outils de séquençage à haut débit présentent de nombreuses applications dans les différents domaines de la biologie, notamment liés à l’étude...
03 November 2023
Prédire la réponse des insectes tropicaux ravageurs des cultures en Afrique subsaharienne
Afin d’adapter des agrosystèmes aux changements globaux, nous avons besoin d’établir des scénarios qui prennent en compte les aspects socio-économiques,...

Ecosystem management and agro-ecological transition

08 November 2023
Stimulate collective innovation capacities
This project aimed to improve and share methodological resources useful to the innovation process, and to broaden the spectrum of co-designed objects.
14 September 2023
Designing wheat varietal mixtures in organic agriculture
Mixtures of wheat varieties are a practice that is developing in France, as they contribute to stabilize production and reduce the use of pesticides. The...
14 September 2023
Relocate wild plant species to improve the viability of their populations
A database (co-funded by LabEx BASC) addresses questions related to the geography of species displacements, climatic differences between origin and destination...
14 September 2023
Assessing biodiversity and beneficials in agroecological cropping systems through a network of stakeholders
This project is being carried out in a context of continuously increasing pesticide use and declining biodiversity in agricultural environments. Current...
14 September 2023
Understanding the determinants of the corn-bean association
Contrary to natural and human selection, which has acted for millennia in a context of multi-species assembly, modern agriculture has minimized interactions...
14 September 2023
Temporal evolution of bacteria fungi proportions in forest soils in spring
This issue is important to better understand the current and future functioning of forests and their ability to mitigate or enhance the impact of global...
Toit potager AgroParisTech
14 September 2023
Vegetable and extensive roofs: biodiversity, soils and practices
The characteristics of Technosols (constructed roof soils) strongly influence the animal and plant communities of organisms, this is one of the conclusions...
14 September 2023
Greening agriculture through exogenous organic matter and legumes to foster ecosystem services
In order to optimize the recycling of organic waste products (biowaste, green waste, sewage sludge, etc.) in agriculture, it is necessary to know their...
08 November 2023
Agroecology Network
14 September 2023
The impact of pollutants on ecosystems in a context of global change: from knowledge to action
The sources of contamination of soils in potentially toxic trace elements are numerous, from atmospheric deposits to agricultural practices.
14 September 2023
Biodiversity enhancement and management for sustainable social-ecological systems
Among the products of this project, a popularised article "the evolution of the soft wheat sector in France between 1980 and 2006: what influence on cultivated...
08 November 2023
Quel impact ont les apports de fumier, boues d'épuration ou déchets verts sur les vers de terre, les enchytréides (photo) et le fonctionnement hydrique du sol?
Les organismes bioturbateurs comme les enchytréides et les vers de terre (qualifiés d’ingénieurs des écosystèmes) sont impliqués dans l’évolution...
14 September 2023
Développer un outil opérationnel pour la culture du pois en France
Depuis 20 ans, les surfaces cultivées en pois ont considérablement décru sur le territoire français. Plusieurs causes sont à l’origine de cette...
07 November 2023
Evaluer les services rendus par les sols à l'échelle d'un territoire (péri)urbain
Les sols nous rendent d’importants services, dont l’ampleur dépend du type de sol mais aussi des modes d’occupation et de gestion.
07 November 2023
Optimiser l'épandage de la matière organique
Les sols des espaces agricoles sont susceptibles de servir de puits de stockage du carbone par le recyclage des matières organiques d’origine résiduaire...
03 November 2023
Développer un kit d’analyse du sol au service des écosystèmes vivants
Cette boite à outils serait notamment dédiée au suivi de l’impact de la restauration d’un couvert végétal (en particulier forestier) à grande...

