Les articles de Hugo Fontes

Le choix des états de référence en écologie de la restauration : enseignements de projets menés dans divers écosystèmes

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 11:40:12

de Benjamin Weigel, Maria Alp, Ivan Bernez, Renaud Jaunatre, Marie-Laure Acolas, Didier Alard, Virginie Archaimbault, Christine Argillier, Marie-Lise Benot, Vincent Bertrin, et al.
In Sciences Eaux & Territoires, 50 (August, 2026), 9651-9651
En ligne : revue-set.fr[...]

Defining reference states plays a key role in ecological restoration, guiding management strategies and serving as a benchmark for evaluating ecosystem recovery. However, the choice of reference states is never entirely objective and depends on the context, value-driven approaches, and other numerous criteria such as site history and geographical setting, ecological integrity, or stakeholder interests. To shed light on how reference states are defined, we analyzed 32 restoration projects covering both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, monitored between 1999 and 2023 by researchers from the INRAE Ecological Restoration Network (REI, https://restauration-ecologique.hub.inrae.fr ). Our results highlights shared trends in the criteria used to select reference states, while also revealing variable levels of agreement among projects, with notable differences between aquatic and terrestrial projects in terms of stakeholder involvement, selected metrics, and evaluation measures. This study represents a first step before launching a broader survey within the international community. The objective is to further explore the challenges associated with defining reference states, particularly in the context of accelerating global (notably climate) change, and the new EU Nature Restoration Law being implemented across Member States.

A New Genus Record for Türkiye: Tolypella (Charophyceae), Contributions to the Ecology of T. salina

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:46:31

de Kamil Mert Yücel, Hugo Fontes, Serdar Gökhan Şenol
In Natural Resources and Conservation, 12(1) (April 2026), 1-9
En ligne : www.hrpub.org[...]

As a result of the identification of Charophyceae members collected during field studies on Gediz Basin management and sustainability, the genus Tolypella was observed for the first time in Türkiye. Samples collected from the temporary inland saline and brackish waters section of the periodic wetlands located within the Gediz Delta are among the primary macrophytes of their system. The general morphological description of the species T. salina, the determination of the EUNIS habitat class, vegetation types and ecology, the classification of the temporary waterland where the species lives, and its distribution worldwide are included in our detailed research. Furthermore, factors threatening the habitat and existence of the T. salina species have been detailed due to its 'EN' category status on the IUCN Red List. Although the Ramsar protection status of the region where the species was identified and the intensive conservation activities of private civil society organizations in the area are promising, the shift in rainfall patterns due to the global climate crisis is negatively affecting the species' diaspora formation. Therefore, it is of great importance to reveal the life history of T. salina, measure the population size and the species' actual distribution area, and determine the population genetics. With the addition of the genus Tolypella, the current number of Charophyceae in Türkiye has reached 3 genera and 20 taxa.

Vegetation trajectories over 150 years of temporary ponds created in the Camargue delta (Southern France)

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:40:14

de Hugo Fontes, Patrick Grillas, Thierry Dutoit, Antoine Gazaix, Elie Gaget, François Mesléard
In Restoration Ecology, (en ligne) (March, 2026), e70372
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Temporary ponds in the Mediterranean climate have a high conservation value, but many have been severely destroyed or degraded. Pond restoration and new pond creation have been engaged widely. Evaluations of the success of such operations are generally carried out over 10–15 years and show divergent results over this timeframe. In the Camargue (Rhône delta, South of France), several temporary ponds were created with various objectives since the second half of the 19th century.
Study the long-term trajectory of plant communities in created temporary ponds and compare them with those of reference temporary ponds.
We carried out vegetation surveys and measured environmental parameters in 25 ponds created in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, as well as in 27 natural reference ponds (space-for-time substitution approach).
Submerged macrophyte communities (composition, abundance, and species-richness) converged toward the reference communities after one or several decades. Emergent plant communities (terrestrial plants and helophytes) converged more slowly toward the reference communities (composition and abundance). Even after 150 years, the emergent plant communities with the highest conservation interest (in particular Natura 2000 habitat) were not found in created ponds.
The creation of temporary ponds in the Camargue is of conservation interest but cannot compensate for the loss of natural temporary ponds.

