Adapter la technique de semis des prairies pour maintenir de fortes biomasses de lombriciens dans des sols normands hydromorphes

National audienceThree techniques for the renovation of permanent pastures were compared : seeding after ploughing, classical spring seeding after autumn weeding and surface cultivation, and direct spring seeding following an autumn weeding (with substances not toxic to earthworms in the 2 cases). Classical spring seeding after autumn weeding and surface cultivation is less expensive technique and less harmful to the soil fauna than seeding after ploughing, both in water-logged soils and in leached brown soils. Direct spring seeding is the least expensive technique, and the least harmful to the soil fauna but the success of seeding depends on spring rainfalls. The functions of earthworms vary according to the species ; they are all very active during winter ; they consume the senescent plant parts and create thus an ideal seed bed. The maintenance of a large earthworm bio-mass (2.37 t/ha on average for the various soil types) benefits the frequentation by various predators : woodcocks, snipes, lapwings and thrushes.Dans la perspective de systèmes agricoles durables et respectueux de la faune sauvage, la recherche d'itinéraires techniques peu destructeurs des lombriciens s'avère pertinente : tout en maintenant le niveau de production fourragère, certaines techniques de semis des prairies s'avèrent aussi moins coûteuses, intéressantes pour la portance et le lessivage Trois techniques de rénovation de prairies permanentes ont été comparées : semis avec labour, travail simplifié ou semis direct, avec dans les 2 dernier cas destruction de la végétation par un herbicide (non toxique pour les lombriciens) à l'automne. Le semis après travail simplifié, moins coûteux et moins destructeur pour la faune lombricenne que le semis après labour, assure des productions fourragères identiques. Le semis direct, encore moins coûteux et moins destructeur pour les lombriciens, est plus aléatoire quant à l'installation de la prairie. Au cours de l'hiver, les lombriciens anéciques ont ici assimilé la litière morte et préparé le lit de semences. L'absence de travail du sol est favorable à la portance et limite le lessivage. Le maintien d'une population lombricienne importante (2,37 t/ha) contribue à la fréquentation de la prairie par divers prédateurs

Observatoire de la qualite des sols Apports de l'etude de la macrofaune a une evaluation agro-environnementale integree

Available at INIST (FR), Document Supply Service, under shelf-number : RP 185 (3239) / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueSIGLEFRFranc

A Novel Hemostatic Powder for Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Multicenter Study (the \ "GRAPHE\ " Registry).

International audienc

Seasonal variations in the diet and food selection of the Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus

International audienceThe Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus is an insectivorous species. However, the exact composition of its naturaldiet remains largely undetermined, especially in relation to seasonal variations in food availability. From Marchto November, we simultaneously analysed the composition of 180 hedgehog faecal samples and food availabilityin the Soumman Valley, Algeria to assess food selection in this species. The faeces contained 196 differentprey species, of which 92% belonged to the class Insecta. The highest prey species diversity was found in theColeoptera order (100 species recorded) and the highest species occurrence was found in Hymenoptera (65% of theprey items, mainly represented by the harvester ant Messor barbarus, a crop-ravaging species). This study showsthat the Algerian hedgehog is mainly a generalist species with a diet that is strongly linked to food availability.However, seasonal variations were observed in prey selection, and a notable shift in food preference was observedduring autumn. The exact nature of these changes in feeding behaviour remains to be investigated, notably inrelation to changes in energy requirements of this species before hibernation, in terms of quantity and/or quality