The measurement of radical species in the atmosphere has far reaching implications. For example, it is necessary to both understand and improve our knowledge of radicals in the atmosphere to better inform the models which in many cases are the best way of predicting future air quality and climate change. Although many of these models are often not fully representative of all the processes occurring, they are the current best estimate based on the knowledge available, and can be useful in informing and directing future policy. The numerous, varied and interlinked cycles in the atmosphere are complex and only by obtaining data on specific species can accurate concentrations be retrieved and fed back into the models to improve their accuracy. This work is concerned with the development and application of an ultrasensitive absorption spectroscopy technique to the problem of detection of the peroxy radical, HO₂. Noise Immune Cavity Enhanced Optical Heterodyne Molecular Spectroscopy (NICE-OHMS) combines cavity enhancement techniques (in order to increase the path length) with frequency and wavelength modulation techniques (in order to reduce the noise). Following a discussion of the current detection methods used by atmospheric scientists to accurately measure and quantitative concentrations, some preliminary work on the detection of ammonia by a simple cavity enhanced absorption setup is presented. Pressure broadening and shift results were obtained for a number of ammonia transitions in the near infrared region, broadened by He, Ne, Ar, Xe, O₂ and N₂. The bulk of the work concentrates on the implementation of the NICE-OHMS technique, presenting the first results with the use of an external cavity diode laser and a ring shaped cavity. A sensitivity of 4 x 10⁻¹¹ cm⁻¹ Hz⁻^1/2 is obtained on an individual rovibrational transition of methane at 6610.063 cm⁻¹, along with a selection of other data from the atmospherically important molecules methane, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide, highlighting the broad wavelength range over which the instrument can operate. Finally, the NICE-OHMS technique is used to probe HO₂ radicals formed through the photolysis of a Cl₂/CH₃OH/O₂ mixture. Following the creation and detection of HO₂ radicals in the cavity, and based on the optimum sensitivity outlined above, a minimum concentration of 1 x 10⁹ molecules cm⁻³ has been demonstrated.

Boreal peatlands store carbon sequestered from the atmosphere over millennia and the importance of this and the other ecosystem services these areas provide is now widely recognised. However, a changing climate will affect these environments and, consequently, the services they provide to the global population. The rate and direction of environmental change to peatlands is currently unclear and they have not yet been included in many climate models. This may in part be due to the ecological heterogeneity and spatial extent of these areas and the sparse sampling survey methods currently adopted. Hyperspectral remote sensing from satellite platforms may in future offer an approach to surveying and do so at the high spectral and spatial resolutions necessary to infer ecological change in these peatlands. However, work is required to develop methods of analysis to determine if hyperspectral data can be used to measure the overstorey vegetation of these areas. This will require an understanding of how annual and inter-annual cyclical changes affect the peatland plant canopy reflectances that would be recorded by hyperspectral sensors and how these reflectances can be related to state variable of interest to climate scientists, ecologists and peatland managers. There are significant areas of peatland within Scotland and, as it is towards the southern extreme of the boreal peatlands, these may be an early indicator of environment change to the wider boreal region. Calluna vulgaris, a hardy dwarf shrub, is the dominant overstorey species over much of these peatlands and could serve as a proxy for ecological, and consequently, environmental change. However, little has been done to understand how variations in leaf pigments or canopy structural parameters influence the spectral reflectance of Calluna through annual and inter-annual growth and senescence cycles. Nor has much work been done to develop methods of analysis to enable images acquired by hyperspectral remote sensing to be utilised to monitor change to these Calluna dominated peatlands over time. To advance understanding of the optical properties of Calluna leaves and canopies and develop methods to analyse hyperspectral images laboratory, field and modelling studies have been carried out in time series over a number of years. The leaf and canopy parameters significantly affecting reflectance have been identified and quantified. Differences between published Chlorophyll(a+b) in vivo absorption spectra and those determined were found. Carotenoids and Anthocyanins were also identified and quantified. The absorption spectra of these pigments were incorporated into a canopy reflectance model and this was coupled to a Calluna growth model. This combined model enabled the reflectance of Calluna canopies to be modelled in daily increments through annual and inter-annual growth and senescence cycles. Reasonable results were achieved in spectral regions where reflectance changed systematically but only for homogeneous Calluna stands. However, it was noted during this research that the area of support for the spectral measurements appeared to differ from that assumed from the specification provided by the spectroradiometer manufacturers. The directional response functions (DRFs) of two spectroradiometers were investigated and wavelength, or wavelength region, specific spatial dependences were noted. The effect that the DRFs of the spectroradiometers would have on reflectances recorded from Calluna canopies was investigated through a modelling study. Errors and inaccuracies in the spectra that would be recorded from these canopies, and commonly used biochemical indices derived from them, have been quantified.