Plant evenness improves forage mineral content in semi-natural grasslands

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 10:37:19

de Cian Blaix, Didier Alard, Olivier Chabrerie, Sylvain Diquelou, Thierry Dutoit, Hugo Fontes, Servane Lemauviel-Lavenant, Grégory Loucougaray, Alice Michelot-Antalik, Anne Bonis
In Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 387 (August, 2025), 109622
En ligne : www.sciencedirect.com[...]

Compared to intensive grasslands, semi-natural grasslands host species-rich and functionally diversified plant communities, and thus represent habitats of high conservation interest. Less is known about their ability to provide high-quality forage fitting livestock requirements regarding mineral content in particular, and thus contribute to livestock health. We address this question by measuring forage macro- and micro-mineral content across a range of semi-natural grassland types in nine locations in France and compare it to standards required for cattle health. We also developed a multi-criteria method using forage mineral concentrations and their recommended ranges to determine general mineral concentration quality (MinQ) in forage. We investigated if forage mineral content and MinQ was related to plant community composition, soil characteristics, and land-use intensity of semi-natural grassland forages. Good forage quality in terms of mineral content was found, matching the reference values, in the majority of the extensively managed semi-natural grasslands studied. Plant species evenness was positively correlated with MinQ. The forage mineral quality varied depending on the community weighted mean of the specific leaf area (SLACWM) and the leaf dry matter content (LDMCCWM). It increased with increasing SLACWM and decreased with increasing LDMCCWM. The results demonstrate that a good compatibility between plant evenness and forage mineral quality can be obtained in semi-natural grasslands which suggests that the continued management of these habitats can offer agronomic services as well as conservation values.

Quelle utilisation du concept d’écosystème de référence pour évaluer le succès de création de mares temporaires en Camargue ? (2025)

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 16:13:47

de Hugo Fontes
[S.l.] : Université d'Avignon, 2025, 182
En ligne : theses.hal.science[...]

Face à la dégradation des espaces naturels et la perte de biodiversité, la restauration écologique est considérée comme un des outils majeurs de la conservation biologique. Cette discipline récente, fait encore l’objet de controverses en particulier concernant le concept d’« écosystème de référence » considérée comme trop fixiste. Il est cependant aujourd’hui communément admis que la définition d’un écosystème de référence consiste non pas à figer une représentation d’un écosystème « idéal » passé, mais à explorer ses variations tant historiques qu’actuelles. Malgré ces avancées conceptuelles, des lacunes méthodologiques sont encore à combler afin de mieux prendre en compte la variabilité des écosystèmes de référence dans l’évaluation du succès d’opérations de restauration écologique.Pour répondre à ce besoin, nous avons choisi comme cas d’étude les mares temporaires méditerranéennes de Camargue, un écosystème dont les conditions environnementales et les communautés végétales sont particulièrement variables, notamment en raison de l’intermittence des phases aquatiques et sèches. Malgré leurs enjeux de conservation, les mares temporaires méditerranéennes ont connu et connaissent encore de forts impacts anthropiques. En réponse, des opérations de restauration et de création ont été réalisées et nécessitent maintenant d’être évaluées.Dans un premier temps, nous avons développé un indicateur, le « Distance to References Communities Index » (DRCI) qui permet de comparer un site ou une communauté en cours de restauration avec un panel de sites ou de communautés de référence. Cette méthode considère que chaque situation de référence est un objectif potentiel, contrairement aux méthodes couramment utilisées qui considèrent une situation moyenne de référence comme objectif optimal. Le DRCI est un indicateur intégratif qui, focalisé sur les communautés, utilise un indice de distance ou de similarité. Il est particulièrement adapté aux systèmes écologiques variables comme les mares temporaires.Nous avons ensuite exploré la diversité spatio-temporelle des mares de Camargue, au travers de toutes les données floristiques anciennes disponibles et des relevés réalisés dans le cadre de cette thèse dans 27 mares de références en avril, mai, juin et août 2019 et 2020. Les relevés ont permis de retrouver l’essentiel des espèces connues depuis les années 50, avec des proportions comparables. Les mares contemporaines peuvent donc être considérées comme des écosystèmes de référence pertinents, comparables aux mares inventoriées dans la seconde moitié du 20ème siècle. Néanmoins, certains changements mineurs dans la végétation des mares peuvent être interprétés comme des dégradations, avec notamment l’apparition d’espèces exotiques envahissantes et des phénomènes de salinisation potentiellement liés au changements climatiques.Enfin, nous avons comparé la végétation de 25 mares créées aux 19ème, 20ème et 21ème siècle (inventoriées en avril, mai, juin et juillet 2020) avec celle des 27 mares de références. Les communautés végétales (composition et abondance des espèces) des mares créées au 21ème siècle sont bien distinctes des communautés de références, contrairement aux communautés des mares créées antérieurement. Les communautés en conditions inondées sont plus proches des communautés de références que les communautés de la phase sèche. En particulier, les espèces émergentes protégées et menacées sont généralement absentes des mares créées, contrairement aux macrophytes submergés. L’intérêt de la création de mares temporaires méditerranéennes est donc important pour les communautés aquatiques, mais reste limité pour certaines communautés terrestres et amphibies.Le choix du modèle de référence et des variables mesurées peuvent fortement influencer les résultats et les conclusions de l’évaluation. La définition d’un modèle de référence revient à définir les objectifs de projets de restauration et rend donc plus ou moins flexible leur évaluation.

