Estudaram-se a estruturas taxionômica e trófica e determinaram-se os índices de maturidade de comunidades de nematóides ocorrentes em áreas contíguas de mata natural preservada e de culturas perenes (bananeira, citros, pessegueiro) e anuais (milho x leguminosas) em rotação em Piracicaba (SP). Três amostras compostas de solo (volume aproximado de um litro) foram coletadas de cada área em duas épocas (\"seca\", agosto/2004 e \"chuvosa\", março/2005) e profundidades (0-15 e 15-30 cm). Para cada amostra, extraíram-se os nematóides de volume de 500 ml pela técnica de peneiramento combinado com flotação em centrífuga com solução de sacarose, sendo depois fixados em formalina, contados e infiltrados com glicerina. Para o cálculo das abundâncias, indicadores de diversidade e os índices de maturidade, 150 exemplares foram coletados ao acaso por amostra e identificados ao nível de gênero. Assinalaramse 61 gêneros, filiados a 32 famílias. As abundâncias totais foram maiores à menor profundidade, nas duas épocas de coleta. Os maiores valores de número e riqueza de gêneros, à menor profundidade, ocorreram na mata; à maior profundidade, tal se deu na área de anuais e de citros, nas primeira e segunda épocas de coleta, respectivamente. Os índices de diversidade de Shannon- Weaver e de Simpson e respectivos índices de eqüitatividade foram menos eficientes que o número e a riqueza de gêneros na discriminação dos sistemas estudados. Os parasitos de plantas constituíram o grupo trófico prevalente em todos os sistemas avaliados, nas duas épocas e profundidades de coleta, seguidos no geral pelos bacteriófagos. Todavia, não foi possível separar cultivos anuais de perenes com base nas abundâncias de parasitos de plantas. Os valores de T (diversidade trófica) não se prestaram à clara distinção entre os cinco sistemas, mas os de MI, mMI e PPI indicaram menor ocorrência de distúrbios na mata e no pomar cítrico em relação às demais áreas cultivadas. A herbivoria foi o canal prevalente de decomposição nos diferentes sistemas, exceto no pomar de citros. Dentre os microbiófagos (FF/BF), a predominância foi da via bacteriana. / The taxonomic structure, trophic structure and maturity index of nematode communities occurring in neighbouring areas of native forest and four different agroecosystems were studied in Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil. Agroecosystems were three perennial (banana, citrus and peach orchards) and one annual (corn, rotating with leguminous plants or followed by fallow) crops. Three soil samples (one liter approximately) were collected per area at two different times (August/2004 and March/2005) and depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm). Nematodes were extracted from 500 cc of soil by a sieving and sugar flotation technique, fixed with formalin, counted and infiltrated with glycerin. Subsequently, 150 specimens randomly picked were identified to the genus level. A total number of 61 genera affiliated to 32 families was recorded. Total abundance was higher at lower depth irrespective of the sampling time. At depth 0-15 cm, higher values of genus number and genus richness were calculated for the forest in both sampling times; at 15-30 cm, the highest values were assigned to annual crop and citrus areas, respectively. Shannon- Weaver and Simpson indexes were less efficient than genus number and genus richness in discriminating the studied ecosystems. Plant-parasitic nematodes prevailed as a trophic group in all systems at both sampling times and depths, the bacterivorous usually ranking second position. However, the data of relative abundance of phytonematodes did not allow annual and perennial crop areas to be statistically differentiated. The studied systems also were not clearly distinguished with basis on the T values, but according to the MI, mMI and PPI data the forest and the citrus orchard were the less disturbed areas. Herbivory was the predominant decomposition channel in all systems, with exception of the citrus orchard. In terms of microbial decomposition (FF/BF), the process was usually dominated by bacteria.