Of the organic matter in soils typically < 1% by weight is dissolved in the soil solution (dissolved organic matter; DOM). DOM is a continuum of molecules of various sizes and chemical structures which has largely been operationally defined as the fraction of total organic carbon in an aqueous solution that passes through a 0.45 µm filter. Although only representing a relatively small proportion, it represents the most mobile part of soil organic carbon and is probably enriched with highly labile compounds. DOM acts as a source of nutrients for both soil and aquatic micro-organisms, influences the fate and transport of organic and inorganic contaminants, presents a potential water treatment problem and may indicate the mobilisation rate of key terrestrial carbon stores. The objective of this research was to ascertain some of the biologically relevant characteristics of soil DOM and specifically to determine: (1) the influence of method and time of extraction of DOM from the soil on its biochemical composition and concentration; (2) the dynamics of DOM biodegradation; and, (3) the effects of repeated applications of trace amounts of DOM on the rate of soil carbon mineralization. To examine the influence of method and time of extraction on the composition and concentration of DOM, soil solution was collected from a raised peat bog in Central Scotland using water extraction, field suction lysimetry, and centrifugation techniques on a bimonthly basis over the period of a year (Aug 2003 – Jun 2004). Samples were analysed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), protein, carbohydrate and amino acid content. For all of the sampled months except June the biochemical composition of DOC varied with extraction method, suggesting the biological, chemical and/or physical influences on DOC production and loss are different within the differently sized soil pores. Water-extractable DOC generally contained the greatest proportion of carbohydrate, protein and/or amino acid of the three extraction methods. Time of extraction had a significant effect on the composition of water- and suction-extracted DOC: the total % carbohydrate + protein + amino acid C was significantly higher in Oct than Dec, Feb and Jun for water-extracted DOC and significantly greater in Dec than Aug, Apr and Jun for suction-extracted DOC. There was no significant change in the total % carbohydrate + protein + amino acid C of centrifuge-extracted DOC during the sampled year. Time of extraction also had a significant effect on the % protein + amino acid N in water- and centrifuge-extracted DON: Oct levels were significantly higher than Feb for water-extracted DON and significantly higher in Aug and Apr for centrifuge-extracted DON. Concentrations of total DOC and total DON were also found to be dependent on time of extraction. DOC concentrations showed a similar pattern of variation over the year for all methods of extraction, with concentrations relatively constant for most of the year, rising in April to reach a peak in Jun. DON concentrations in water- and centrifuge-extracted DON peaked later, in Aug. There were no significant seasonal changes in the concentration of suction-extracted DON. A lack of correlation between DOC and DON concentrations suggested that DOC and DON production and/or loss are under different controls. Laboratory-based incubation experiments were carried out to examine the dynamics of DOC biodegradation. Over a 70 day incubation period at 20oC, the DOM from two types of peat (raised and blanket) and four samples of a mineral soil (calcaric gleysol), each previously exposed to a different management strategy, were found to be comprised of a rapidly degradable pools (half-life: 3 – 8 days) and a more stable pool (half-life: 0.4 to 6 years). For all soil types/treatments, excepting raised peat, the total net loss of DOC from the culture medium was greater than could be accounted for by the process of mineralization alone. A comparison between net loss of DOC and loss of DOC to CO2 and microbial biomass determined by direct microscopy suggested that at least some of the differences between DOC mineralised and net DOC loss were due to microbial assimilation and release. Changes in the microbial biomass during the decomposition process showed proliferation followed by decline over 15 days. The protein and carbohydrate fractions showed a complex pattern of both degradation and production throughout the incubation. The effects of repeated applications of trace amounts of litter-derived DOC on the rate of carbon mineralization over a 35 day period were investigated in a laboratory based incubation experiment. The addition of trace amounts of litter-derived DOC every 7 and 10.5 days appeared to ‘trigger’ microbial activity causing an increase in CO2 mineralisation such that extra C mineralised exceeded DOC additions by more than 2 fold. Acceleration in the rate of extra C mineralised 7 days after the second addition suggested that either the microbial production of enzymes responsible for biodegradation and/or an increase in microbial biomass, are only initiated once a critical concentration of a specific substrate or substrates has been achieved. The addition of ‘DOC + nutrients’ every 3.5 days had no effect on the total rate of mineralization. To date DOC has tended to be operationally defined according to its chemical and physical properties. An understanding of the composition, production