Patrice Lecharpentier

On Line Validation Exercise (OLIVE): A Web Based Service for the Validation of Medium Resolution Land Products. Application to FAPAR Products

The OLIVE (On Line Interactive Validation Exercise) platform is dedicated to the validation of global biophysical products such as LAI (Leaf Area Index) and FAPAR (Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation). It was developed under the framework of the CEOS (Committee on Earth Observation Satellites) Land Product Validation (LPV) sub-group. OLIVE has three main objectives: (i) to provide a consistent and centralized information on the definition of the biophysical variables, as well as a description of the main available products and their performances (ii) to provide transparency and traceability by an online validation procedure compliant with the CEOS LPV and QA4EO (Quality Assurance for Earth Observation) recommendations (iii) and finally, to provide a tool to benchmark new products, update product validation results and host new ground measurement sites for accuracy assessment. The functionalities and algorithms of OLIVE are described to provide full transparency of its procedures to the community. The validation process and typical results are illustrated for three FAPAR products: GEOV1 (VEGETATION sensor), MGVIo (MERIS sensor) and MODIS collection 5 FPAR. OLIVE is available on the European Space Agency CAL/VAL portal), including full documentation, validation exercise results, and product extracts.

A package of parameter estimation methods and implementation for the STICS crop-soil model

Parameter estimation for complex process models used in agronomy or the environmental sciences is important, because it is a major determinant of model predictive power, and difficult, because the models and associated data are complex. Statistics provides guidance for parameter estimation under various assumptions concerning model error, but it is hard to know which assumptions are most acceptable for these models. We therefore propose a collection of parameter estimation methods. All are based on weighted least squares, but different assumptions lead to different weights. The methods allow one to fit simultaneously several different response variables. One can assume that all errors are independent or on the contrary are correlated. One can assume that model error has expectation zero or not. A software package called OptimiSTICS has been developed, that allows one to implement all of the proposed methods with the STICS crop-soil model. The software can in addition treat the case where some parameters are genotype specific while others are common to all genotypes. The software can also automatically do several sequential stages of parameter estimation. An example is presented, which shows the information that can be obtained, and the conclusions drawn, from comparing the different estimation methods.

DISRUPTION MECHANISMS OF PHEROMONE COMMUNICATION IN THE EUROPEAN GRAPE MOTH Lobesia botrana DEN & SCHIFF. III. SENSORY ADAPTATION AND HABITUATION

Disruption experiments were carried out under vineyard conditions and in the laboratory. Males from laboratory cultures were conditioned in an atmosphere permeated with pheromone (E7 Z9-12Ac), marked externally with fluorescent powder, and released in the middle of vine plots. They were then trapped in a series of traps baited with virgin females or dispensers loaded with various amounts of pheromone. Over 10,000 males were released in these experiments between 19 May and 22 July. Electroantennography tests were used for studying olfactory sensitivity in pheromone-permeated air by measuring the EAG responses of male antennae in constant pheromone air-flows. The conclusion is that both sensory adaptation and central nervous system habituation mechanisms acted simultaneously in air laden with pheromone, but they are probably not relevant when concentrations are of the same order of magnitude as those obtained under field conditions in which mating disruption methods are used for controlling the European grape moth.

Artificial selection in pheromone permeated air increases mating ability of the European grape vine moth Lobesia botrana (Lep., Tortricidae)

The existence of L. botrana genotypes more suitable to mating in synthetic pheromone permeated air in olfactometer was investigated by artificial selection through two consecutive generations. The major compound of the female pheromone blend (7E, 9Z)‐7, 9‐dodecadienyl acetate 7E, 9Z DDA was used, the only one commercialized at present both for monitoring and for mating disruption. The adults mated in a mating disruption atmosphere in the parental generation (G1) were reared separately to make up the selected filial generation (G2). Trial was carried out at the doses of 0 (control), 0.5 and 1 μg of 7E, 9Z DDA. In G1 83.33% (50/60 pairs), 18.87% (50/265) and 8.62% (31/360) mated respectively. In the selected generation (G2) 76.67% (46/60), 20.91% (69/330) and 14.38% (64/445) mated respectively. Thus, control mating percentages in both generations were similar. Nevertheless, after selection the increase in mating was significant at 1 μg dose (G = 6.53; d.f. = 1; P < 0.05) but not at 0.5 μg (G = 0.38; d.f. = 1; P > 0.05). On the other hand, selection for increasing mating ability in sex pheromone permeated air at the doses tested, was not linked with a decrease in the dusk time elapsed before mating (mean: 24–30 min). With regard to the controls without pheromone (mean: 10–12 min), matings were significantly delayed (F(5,04) = 18.52; P < 0.01). The differences in response to selection between pheromone doses show the possible effect of the genetic homeostasis. These preliminary results suggest a genetic basis for mating ability and are a complementary hypothesis to explain the lack of an absolute efficiency in control by mating disruption. Finally, the possible factors that could interact and counteract the studied selection pressure are discussed, since resistance to the mating disruption method has not been observed at this time in field conditions.

The PRECOS framework: Measuring the impacts of the global changes on soils, water, agriculture on territories to better anticipate the future

In a context of increased land and natural resources scarcity, the possibilities for local authorities and stakeholders of anticipating evolutions or testing the impact of envisaged developments through scenario simulation are new challenges. PRECOSs approach integrates data pertaining to the fields of water and soil resources, agronomy, urbanization, land use and infrastructure etc. It is complemented by a socio-economic and regulatory analysis of the territory illustrating its constraints and stakes. A modular architecture articulates modeling software and spatial and temporal representations tools. It produces indicators in three core domains: soil degradation, water and soil resources and agricultural production. As a territory representative of numerous situations of the Mediterranean Basin (urban pressures, overconsumption of spaces, degradation of the milieus), a demonstration in the Craus area (Southeast of France) has allowed to validate a prototype of the approach and to test its feasibility in a real life situation. Results on the Crau area have shown that, since the beginning of the 16th century, irrigated grasslands are the cornerstones of the anthropic-system, illustrating how successfully mens multi-secular efforts have maintained a balance between environment and local development. But today the ecosystem services are jeopardized firstly by urban sprawl and secondly by climate change. Pre-diagnosis in regions of Emilia-Romagna (Italy) and Valencia (Spain) show that local end-users and policy-makers are interested by this approach. The modularity of indicator calculations and the availability of geo-databases indicate that PRECOS may be up scaled in other socio-economic contexts.