The Distance to Reference Communities Index (DRCI): a new tool to assess communities' restoration success

Mon, 27 May 2024 15:18:01

de Hugo Fontes, Christian Marquis, Franck Torre, Patrick Grillas, Thierry Dutoit, François Mesléard
In Restoration Ecology, (Online version) (May, 2024), e14194
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

The concept of a reference ecosystem is fundamental in restoration ecology, especially in assessing the success of ecological restoration projects. In response to criticism, it has undergone conceptual evolutions in its definition and use in the last decades. Even though there is still a need to develop statistical methods and analyses to account for reference variability. Here, we focus on two original and one literature-based calculation methods for designed indexes, which all aim to compare a community to be assessed (undergoing restoration) with a variable set of reference communities. These methods either use the average reference situation (species composition and abundance) as the restoration target or on the contrary, allow any reference site to be considered a relevant target. We compare the results of these methods by analyzing a simulated dataset. We then illustrate the application of the most relevant index by a real case study that compared a created Mediterranean temporary pond to a panel of 27 reference ponds located in the south of France. The results show that the Distance to Reference Communities Index (DRCI) correctly measures differences in species composition and abundance between an assessed and a reference panel of communities. It takes into account the variability of the reference communities, while the use of other indexes focuses on unrealistic average and fixed reference values. DRCI is complementary to a detailed ecological interpretation and to the use of other commonly used indexes, by giving a synthetic metric.

Virome release of an invasive exotic plant species in southern France

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:01:58

de Oumaima Moubset, Denis Filloux, Hugo Fontes, Charlotte Julian, Emmanuel Fernandez, Serge Galzi, Laurence Blondin, Selim Ben Chehida, Jean-Michel Lett, François Mesléard, et al.
In Virus evolution, 10(1) (April, 2024), veae025
En ligne : academic.oup.com[...]

The increase in human-mediated introduction of plant species to new regions has resulted in a rise of invasive exotic plant species (IEPS) that has had significant effects on biodiversity and ecosystem processes. One commonly accepted mechanism of invasions is that proposed by the enemy release hypothesis (ERH), which states that IEPS free from their native herbivores and natural enemies in new environments can outcompete indigenous species and become invasive. We here propose the virome release hypothesis (VRH) as a virus-centered variant of the conventional ERH that is only focused on enemies. The VRH predicts that vertically transmitted plant-associated viruses (PAV, encompassing phytoviruses and mycoviruses) should be co-introduced during the dissemination of the IEPS, while horizontally transmitted PAV of IEPS should be left behind or should not be locally transmitted in the introduced area due to a maladaptation of local vectors. To document the VRH, virome richness and composition as well as PAV prevalence, co-infection, host range, and transmission modes were compared between indigenous plant species and an invasive grass, cane bluestem (Bothriochloa barbinodis), in both its introduced range (southern France) and one area of its native range (Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA). Contrary to the VRH, we show that invasive populations of B. barbinodis in France were not associated with a lower PAV prevalence or richness than native populations of B. barbinodis from the USA. However, comparison of virome compositions and network analyses further revealed more diverse and complex plant-virus interactions in the French ecosystem, with a significant richness of mycoviruses. Setting mycoviruses apart, only one putatively vertically transmitted phytovirus (belonging to the Amalgaviridae family) and one putatively horizontally transmitted phytovirus (belonging to the Geminiviridae family) were identified from B. barbinodis plants in the introduced area. Collectively, these characteristics of the B. barbinodis-associated PAV community in southern France suggest that a virome release phase may have immediately followed the introduction of B. barbinodis to France in the 1960s or 1970s, and that, since then, the invasive populations of this IEPS have already transitioned out of this virome release phase, and have started interacting with several local mycoviruses and a few local plant viruses.