and loss of DOC from a biological perspective is essential if we are to be able to predict the effects of environmental change on the rate of mineralization of soil organic matter. This research has shown that the pools of DOC extracted, using three different methods commonly used in current research, are biochemically distinct and respond differently to the seasons. This suggests some degree of compartmentalisation of biological processes within the soil matrix. The observed similarities between the characteristics of the decomposition dynamics of both peatland and agricultural DOC suggests that either there is little difference in substrate quality between the two systems or that the microbial community have adapted in each case to maximise their utilisation of the available substrate. The dependency of the concentration and biochemical composition of DOC on the seasons requires further work to ascertain which biotic and/or abiotic factors are exerting control. Published research has focussed on factors such as temperature, wet/dry cycles, and freeze/thawing. The effect of the frequency of doses of trace amounts of DOC on increasing the rate of soil organic C mineralization, evident from this research, suggests that the interval between periods of rainfall may be relevant. It also emphasises how it can be useful to use knowledge of a biological process as the starting point in determining which factors may be exerting control on DOC production and loss.

Il est désormais établi que la disponibilité en fer (Fe) contrôle environ 50% de la production primaire des océans du monde. Cependant, les processus régissant l’intensité des puits et des sources du Fe ainsi que la prédominance relative de ces sources au sein des divers bassins océaniques, sont elles-mêmes peu contraintes. Par ailleurs, une fois entrées dans le système océanique, la disponibilité et l’accessibilité des diverses formes de Fe pour les organismes marins restent incertaines. La réactivité du Fe au sein de l’environnement marin dépend de son état d’oxydoréduction et de complexation. Le fer dissous (DFe) est souvent considéré comme la fraction la plus biodisponible pour le phytoplancton et les ligands organiques du Fe augmentent vraisemblablement le temps de résidence du Fe et permettent des concentrations de DFe bien plus élevées que sa solubilité inorganique ne le permet dans l’eau de mer (10 pmol L-1).Dans ce contexte et s’inscrivant dans le programme international GEOTRACES, cette thèse a pour but principal d’implémenter notre savoir du cycle biogéochimique du Fe dans l’océan et ses interactions avec la structure des communautés phytoplanctoniques, en particulier afin de mieux contraindre les formes biodisponibles du Fe. Ainsi, les objectifs de cette thèse reposent sur trois questions scientifiques : 1) Quelles sont les distributions, sources, et puits de Fe ? 2) Quel est le lien entre la structure des communautés phytoplanctoniques et les concentrations en DFe ? 3) Comment la spéciation organique du DFe impacte ses concentrations et sa biodisponibilité ? Ces trois questions ont été explorées sur de deux zones d’études contrastées : l’océan Nord Atlantique (GEOVIDE, GA01 GEOTRACES voyage, PIs G. Sarthou and P. Lherminier) étant occasionnellement et saisonnièrement appauvri en Fe et l’océan Austral (HEOBI, GIpr05 GEOTRACES voyage, PIs A. Bowie, T. Trull, Z. Chase) l’étant de manière permanente. / It is now recognized that iron (Fe) availability dictates the efficiency of the global biological carbon pump such that any perturbation of Fe sources will lead to changes in the carbon cycles with consequences on both other major nutrient cycles and the climate system, controlling about 50% of the worldwide ocean primary production. However, the underlying processes themselves that affect the pathways releasing and trapping Fe, and the relative predominance of Fe sources among the different ocean basins are still poorly constrained. More importantly, the extent to which both the chemical and the physical speciation of Fe are available and accessible for marine organisms, once it enters the ocean, remains uncertain. The reactivity of Fe within the marine environment will depend on its redox and complexation state, with DFe generally considered the most bioavailable form for phytoplankton and Fe-binding organic ligands likely increasing the residence time of Fe that enables enhanced DFe concentrations way above its inorganic solubility in seawater (c.a. 10 pmol L-1).In this context and as part of the international GEOTRACES program, this thesis aims at improving our knowledge on Fe biogeochemical cycle in the ocean and its interactions with the phytoplankton community structure to better constrain the bioavailable forms of Fe. The objectives of this thesis revolve around three scientific questions: 1) What are the distributions, sources, and sinks of dissolved iron? 2) What is the link between the phytoplankton community structure and dissolved iron concentrations? 3) How the organic speciation of dissolved iron affects its concentrations and bioavailability for the phytoplankton community? These three questions were investigated through two contrasted areas: the North Atlantic Ocean (GEOVIDE, GA01 GEOTRACES voyage, PIs G. Sarthou and P. Lherminier) and the Southern Ocean (HEOBI, GIpr05 GEOTRACES voyage, PIs A. Bowie, T. Trull, Z. Chase) the former being occasionally seasonally depleted in Fe, the latter permanently.