Socio-ecosystems

21 March 2023
What would be the impacts of a 50% reduction in the use of mineral nitrogen fertilizers in European agriculture?
Understanding these effects and their complex interactions is essential for designing public policies to preserve the environment that would avoid undesirable...
14 September 2023
Agroecology and public policy instruments for sustainable multifunctional agricultural landscapes
The work carried out has made it possible to examine the synergies and antagonisms between agricultural sustainability issues in a context of agro-ecological...
14 September 2023
Adaptation to climate change of territories, linked to biodiversity
This research project has produced a forest management simulation game, in free access.
14 September 2023
Nitrogen compound emissions from crops on a regional scale
Despite its importance for air quality and climate, the representation of reactive nitrogen emissions from agricultural processes has been treated in a...
09 November 2023
How do farming communities and their environment adapt to a changing world?
There are strong issues around the conservation of biodiversity and native varieties of wheat in France and cocoa in Ecuador due to a strong dependence...
14 September 2023
What are the impacts of the wood-energy policy in PACA?
The increase in competition between actors, particularly economic actors, has severely impacted the forest landscape. We observe a landscape divided between...
14 September 2023
Development of an agricultural drain detection method: hydraulic issue of the Saclay plateau
Two techniques developed within the framework of the project were successful, one of which could not be implemented in situ. The question of the knowledge...
14 September 2023
Urban heat islands and their interactions with air pollution
A modeling tool was developed to quantify the impacts of revegetation and urban sprawl on the urban microclimate.
14 September 2023
Develop a software to facilitate the use of the Graphic Parcel Register
The Graphic Parcel Register, derived from farmers' CAP declarations, is one of the richest databases on agricultural territories.
14 September 2023
To what extent can a better knowledge of Biosphere-Atmosphere interactions help to better manage land use?
Among the outcomes of Flagship project 1 (2013-2016), an advocacy for the development of regional climate action.
14 September 2023
Towards the Sustainable Development of Peri-urban Areas
Within the framework of this project, the Territorial Ecology Workshops were organised. Consult their synthesis which is still relevant today!
14 September 2023
Modelling of socioecosystems
In particular, the project helped structure the scientific community that developed the successful proposal for the "CLAND Convergence Institute" (research...
07 November 2023
Réduire les émissions d'ammoniac des espaces agricoles, sources de particules
La pollution particulaire est à l’origine d’impacts sanitaires importants en Europe. Dans ce cadre, l’importance de l’ammoniac comme précurseur...
03 November 2023
Comment atténuer l’îlot de chaleur urbain et ses conséquences sur le climat des zones périurbaines?
Ce projet visait, à partir de modèles existants, de se doter au sein de BASC d’un outil de modélisation capable de simuler les différents échanges...

Sustainable peri-urban territory (cross-cutting axis)

14 September 2023
A 1:50,000 scale soil map for the Saclay plateau
Soils are home to a quarter of the planet's biodiversity, which is still little known today. They are the main carbon stock after the oceans and also represent...
14 September 2023
Assessing ecosystem services in transitioning agro-ecosystems
The project leaders explain results in video.
14 September 2023
Development of an agricultural drain detection method: hydraulic issue of the Saclay plateau
Two techniques developed within the framework of the project were successful, one of which could not be implemented in situ. The question of the knowledge...
14 September 2023
Urban heat islands and their interactions with air pollution
A modeling tool was developed to quantify the impacts of revegetation and urban sprawl on the urban microclimate.
Toit potager AgroParisTech
14 September 2023
Vegetable and extensive roofs: biodiversity, soils and practices
The characteristics of Technosols (constructed roof soils) strongly influence the animal and plant communities of organisms, this is one of the conclusions...
14 September 2023
Greening agriculture through exogenous organic matter and legumes to foster ecosystem services
In order to optimize the recycling of organic waste products (biowaste, green waste, sewage sludge, etc.) in agriculture, it is necessary to know their...
14 September 2023
The service of regulation by predation
The stakes of this project were mainly focused on maintaining and even improving the functioning of ecosystems in transition following the present and...
14 September 2023
Towards the Sustainable Development of Peri-urban Areas
Within the framework of this project, the Territorial Ecology Workshops were organised. Consult their synthesis which is still relevant today!
08 November 2023
Quel impact ont les apports de fumier, boues d'épuration ou déchets verts sur les vers de terre, les enchytréides (photo) et le fonctionnement hydrique du sol?
Les organismes bioturbateurs comme les enchytréides et les vers de terre (qualifiés d’ingénieurs des écosystèmes) sont impliqués dans l’évolution...
14 September 2023
The dynamics of biodiversity and ecosystem services during peri-urban development
In peri-urban areas, home gardens are favorable environments for pollinating insects, this is one of the conclusions of the Dynamics project explained...
03 November 2023
Comment atténuer l’îlot de chaleur urbain et ses conséquences sur le climat des zones périurbaines?
Ce projet visait, à partir de modèles existants, de se doter au sein de BASC d’un outil de modélisation capable de simuler les différents échanges...
07 November 2023
Evaluer les services rendus par les sols à l'échelle d'un territoire (péri)urbain
Les sols nous rendent d’importants services, dont l’ampleur dépend du type de sol mais aussi des modes d’occupation et de gestion.
07 November 2023
Réduire les émissions d'ammoniac des espaces agricoles, sources de particules
La pollution particulaire est à l’origine d’impacts sanitaires importants en Europe. Dans ce cadre, l’importance de l’ammoniac comme précurseur...

Key publications

Videos