DUTOIT THIERRY

Subjects taught

My teaching consists of seminars on ecological engineering and ecological restoration in Master 1 and 2 environmental courses in France, Belgium (University of Liège) and Germany (Universities of Jena and Rastibonne) as well as numerous visits to our workshop sites on these themes, particularly in the Crau plain (Bouches-du-Rhône, France).

Research topics

Director of research at the CNRS within theEcology and Environment Institute Since 2012, the main aims of my research have been to gain a better understanding of the assembly theories that govern the composition and organisation of plant communities. The aim is to be able to answer fundamental questions about the biodiversity of these communities and their dynamics, even over the very long term (several centuries to millennia). My results are then applied to the conservation management or ecological restoration of ecosystems using nature-based solutions (ecological engineering, rewilding, passive restoration, etc.). My main workshop site is the sub-steppe grasslands of the La Crau plain in the Bouches-du-Rhône département. My main discoveries have been to demonstrate the very low resilience of herbaceous plant communities in the face of human disturbance regimes, even over the very long term, and the importance of biotic relationships (facilitation) in the processes of their ecological restoration via the role in particular of certain ecosystem engineers such as insects (harvester ants) or plants (nurse plants). In terms of research governance, I was deputy director of theMediterranean Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology (UMR IMBE) between 2019 and 2023 and deputy director of the Tersys Federative Research Company between 2017 and 2021.

• Co-supervision of doctoral theses in progress in 2025 (28 students co-supervised since 1997).
• KUBIEN S, 2018-2025. Avoidance in environmental assessments: towards better prevention of soil artificialisation? Co-direction 25% with Dr. Isabelle Doussan (DR INRAE) 25 % and with Dr. Marthe Lucas (50%) (MCF Univ. Avignon, ADR). Funding, grant from University of Avignon Foundation ( 2018-2019) and ATER (2022-2024).
• SABY L, 2022-2025. Using local, nature-based solutions to restore Mediterranean grassland ecosystems after alluvial quarrying. Co-directed by 50% with the co-supervision of Christel Vidaller (MCF AU) 50%. CIFRE thesis, company Gagneraud-SCLM. The thesis is due to be defended on 27 November 2025.
• LEONE E, 2024-2027. Soil pollution by munitions: Depollution or phytostabilisation in protected natural areas in the PACA region? Co-directed by 50% with the co-supervision of Olivier Blight (MCF AU) 25% and Hélène Folzer (MCF AMU) 25%. Doctoral contract 50% EDJ Région Sud-PACA and 50% société RSK France.

Biography

Publications

Latest indexed publications published or in press in 2024-2025 :

• 133. Blaix C., Alard D., Chabrerie O., Diquelou S., Dutoit TFontès H., Lemauviel-Lavenant S., Loucougaray G., Michelot-Antalik A., Bonis A. 2025. Plant evenness improves forage mineral content in semi-natural grasslands. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment . 109622.
• 132. Saby L, Vidaller C, Ramone H, Dutoit T 2025. Nature-based solutions increase sowing success for Mediterranean grassland restoration: A first short term in situ and ex situ comparison. Land Degradation and Development .10002.
• 131. Mahy G, Torok P, Bischoff A, Kiehl K, Dutoit T 2024. Common and unique challenges for biodiversity conservation and restoration across the diversity of European grasslands - Editorial. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 1013389.
• 130 Fontes H, Marquis C, Grillas P, Torre F, Dutoit TMesléard F. 2024. The Distance to Reference Communities Index (DRCI): A new tool to assess communities. Restoration Ecology 14194
• 129. Saby L, Buisson E, Blight O, Vidaller C, Dutoit T 2024 Restoring a Mediterranean steppe by replacing the natural stone cover and sowing the dominant grass: global impacts on soils and vegetation in the middle term. Restoration Ecology 14153.
• 128. Mutillod C, Buisson E, Mahy G, Jaunatre R, Tatin L, Dutoit T 2024 Ecological restoration and rewilding: two approaches with complementary goals? Biological Reviews 13046
• 127. Mutillod C, Buisson E, Tatin L, Mahy G, Dufrêne M, Mesléard F, Dutoit T 2024 Managed as wild, horses influence grassland vegetation differently than domestic flocks. Biological Conservation 110469

• Mahy G., Dutoit TKiehl K., Bischoff A., Török P. 2024. Origin, conservation, and restoration of the threatened European grassland ecosystem in the Anthropocene. ebook, Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA. doi: 10.3389/978-2-8325-4406-8
• Dutoit T, Bulot A, De Almeida T, Mesléard F, Blight O 2024 Use ants to restore nature? in " Innovations in Ecology and Environmental Sciences ". CNRS editions. pp 180-184.
• Mutillod C., Buisson E., Tatin T., Dutoit T. 2024. When the introduction of Przewalski's horses into Lozère saves not only the species but also the environment. The Conversation, 28 August 2024.
• Dutoit TBlight O., Ramone H., Bérard A. Doussan C. 2024. Under the concrete, the steppe? Le Courrier de la Nature, 341, 8-9.
• Dutoit TMutillod M, Buisson E, Tatin L 2024 Restoring or rewilding nature? The Conversation, 06 March 2024.
• Dutoit TSéférian R 2024 Regards croisés sur les concepts d'ingénierie environnementale et d'ingénierie climatique. In "Building climate engineering law". Langlais A and Lemoine-Schonne M (Eds.) UGA éditions, Grenoble, pp. 17-29.
• Buisson E, Hess MCM, Blaya R, De Almeida T, Huberson N, Melloul E, Mutillod C, Rocher L, Alignan JF, Dutoit TMahy M, Blight O 2024 Ecological and habitat restoration for insect conservation. Chapter 15 : in " Routledge Handbook of Insect Conservation "Pryke J., Samways M., New, Cardoso P & Gaigher R (eds) eBook. DOI : 10.4324/9781003285793-17