Radon gas may be a major air quality hazard issue inside the home. Radon (222Rn) comes from the natural breakdown of radioactive uranium (238U) via radium (226Ra) in soil, rocks, and water. Radon and its progeny contribute more than 50% of the total radiation dose to the human population due to inhalation; it can result in severe and fatal lung disease. This investigation has determined the radon concentrations in seventy-seven domestic houses in a mountainous area of Hamadan in Iran which were monitored using track-etch detectors of type CR-39 exposed for three month periods. The arithmetic mean radon concentration in Hamadan buildings was determined to be 80 Bqm-3 and also an average indoor annual effective dose equivalent for the Hamadan city population was calculated as 1.5 mSv. Maximum radon concentrations were noted during the winter and spring season. In addition to this, 28 water wells were monitored by utilizing a Sarad Doseman detector at hourly intervals over extended periods. Radon measurements were also carried out in the nearby Alisadr show cave, using Solid State Nuclear Track etch Detectors (SSNTDs) during the winter and the spring periods. In the cave, the average annual effective geometric and arithmetic mean dose for guides was 28.1 and 34.2 mSv respectively. The dose received by visitors was very low. Hamadan city is built on alluvial fan deposits which are the source of the local water supply. The data from the wells shows that the groundwater in these alluvial deposits influences the flux of radon. The atmospheric radon concentration measurement in wells above the water surface ranged from 1,000 Bqm-3 to 36,600 Bqm-3. There is evidence that radon-rich ground waters play a significant role in the transport of radon through the alluvial fan system. There is evidence that the radon concentrations in homes in Hamadan are greatly influenced by the porous nature of the underlying geology and the movement of groundwater within the alluvial fan.

L'activité agricole peut entraîner un déséquilibre des cycles du carbone (C) et de l'azote (N) dans les écosystèmes terrestres naturels et entrainer une diminution des stocks de C et N dans le sol, une augmentation de la lixiviation du nitrate et des pertes d'azote par voie gazeuse. Pour réduire ces impacts environnementaux, la mise en place de systèmes agricoles innovants et durables est encouragée, tels que les systèmes à bas niveau intrants, l'agriculture de conservation ou l'agriculture biologique. Les objectifs de cette thèse sont i) de quantifier l'impact à long terme des différents systèmes de culture sur le devenir du carbone et de l'azote dans le système sol-plante-atmosphère et ii) de simuler la dynamique de ces éléments avec le modèle agro-environnemental STICS. À cette fin, nous avons étudié trois essais de longue durée : l'essai de La Cage (France) établi en 1998, l'essai DOK (Suisse) débuté en 1978 et l'essai Foulum (Danemark) créé en 1998. Alors que l'essai de La Cage a permis une quantification in situ du stockage du carbone et de l'azote organiques du sol, de la lixiviation de l'azote, des émissions de protoxyde d’azote (N2O) et de la balance des gaz à effet de serre pour des systèmes de culture alternatifs, les essais danois et suisses ont permis l'estimation in silico du devenir du C et N en agriculture biologique, après adaptation du modèle STICS pour simuler de nouvelles pratiques culturales. Après 16 années d’expérimentation, une accumulation annuelle significative de SOC et de SON a été observée en agriculture et en agriculture biologique à La Cage, alors qu'aucun changement significatif n'a été observé dans les systèmes conventionnels et bas intrants. La minéralisation spécifique de SOC et SON des quatre systèmes, simulée sur AMG et mesurée lors d’incubation des sols pendant quatre mois, s’est montrée équivalente entre systèmes. Le stockage de C et N observé dans les systèmes de conservation et biologiques s’explique principalement par l'augmentation des résidus de cultures plutôt que par l'effet du non-labour en agriculture de conservation. De plus, le surplus azoté (différence entre apports et exportations d’azote) a été calculé pour chaque système de culture. Le devenir de l’excédent d’azote a été estimé entre stockage de N dans le sol, pertes gazeuses et lixiviation de l'azote. Les émissions cumulatives de N2O mesurées en continu pendant plus de trois ans sont fortement corrélées avec les pertes totales calculées de N par voix gazeuse (volatilisation et dénitrification), ces pertes étant les plus importantes dans le système de