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 2024-2025 (27 students co-supervised since 1997).
• MUTILLOD C, 2021-2024. Conceptual, taxonomic and functional approaches to the influence of domestic or 'wild' herbivores on the dry grasslands of the Causse Méjean (Massif Central, France) . Co-direction 50% with Elise Buisson (MCF HDR AU) 25% and co-supervision Laurent Tatin (associate researcher IMBE, micro-entrepreneur) 25%. Doctoral contract ED 536, University of Avignon. Defence scheduled for Wednesday 04 December 2024, at 14:00, in the amphitheatre of the Avignon IUT..
• FONTES H, 2018-2025. Use of the reference ecosystem concept in restoration ecology to assess the success of creating temporary ponds in the Camargue. Co-direction 50% with François Mesléard (Pr. Univ. Avignon, retired) (25%) and co-supervision Patrick Grillas (25%) (DR Tour du Valat, retired). Part-time salaried student, research engineer at the University of Avignon.Tour du Valat Research Institute. Oral defence scheduled for Monday 24 February 2025, Tour du Valat, Le Sambuc, Arles.
• 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.
• LEONE E, 2024-2027. Pollutions des sols par les munitions : Dépollution ou phytostabilisation dans les espaces naturels protégés de la région PACA ? Codirection 50% avec les co-encadrements d'Olivier Blight (MCF AU) 25% et d'Hélène Folzer (MCF AMU) 25%.  Contrat doctoral EDJ Région Sud-PACA.

Biography

Publications

Latest indexed publications published or in press in 2024

• 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
• 126. Pacé M, Bonis A, ....... Dutoit T,....Chabrerie 0 2024 Identifying generic proxies for assessing ecosystem properties and conservation status of semi-natural grasslands. Ecological Indicators 111586
• 125. De Almeida T, Arnan X, Capowiez Y, Hedde M, Mesléard F, Dutoit TBlight O 2024 Ants in restoration ecology: why, what's and the way forward. Land Degradation and Development 5006.

• 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