Location: UMR AMAP Montpellier
Supervision: Emma Gadrat (PhD student, UMR AMAP), under the supervision of Alexia Stokes (UMR AMAP, INRAE) and Guillaume Delhaye (Mycorrhizal Ecology Lab, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom)
Period: February/March to July/August 2027
Duration: 4 to 6 months
Type of internship: M1 / M2
Scientific context:
Mountain environments are made up of many different types of landscapes, where forests are mixed in with more open areas such as paths for avalanches, pastures, and meadows. When the factors that maintain these open spaces (e.g. grazing, ski trail maintenance and climatic conditions) are removed, forests tend to colonise them. However, as most trees in these forests are associated with ectomycorrhizae and few ectomycorrhizal plant species grow in these open environments, the establishment of young trees depends on both abiotic conditions and the presence of these fungi. The few pioneer plants that establish themselves first and form ectomycorrhizae in these open environments (e.g. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Salix spp.) could therefore serve as inoculum for pine and spruce seedlings while also providing shelter and nutrients, thereby promoting the recolonisation of the environment. Such plants could be considered nurse plants. This internship will contribute to our understanding of how potential nurse plants influence the recolonisation of open alpine environments by forests by modifying both biotic and abiotic conditions in the soil. This internship will be based on analysing results from an experiment where plants were grown on fresh soil from under nurse plants and adult trees, in controlled conditions for 6 months.
Internship objectives:
During the internship, the student will contribute to a study investigating the impact of soil from nurse plants on tree seedlings growth from two species of trees from the Alps (Picea abies and Pinus uncinata). They will participate in a harvesting campaign at the end of a growing experiment while also processing the resulting samples in the lab.
Main tasks:
-Taking down the growing experiment: Starting in April, seedlings that were grown for 6 months will be sampled for different analysis. First, measurement of size and weight of all the seedlings. Then, selection of colonized tips for ectomycorrhizal community analysis (results cannot be used in the duration of this internship). Finally, drying and grinding of plant leaves and roots for C/N analysis.
Characterizing soil properties: Soil was collected in a previous field session. C/N analysis of these samples, along with physico-chemical properties could also be a part of that internship.
-Characterizing seed population: Germination trials with seeds from the field could be considered to better understand the quality of seed rains on the site.
-Extracting DNA from soil: From a previous field session, soil was sampled at the location of the sampled soils for the experiment. Extraction of DNA, to later assess for the community that could have associated with the seedlings, could be realized during the internship too.
-Entry and management of sampling data.
The intern will be trained in ECM root sampling protocols, C/N analysis, and the basics of mycorrhizal ecology and soil functioning. The extent of the subject matter may be specified according to the candidate’s interests.
Required profile
-Student in ecology, plant biology, forestry, microbial ecology, or environmental sciences.
-Strong interest in lab work and greenhouse experiments
-Good organizational skills, scientific rigor, and autonomy.
-Interest in plant-fungus interactions, forest dynamics, and ecological restoration.
Application
Send your CV and a motivation letter explaining what interests you about the subject to emma.gadrat@cirad.fr.
Application deadline: end of January 2027
Commentaires récents