conservation. Enfin, la réalisation d’un bilan complet des émissions de GES a montré de fortes différences entre système et des phénomènes de compensation entre stockage et perte de C et N. Le modèle sol-culture STICS a ensuite été utilisé pour simuler le devenir de l’azote dans les essais DOK et Foulum. Après une adaptation du modèle, sa calibration et son évaluation ont été réalisées permettant de simuler de façon satisfaisante les rendements, l'absorption de N, le surplus de N et l’évolution des stocks de SON dans les systèmes conventionnels et biologiques. Les simulations suggèrent que le devenir de l’azote dans ces systèmes peut être contrasté en fonction de la fertilisation et de la gestion des cultures et que les pertes d'azote ne sont pas systématiquement réduites en agriculture biologique par rapport au conventionnel. Cette thèse remet en question les appréciations simplistes qui associent systématiquement systèmes de culture alternatifs et diminution des impacts environnementaux liés aux cycles de C et N / Agricultural activities can lead to imbalanced carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics compared to natural terrestrial eco-systems, causing potential damages for soil, water and air quality. Among these prejudices, decreased soil C and N stocks, increased nitrate leaching in waters and gaseous N emissions towards the atmosphere are of a major concern. To reduce these environmental impacts, innovative and sustainable farming systems are promoted, such as low inputs cropping systems, “conservation” agriculture or organic farming. The objectives of this work were i) to quantify the long term impact of different alternative cropping systems on the fate of C and N in the soil-plantatmosphere system and ii) to simulate C and N dynamics with the agro-environmental model STICS. For this purpose, we studied three long-term field trials: the experiment of La Cage (France) established in 1998, the DOK (Switzerland) started in 1978 and the Foulum Organic (Denmark) established in 1998. The methodological approach combined experimentation and modelling. While La Cage trial enabled an in situ quantification of soil organic C and N storage, N leaching, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and greenhouse gas (GHG) balance in alternative cropping systems compared to conventional, the Swiss and Danish experiments were used for in silico estimation of the C and N fates in organic cropping systems, after adaptation of the STICS model, followed by calibration and evaluation of the model. Significant annual SOC and SON accumulation was found under conservation agriculture and organic farming at La Cage, whereas no significant change was observed in the low input and the conventional systems. No difference of specific SOC and SON mineralization rates was found between systems in vitro or in silico : we conclude that the higher C and N storage in soil observed in the conservation and organic systems was mainly driven by increased crop residues, rather than by the effect of no tillage practiced in conservation agriculture. The N surplus, i.e. the difference between N inputs and N exports at the field scale, varied widely between treatments. The fate of this N surplus also varied between systems with wide variations in SON storage and gaseous losses but no differences in N leaching. The cumulative N2O emissions measured continuously for three years were highly correlated with the calculated gaseous N losses (volatilization and denitrification), with higher losses in the conservation system. These calculations allowed establishing a full GHG balance. Therefore the four agricultural systems dissimilarly impacted the N fate, which could not be predicted by the N surplus alone. The GHG balance is a much better indicator of the environmental impact of cropping systems relative to C and N fluxes. In the Danish and Swiss experiments, the soil-crop model STICS was used to mimic crop production, N uptake and N surplus. The model was first adapted and evaluated to simulate organic farming systems. The model could satisfactorily simulate crop production, N uptake, N surplus and SON storage in the organic and conventional systems of these two longterm experiments. Model outputs suggested that the N fate could be contrasted according to fertilization and crop management, and that N losses were not systematically reduced in organic compared to conventional cropping systems. This study challenges the frequent belief that alternative cropping systems systematically improve the global C and N environmental impacts of agriculture.