Identifying generic proxies for assessing ecosystem properties and conservation status of semi-natural grasslands

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 13:39:09

de Marine Pacé, Anne Bonis, Didier Alard, Cian Blaix, Maxime Burst, Manuella Catterou, Sylvain Diquelou, Thierry Dutoit, Hugo Fontes, Servane Lemauviel-Lavenant, et al.
In Ecological Indicators, 158 (January, 2024), 111586
En ligne : www.sciencedirect.com[...]

Despite the recommendations of the 1992 European Habitat Directive regarding the evaluation of the conservation status of ecosystems, information on ecosystem functioning is still poorly integrated in long-term monitoring of European semi-natural grasslands. We investigated how to evaluate several ecosystem properties in relation to services provided by grasslands - plant and litter biomass and chemical composition, soil C and N content – by identifying non-destructive proxies involving little or no additional field sampling effort, or calculated from vegetation species composition. These proxies need to be i) informative, i.e. that can be used to approach one or more ecosystem properties based on linear or non-linear relationship models, and ii) generic, i.e. applicable across a wide range of semi-natural grassland habitats and environmental conditions. Based on a large set of field data collected in a variety of semi-natural grasslands in France, we showed that good proxies for ecosystem properties can be identified when the range of climate or soil moisture conditions was reduced. This suggests that these environmental factors influenced the functional pattern of semi-natural grassland ecosystems. The majority of proxies identified so far, including the community weighted mean of leaf dry matter content (LDMCCWM), the height of the herb layer, and litter thickness, are linked to ecosystem properties through non-linear relationships. They are generic in that they are applicable to several grassland habitat types. The height of the herb layer reflects standing plant biomass relatively well, but different non-linear models have to be used depending on climate and soil moisture conditions. Calculating LDMCCWM from species composition data provides a good approximation of the digestibility and P content of plant biomass. Similarly, litter thickness can be used to approach the digestibility and K content of plant biomass in wet grasslands. No generic proxy was found to approximate litter and soil characteristics across the wide range of grasslands habitats under study. By identifying generic and low-constraint proxies for several ecosystem properties, this work provides guidelines for assessing the functioning of semi-natural grasslands - a key criterion of their conservation status - with limited additional field effort and cost compared to plant community monitoring programs.

Comparison of the Virome of Quarantined Sugarcane Varieties and the Virome of Grasses Growing near the Quarantine Station

Tue, 25 May 2021 11:17:08

de Jean H. Daugrois, Denis Filloux, Charlotte Julian, Lisa Claude, Romain Ferdinand, Emmanuel Fernandez, Hugo Fontes, Philippe C. Rott, Philippe Roumagnac
In Viruses, 13(5) (2021), 17
En ligne : www.mdpi.com[...]

Visacane is a sugarcane quarantine station located in the South of France, far away from sugarcane growing areas. Visacane imports up to 100 sugarcane varieties per year, using safe control and conﬁnement measures of plants and their wastes to prevent any risk of pathogen spread outside of the facilities. Viruses hosted by the imported material are either known or unknown to cause disease in cultivated sugarcane. Poaceae viruses occurring in plants surrounding the quarantine glasshouse are currently unknown. These viruses could be considered as a source of new sugarcane infections and potentially cause new sugarcane diseases in cases of conﬁnement barrier failure. The aim of this study was to compare the plant virome inside and outside of the quarantine station to identify potential conﬁnement failures and risks of cross infections. Leaves from quarantined sugarcane varieties and from wild Poaceae growing near the quarantine were collected and processed by a metagenomics approach based on virion-associated nucleic acids extraction and library preparation for Illumina sequencing. While viruses belonging to the same virus genus or family were identiﬁed in the sugarcane quarantine and its surroundings, no virus species was detected in both environments. Based on the data obtained in this study, no virus movement between quarantined sugarcane and nearby grassland has occurred so far, and the conﬁnement procedures of Visacane appear to be properly implemented.

