23 Aug Monitoring of the plant community at the phytomanaged Durandeau site (NS1)
In July and August 2022, the vegetation cover was monitored at the phytomanaged Durandeau site under the supervision of La Charente County and INRAE partners and the Jardins de l’Angoumois sub-contractor company. Each implanted plant species was investigated, notably for preparing the sampling and analysis of plant parts. The initial plant community (i.e. mycorrhized black poplars, goat willows, vetiver, Miscanthus x giganteus, Amorpha fruticosa, Agrostis capillaris, Festuca pratensis, Medicago sativa, and Lolium perenne) was developing very well (without pieces of evidence of phytotoxicity or deficiency on aboveground plant parts), thanks notably to the irrigation system (even with the fourth sequential heatwaves we experienced in France this summer.) We can expect this year 1 to promote the phytostabilization of metal(loid)s, Cd/Zn phytoextraction (by collecting poplar and willow leaves in autumn), and rhizo/biodegradation of organic xenobiotics, and to prevent wind erosion and water runoff. Leachates from lysimeters will be sampled by HPC Environment and analyzed.
Durandeau site before the set-up of the field trial – February 2022 (La Charente county /HPC Envirotec)
Plant community at the phytomanaged trial (August 2022, © La Charente county / Jardins de l’Angoumois)
Close-up of the vegetation cover within the field trial at the Durandeau site (August 2022, © La Charente county)