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’établir et comprendre le cycle biogéochimique du bore et de ses isotopes au sein d’un écosystème forestier. Dans ce contexte, beaucoup de questions subsistent à propos du cycle biogéochimique du bore dans les écosystèmes terrestres, à savoir : • Quelles sont les sources majeures de bore dans les écosystèmes forestiers ? • Quelles sont les types de transfert entre les différents compartiments de l’environnement ? • Quels mécanismes contrôlent ces échanges ? Pour établir ce cycle, nous allons quantifier les différents stocks (végétation, sol) et flux (apports atmosphériques dissous et particulaires, pluviolessivats, ruissellements de tronc, litières, profils de sol et drainage) de bore dans le site atelier de l’OPE situé dans la forêt domaniale de Montiers-Sur-Saulx (Meuse). Il est important de noter que nous utiliserons les isotopes du bore (11B et 10B) afin de comprendre la dynamique de son cycle biogéochimique ainsi que les échelles de temps des échanges ayant lieu entre les différents compartiments environnementaux. Au final, cette thèse se divise en quatre parties distinctes : 1. Une première partie de développement analytique, visant à la mise en place, l’extraction, la purification et la mesure du bore et de ses isotopes au sein des matrices végétales. 2. Une seconde partie focalisée sur les origines et mécanismes qui contrôlent les apports atmosphériques dissous et particulaires sur le site atelier de Montiers. 3. La troisième partie vise à établir les différents transferts de bore dans le système sol plante sur deux sols distincts : un rendisol, basique ainsi qu’un alocrisol, acide. Le but de cette démarche est d’évaluer dans un premier temps l’influence des composantes du cycle biogéochimique sur les transferts de bore puis, dans un second temps, d’évaluer l’influence des propriétés d’un sol sur la dynamique du cycle biogéochimique d’un écosystème. 4. La dernière partie vise à établir un modèle d'évolution du bore et de ses isotopes dans le système sol-plante. Ce modèle est principalement basé sur les observations réalisées durant l'année 2012 / This thesis aims at establishing and understanding the biogeochemical cycle of boron and its isotopes within a forest ecosystem. In that context, many questions remain concerning the dynamics of boron within terrestrial ecosystems: • What are the major sources of boron? • What type of transfer occurs between the compartments of the environment? • What mechanisms are controlling those transfers? In order to establish this biogeochemical cycle, we quantified the different stocks (vegetation, humus and soil) and fluxes (atmospheric dust and dissolved deposition, throughfalls, stemfloxs, litterfall and drainage) of boron in the study site of Montiers. The use of boron isotopes will give us insight concerning the mechanisms controlling the dynamics of boron. This thesis is divided in 4 main parts: 1. The first part aims at establishing a new method of extraction, purification and measurement of boron and its isotopes within vegetation samples. 2. The second part focuses on the sources and mechanisms controlling boron within atmospheric dust and dissolved deposition on the study site of Montiers. 3. The third part aims at establishing the stocks and fluxes of boron on two distinct soils: a rendisoil (basic pH) and an alocrisoil (acid pH). The goal is to determine the influence of different soil properties on boron dynamics within its biogeochemical cycle. 4. The last part aims at establishing a model of boron and boron isotopes dynamics in the soil plant system. This model is mainly based of the measurement made in 2012

La séquestration du C dans les sols réduit les effets du changement climatique, et améliore la qualité du sol. L'introduction des prairies temporaires dans le cycle des cultures pourrait améliorer les matières organiques du sol (SOM). L'objectif de la thèse était d'évaluer l'impact des modes de gestion de prairies temporaires sur la quantité, la composition et les processus de stabilisation des SOM et les émissions de gaz à effet de serre (GHG).Mes résultats montrent un arrière effet de la gestion des prairies temporaires sur les SOM après 3 ans de culture. La durée des prairies influence la quantité et la composition de la biomasse microbienne ainsi que la nature des SOM. La fertilisation en N de la prairie est nécessaire à la séquestration du C dans le sol sans augmenter les émissions de GHG.Pour remplacer la fertilisation en N minérale, des légumineuses peuvent être utilisées. En conséquence, je me suis intéressée à l'effet de la luzerne sur les formes de C, de N et de P dans les sols sous mélanges luzerne-graminées. Mes résultats indiquent une absence d'augmentation du stock de C dans les sols sous mélanges comparés aux monocultures de graminées fertilisées, malgré une plus forte productivité de la luzerne. Les biomarqueurs moléculaires indiquent que l'introduction de la luzerne en prairie influence la dégradation des SOM plus que leur stabilisation. De plus, la luzerne influence fortement les formes du P dans les sols sous mélanges.Ainsi, lors de l'introduction de prairie dans