Environmental drivers of plant diversity of chalk grasslands in north-western France (2021)

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:01:50

de Antoine Tardif, Pauline Boubert, Méghan Boulembert, Loan Madej, Maxime Burst, Manuella Catterou, Françoise Dubois, Frédéric Dubois, Jérôme Lacoux, Romain Ulmer, et al.
[S.l.] : Proceedings, 2021
En ligne : hal.univ-lorraine.fr[...]

In Europe, chalk grasslands are considered as biodiversity hotspots, hosting rare species (e.g. orchid and endemic species). However, since the mid 20th century, this habitat is threatened by changes in agricultural practices, especially the decline of pastoralism and recent anthropogenic nitrogen inputs. In this national research project (‘SURPAS’ project, French Ministry for the Ecological Transition, UMS PatriNat, OFB), we aimed to identify the main factors driving plant composition and richness of these chalk grassland communities to update our knowledge and recommendations in terms of conservation measures. The study was carried out in Natura 2000 chalk grassland sites in the valley of Somme river, in north-western France. We performed botanical and habitat surveys (topography and soil measures, vegetation structure, composition and biomass, fodder quality) at two spatial scales, in 1x1 m and 4x4 m plots. Data were analyzed using multivariate analyses (CCA) and mixed models. Our main results showed that plant height, South exposure, litter thickness and woody species abundance drive composition and richness species, and that nitrogen inputs in the ecosystem, Brachypodium pinnatum dominance and tree colonization were currently the major threats to the conservation of the diversity of chalk grasslands.

Ecological niche differentiation among six annual Lythrum species in Mediterranean temporary pools (2021)

Wed, 3 Nov 2021 10:19:06

de Antoine Gazaix, Patrick Grillas, Guillaume Papuga, Hugo Fontes, Florent Sabatier, Virginie Pons, Perrine Gauthier, John D. Thompson
2021, 13
En ligne : link.springer.com[...]

The ecological niche defines the favourable range of a species in a multidimensional space of ecological factors that determine the presence and function of individuals. This fundamental concept in ecology is widely used to understand plant species coexistence and segregation. In this study, we test for ecological differentiation among six annual Lythrum species that are characteristic of temporary pools in the South of France, where they either coexist or occur separately. We first analysed the co-occurrence of species at two different geographical scales: cluster analyses of species presence in 10 km grid cells and coexistence in 0.25 m2 quadrats within populations of each species. Second, for three to nine populations of each species, we quantified a range of biotic and abiotic parameters using point contacts and soil measurements in five 0.25 m2 quadrats per population. We performed PCA on all variables and analysed each variable separately to compare the ecological niche features of the six species. A phenological index was assessed for the plant community of each site. We detected highly localized niche differentiation in terms of soil pH (all species) and for a range of variables among pairs of species. The six species also showed marked differences in the flowering period relative to the mean and variability of flowering time in their local community. These fine-scaled niche differences are associated with phylogenetic distances among species and may contribute to species’ coexistence. These results are integrated in a conservation management plan for the habitat of the rarest species in this group.

Giving recipient communities a greater head start and including productive species boosts early resistance to invasion

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 16:58:31

de Manon C.M. Hess, Elise Buisson, Hugo Fontes, Léo Bacon, Florent Sabatier, François Mesléard
In Applied Vegetation Science, 23(3) (July, 2020), avsc.12502
En ligne : onlinelibrary.wiley.com[...]

Methods: In a pot experiment, we simulated invasion by three major invasive species (Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Bothriochloa barbinodis, and Cortaderia selloana) in soil covered with recipient communities differing in species composition (one, three or nine species), density (700 or 2,778 seeds/m2), and time advance (established one or five months previously). We assessed early invasion success by measuring seedling emergence and survival over six months.
Results: Early invasion success was mainly explained by recipient community's time advance and composition (or their interaction), while density had limited influence. Polycultures (three or nine species) showed generally greater invasion resistance, most likely due to high above-ground biomass essentially produced by two species. Species composition interacted with time advance in two ways: (a) Bothriochloa barbinodis seedling emergence was impacted by composition only in communities having five months of advance, suggesting that the contribution of species composition to invasion resistance varies according to the age of the community, and (b) Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Cortaderia selloana survival was affected by time advance in polycultures only, which produced much more biomass than monocultures, implying that a greater head start provides a competitive advantage only if it allows a sufficient increase in biomass production.
Conclusions: Implementing revegetation as soon as site clearance work is over, as well as establishing productive native species may help reduce invasion success. How much of an advantage recipient community time advance represents depends on biomass production.

