LHyGeS (Biogéochimie Isotopique et Expérimentale, UMR 7517 UNISTRA-ENGEES-EOST-CNRS, Université de Strasbourg (PIs G. Imfeld, CR-CNRS, project coordinator and S. Payraudeau, Prof-ENGEES).

The team (3 PhDs, 3 postdoc, 1 field engineer, 1 lab engineer, 3 researchers) focuses on the transformation and transport of organic (industrial or diffuse) pollutants and heavy metals (Cu, Zn) in relation to catchment hydrology and biogeochemistry. The team has
expertise in catchment hydrology in agricultural contexts, biogeochemistry of pollutants using compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA), and microbial transformation in wetland systems. Ongoing projects involve isotopic, hydrological modelling and genomic approaches in different environments (soil, sediment, wetland, river or aquifers) and at scales ranging from elemental processes, through microcosms, to lab-scale experiments and in situ investigations.

EcoLab (Integrative Biogeochemistry of the Critical Zone, UMR 5245 CNRS –Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier-,Toulouse INP (PIs JL. Probst, DR-CNRS and S. Sauvage, IR-CNRS). The team (10 PhDs, 5 post-doc, 4 engineertechnician, 3 lab engineer analytical platforms, 11 researchers) has expertise in hydrology and biogeochemistry of small catchments as well as of large river basins and has been in charge of the hydrochemical monitoring of the Auradé catchment for several years. Researchers and engineers have been working for about 15 years on multi-scale modelling approaches concerning the critical zone at the interface of water systems, by integrating the special role of buffer zones and associated ecological functions involved in the transfer of water, sediments, nutrients and contaminants (pesticides, metals…). Current projects focus on hydro- and biogeochemical catchment surveys in response to climate change and anthropogenic impacts, and on agro-hydrological modelling. Ecolab will work with GEODE (PI E. Chapron, PU, sub-contractor), UMR 5602 CNRS/University Toulouse II focusing on environmental and landscape processes from the reconstruction of long-term natural and socio-ecological processes.

HYCAR (Continental Anthropized Hydrosystems Risk-Resources Research Unit, INRAE (PI J. Tournebize IDEAIrstea).
The team (6 permanent engineers and researchers) focuses on water resource protection by combining monitoring, understanding and modelling of agricultural pollutant transfer (nitrate and pesticides) from the plot to downstream, in order to propose and test mitigation strategies based on ecological engineering (e.g., hydraulic management, constructed wetlands). The team has expertise in catchment hydrology, hydraulic, biogeochemistry of pollutants using classical approach and organisms as bio-indicators, and in hydraulic modelling developing Lattice Bolztmann theory. The team was awarded in 2014 of the French National Prize for ecological engineering for the Rampillon project.

ETBX (Environment, territory and infrastructure research unit, IRSTEA (PI F. Macary IDAE-INRAE).

The team focuses on regional dynamics linked to the renewal of environmental issues and climate change. ETBX favors interdisciplinary approaches that combine human and social sciences with agronomy, statistics, applied mathematics and engineering sciences. Inside this research unit, one of the two teams: “Environment, Stakeholders and regional Dynamics” conducts integrative and interdisciplinary research that focuses on understanding and describing productive (especially in the fields of agriculture). Ongoing projects focus on the greening of socio-economic processes and public action, especially concerning environmental performance of agriculture at different spatial scales. Agronomists implement GIS and multi-criteria decision aiding (MCDA) models in small catchment to assess pesticide contamination and they use remote sensing in big catchment.