les cycles de culture, il est important d'optimiser les modes de gestion afin de faire le bon compromis entre le stockage du C, les émissions de GHG et l'utilisation d'engrais. / Soil C sequestration reduces the effects of climate change, improves soil quality and food security. Soil organic matter (SOM) could be enhanced by introduction of ley grassland into the cropping cycle. The objective of this PhD thesis was to evaluate the effect of management practices of ley grassland on the quantity, composition and stabilization processes of SOM and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). My data showed legacy effects of duration and fertilization of the temporary grassland phase on SOM after 3 years of cropping. The duration of grassland phase influenced the quantity and composition of the microbial biomass as well as the nature of SOM. N fertilization during the grassland phase is necessary for soil C sequestration in soil without increasing GHG emissions.To replace mineral N fertilization, legumes may be used in forage production systems. Consequently, I was interested in the effect of introduction of lucerne on C, N and P forms in soils under lucerne-grass mixtures. My results indicate similar soil C stocks under mixtures and grass monocultures, despite the high productivity of lucerne. Molecular biomarkers indicated that the introduction of lucerne in grassland influenced the degradation of the SOM more than its stabilization. Moreover, the presence of lucerne influenced P forms in soils under mixtures.In conclusion, the introduction of ley grasslands into cropping cycles requires careful evaluation of the management practices in order to optimize C storage, GHG emissions and N fertilizer use.

Cette étude a été effectuée pour améliorer l'efficacité des mesures de stockage de carbone par des techniques de télédétection dans les plantations de Para rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) en Thaïlande. Les estimations des méthodes actuelles de stockage de carbone s’opèrent à l’aide de la classification classique basée sur le système des pixels basée sur des images de moyenne résolution et produit donc des résultats d’une grande incertitude. En revanche, dans cette étude, la méthode utilisée est basée sur des images de très haute résolution provenant du satellite THAICHOTE, associés à des mesures sur le terrain, dans le bassin de Mae num Prasae. L’utilisation de l'objet en fonction des classifications, les plantations cartographiées, leur âge et leur circonférence ont été estimées à partir d'un modèle paramétrique dérivé de données spectrales, de texture et 3D. L'étude propose une information de texture plus utile que l'information spectrale pour capturer l’architecture des arbres du couvert et donc l'âge de la canopée. Un spectrale de Global Environment Monitoring (GEMI) et quatre texturales de Homogeneity, Dissimilarity, Contrast et Variance ont été utilisées dans l'ajustement du modèle (régression R2 = 0,87) pour estimer la circonférence et l'âge des arbres tandis que le Canopy Height Model (CHM) de 3D n’était pas autorisée pour construire l'information de classement d'images. Environ 154 km2 des 232 km2 de la zone étudiée sont couverts par des plantations. La quantité totale de la biomasse et des stocks de carbone s’élève à 2,23 mégatonnes et 0,99 mégatonnes C, respectivement avec une incertitude de 11%. En 2011, la superficie totale séquestrée était de 121 tCO2 par des plantations. / This study explored to the improve efficiency of measurements of carbon stock by remote sensing techniques on Para rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations in East Thailand. Current methods of carbon stock estimations use classical pixel based classification on middle-resolution images and thus produce results with a large uncertainty. In this study, the method use very high resolution images from the THAICHOTE satellite, associated to field measurements to estimates the carbon stock and its evolution in the Mae num Prasae watershed. Using object based classifications, the plantations have been mapped and their age and girth have been estimated from a parametric model derived from spectral, textural, 3D information and field data. The results of this study show that these data can be used to map Para rubber plantation and distinguish age classes of trees in the plantations. The study propose that textural information is more useful than spectral information to capture tree canopy architecture and thus the age of the canopy. One spectral of Global Environment Monitoring (GEMI) and four textural information of Homogeneity, Dissimilarity, Contrast and Variance were used in the fit model (multiple linear regression R2=0.87) for estimating the Para rubber tree girth and age while the 3D information (canopy height model: CHM) was not appropriated to build the image classification information. Around 154 km2 of the 232 km2 of the studied area are covered by Para rubber plantations. The total amount of biomass and carbon stocks are 2.23 Megatons and 0.99 Megatons C respectively with uncertainty of 11%. In 2011, the total area sequestered 121 tCO2 by Para rubber plantations.