Estimating biodiversity changes in the Camargue wetlands: An expert knowledge approach

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 11:50:23

de Sara Fraixedas, Thomas Galewski, Sofia Ribeiro-Lopes, Jonathan Loh, Jacques Blondel, Hugo Fontes, Patrick Grillas, Philippe Lambret, Delphine Nicolas, Anthony Olivier, et al.
In PLOS ONE, 14(10) (24 oct. 2019), e0224235
En ligne : journals.plos.org[...]

Mediterranean wetlands are critical strongholds for biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem functions and services; yet, they are being severely degraded by a number of socio-economic drivers and pressures, including climate change. Moreover, we still lack comprehensive understanding of the extent to which biodiversity loss in Mediterranean wetlands will accelerate change in ecosystem processes. Here, we evaluate how changes in biodiversity can alter the ecosystem of the Camargue (southern France). We collected data on species presence/absence, trends and abundance over a 40-year period by combining observations from the scholarly literature with insights derived from expert knowledge. In total, we gathered more than 1500 estimates of presence/absence, over 1400 estimates of species abundance, and about 1400 estimates of species trends for eight taxonomic groups, i.e. amphibians, reptiles, breeding birds, fish, mammals, dragonflies (odonates), orthopterans and vascular plants. Furthermore, we used information on recently arrived species and invasive species to identify compositional changes across multiple taxa. Complementing targeted literature searches with expert knowledge allowed filling important gaps regarding the status and trends of biodiversity in the Camargue. Species trend data revealed sharp population declines in amphibians, odonates and orthopterans, while birds and plants experienced an average increase in abundance between the 1970s and the 2010s. The general increasing trends of novel and invasive species is suggested as an explanation for the changing abundance of birds and plants. While the observed declines in certain taxa reflect the relative failure of the protection measures established in the Camargue, the increasing exposure to novel and invasive species reveal major changes in the community structure of the different taxonomic groups. This study is the first attempt to assess changes in biodiversity in the Camargue using an expert knowledge approach, and can help manage the uncertainties and complexities associated with rapid social-ecological change in other Mediterranean wetlands.

Heterogeneous forest structures favor persistence of the grassland Mediterranean geophyte Gagea lacaitae

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 15:48:04

de Hugo Fontes, Antoine Gazaix, Guillaume Papuga
In Botany Letters, 166(4) (October, 2019), 487-498
En ligne : www.tandfonline.com[...]

Land use changes in the northern Mediterranean basin threaten our ability to conserve its habitats and species. Reduced grazing has led to local declines in grassland species and colonization by forest species leading to conservation actions aimed at restoring open habitats. Recently, populations of Gagea lacaitae, a bulbous species typical of Mediterranean open xeric grasslands, have been discovered in forest clearings, an unexpected habitat for this species. Here, we surveyed 48 plots to characterize and compare the ecological niche of G. lacaitae growing in both open xeric and forest clearing habitats. We recorded ﬂoristic composition and plant cover and collected soil samples to measure water retention capacity, pH, organic matters and conductivity. Open xeric grasslands and forest clearings diﬀer in plant cover, community composition, and microhabitat structure but not in plant diversity, mean soil conditions, or G. lacaitae cover. Key similarities in conditions allow this species to persist in woodlands that heterogenous enough to include clearings. Such habitats have value for conserving this species and should be sustained.

Nanovirus-alphasatellite complex identified in Vicia cracca in the Rhône delta region of France

Wed, 4 Apr 2018 16:03:45

de Romain Gallet, Simona Kraberger, Denis Filloux, Serge Galzi, Hugo Fontes, Darren P. Martin, Arvind Varsani, Philippe Roumagnac
In Archives of Virology, 163(3) (2018), 695-700
En ligne : link.springer.com[...]

Nanoviruses are multi-component plant-infecting single-stranded DNA viruses. Using a viral metagenomics-informed approach, a new nanovirus and two associated alphasatellite molecules have been identified in an uncultivated asymptomatic Vicia cracca plant in the Rhône region of France. This novel nanovirus genome includes eight genomic components (named DNA-R, DNA-S, DNA-M, DNA-C, DNA-N, DNA-U1, DNA-U2 and DNA-U4) and, across all components, shares < 66% pairwise sequence identity with other nanovirus genomes. The two associated alphasatellites share 62% identity with each other and < 81% identity will all other nanovirus-associated alphasatellites.