Les cheminées et sédiments hydrothermaux actifs du Bassin de Guaymas (Mexique) hébergent diverses communautés microbiennes présentant différents métabolismes, y compris ceux impliqués dans les cycles biogéochimiques du soufre et du fer. Il est établi, que, dans ces écosystèmes dynamiques, les micro-organismes qui dépendent pour leur croissance des substrats présents dans leur environnement pourraient à leur tour, affecter localement la composition du fluide hydrothermal et la minéralogie des cheminées, la composition des sédiments, en favorisant la dissolution et/ou la précipitation de certaines phases minérales. Pour étudier ces interactions procaryotes-biotopes, et établir des liens entre la structure, l’activité et les signatures isotopiques des communautés microbiennes et les caractéristiques physico-chimiques des systèmes hydrothermaux du Bassin de Guaymas, une approche pluridisciplinaire mettant en oeuvre des techniques de microbiologie, de géochimie et d’isotopie, lors des cultures d’enrichissements en bioréacteur et des études de colonisation de substrats basaltiques a été réalisée. Ces travaux ont permis : 1) de caractériser la diversité des micro-organismes de différents compartiments de l’écosystème hydrothermal (cheminée et sédiments) du Bassin de Guaymas par des approches culturales et moléculaires ; 2) de décrypter le fonctionnement des cycles biogéochimiques du soufre et du fer en mettant en évidence la présence simultanée, à haute température et en anaérobiose, de micro-organismes sulfo-réducteurs, sulfato-réducteurs, sulfo-oxydants mais également ferri-réducteurs et ferro-oxydants ; et 3) de mieux comprendre les interactions procaryotes-minéraux-fluide en soulignant le rôle des microorganismes dans la modification des conditions environnementales, la formation de minéraux ainsi que leur rôle direct ou indirect dans les fractionnements des isotopes du Fer et Soufre. Ces études ont donc permis de montrer l’importance des interactions croisées entre les différents composantes : communautés microbiennes, le fluide (fluide hydrothermal, eaux interstitielles des sédiments, eau de mer) et les structures minérales des écosystèmes hydrothermaux. / Active hydrothermal chimney and sediments of the Guaymas Basin (Mexico) host various microbial communities with different metabolisms, including those involved in biogeochemical cycles of sulfur and iron. It is established that, in these dynamic ecosystems, microbial activity depends on the availability of substrates in their environment and that prokaryotes could, in return locally affect the composition of the hydrothermal fluid and mineralogical composition of the chimney or sediment, by mediating the dissolution and / or precipitation of some mineral phases. In order to study these prokaryotes-biotope interactions, and establish links between the structure, the activity and the isotopic signatures of microbial communities with the physico-chemical characteristics of hydrothermal systems of Guaymas Basin, a multidisciplinary approach based on the implementation of microbiology, geochemistry and isotope technics was performed using enrichment cultures in bioreactors and the study of the colonization of basaltic substrates. This work led to: 1) characterize the diversity of microorganisms in different hydrothermal compartments (chimney and sediments) of the Guaymas Basin using both cultural and molecular approaches; 2) to decrypt the functioning of sulfur and iron biogeochemical cycles, by highlighting the occurrence, at high temperature and anaerobic condition, of sulfur-reducing, sulfate-reducing, sulfur-oxidizing and also iron-reducing and iron-oxidizing prokaryotes ; and 3) to better understand the prokaryote-mineral-fluid interactions by pointing out the role of microorganisms in environmental condition changes, mineral precipitation and their direct or indirect role in iron and sulfur isotope fractionation. Thus these studies have demonstrated the importance of the cross-interactions between the different hydrothermal components: microbial communities, fluids (hydrothermal fluid, sediment pore water, sea water) and mineral structures.