Estudaram-se a estruturas taxionômica e trófica e determinaram-se os índices de maturidade de comunidades de nematóides ocorrentes em áreas contíguas de mata natural preservada e de culturas perenes (bananeira, citros, pessegueiro) e anuais (milho x leguminosas) em rotação em Piracicaba (SP). Três amostras compostas de solo (volume aproximado de um litro) foram coletadas de cada área em duas épocas (\"seca\", agosto/2004 e \"chuvosa\", março/2005) e profundidades (0-15 e 15-30 cm). Para cada amostra, extraíram-se os nematóides de volume de 500 ml pela técnica de peneiramento combinado com flotação em centrífuga com solução de sacarose, sendo depois fixados em formalina, contados e infiltrados com glicerina. Para o cálculo das abundâncias, indicadores de diversidade e os índices de maturidade, 150 exemplares foram coletados ao acaso por amostra e identificados ao nível de gênero. Assinalaramse 61 gêneros, filiados a 32 famílias. As abundâncias totais foram maiores à menor profundidade, nas duas épocas de coleta. Os maiores valores de número e riqueza de gêneros, à menor profundidade, ocorreram na mata; à maior profundidade, tal se deu na área de anuais e de citros, nas primeira e segunda épocas de coleta, respectivamente. Os índices de diversidade de Shannon- Weaver e de Simpson e respectivos índices de eqüitatividade foram menos eficientes que o número e a riqueza de gêneros na discriminação dos sistemas estudados. Os parasitos de plantas constituíram o grupo trófico prevalente em todos os sistemas avaliados, nas duas épocas e profundidades de coleta, seguidos no geral pelos bacteriófagos. Todavia, não foi possível separar cultivos anuais de perenes com base nas abundâncias de parasitos de plantas. Os valores de T (diversidade trófica) não se prestaram à clara distinção entre os cinco sistemas, mas os de MI, mMI e PPI indicaram menor ocorrência de distúrbios na mata e no pomar cítrico em relação às demais áreas cultivadas. A herbivoria foi o canal prevalente de decomposição nos diferentes sistemas, exceto no pomar de citros. Dentre os microbiófagos (FF/BF), a predominância foi da via bacteriana. / The taxonomic structure, trophic structure and maturity index of nematode communities occurring in neighbouring areas of native forest and four different agroecosystems were studied in Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil. Agroecosystems were three perennial (banana, citrus and peach orchards) and one annual (corn, rotating with leguminous plants or followed by fallow) crops. Three soil samples (one liter approximately) were collected per area at two different times (August/2004 and March/2005) and depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm). Nematodes were extracted from 500 cc of soil by a sieving and sugar flotation technique, fixed with formalin, counted and infiltrated with glycerin. Subsequently, 150 specimens randomly picked were identified to the genus level. A total number of 61 genera affiliated to 32 families was recorded. Total abundance was higher at lower depth irrespective of the sampling time. At depth 0-15 cm, higher values of genus number and genus richness were calculated for the forest in both sampling times; at 15-30 cm, the highest values were assigned to annual crop and citrus areas, respectively. Shannon- Weaver and Simpson indexes were less efficient than genus number and genus richness in discriminating the studied ecosystems. Plant-parasitic nematodes prevailed as a trophic group in all systems at both sampling times and depths, the bacterivorous usually ranking second position. However, the data of relative abundance of phytonematodes did not allow annual and perennial crop areas to be statistically differentiated. The studied systems also were not clearly distinguished with basis on the T values, but according to the MI, mMI and PPI data the forest and the citrus orchard were the less disturbed areas. Herbivory was the predominant decomposition channel in all systems, with exception of the citrus orchard. In terms of microbial decomposition (FF/BF), the process was usually dominated by bacteria.

Les effets du changement climatique sur la biodiversité à l’échelle du globe sont maintenant sans équivoque. Parmi les écosystèmes affectés, les cours d’eau sont particulièrement vulnérables aux fluctuations du climat. Les modifications de structure et de composition des communautés aquatiques constituent alors un signal intégrateur des réponses écologiques à ces changements climatiques. Dans certaines circonstances, ce signal peut également être exacerbé, modéré ou potentiellement masqué par d’autres variations abiotiques.L’objectif de ce travail de thèse était donc d’évaluer l’effet relatif de différents facteurs de forçage sur les tendances d’évolution à long-terme des communautés de macroinvertébrés benthiques de grands cours d’eau, dans un contexte de changement climatique global. Nos investigations ont ciblé plus spécifiquement la Loire moyenne car, en tant que grande rivière de plaine, elle est particulièrement concernée par les problèmes liés aux stress multiples. En ce qui concerne le choix du compartiment biologique, la faune benthique a été sélectionnée pour son intérêt reconnu en bioévaluation des cours d’eau, notamment grâce à une grande diversité de réponses potentielles aux perturbations environnementales et à un certain nombre d’avantages méthodologiques.Dans un premier temps, nous nous sommes appliqués à caractériser les modifications temporelles de dix paramètres abiotiques majeurs sur trois décennies (1977-2008). Nous avons notamment mis en évidence le réchauffement graduel de la Loire (c. +1,2°C en moyenne annuelle sur les trois décades), couplé à une réduction significative du débit moyen (c. -25%), les deux tendances étant exacerbées en période chaude (mai-août). Dans le même temps, alors que ces modifications étaient susceptibles de provoquer une augmentation du niveau trophique du fleuve, nous avons souligné l’existence d’un effet confondant de l’amélioration des traitements d’épuration (i.e. réduction des apports en phosphore), se traduisant principalement par la baisse des concentrations en phosphates et la limitation des organismes phytoplanctoniques.Dans un second temps, nous nous sommes intéressés aux réponses structurelles et fonctionnelles long-terme (i.e. 30 ans) des invertébrés de la Loire à ces deux évolutions concomitantes majeures. En premier lieu, nous avons constaté que le réchauffement et, dans une moindre mesure, la réduction du débit sont impliqués dans la disparition ou le déclin progressif de taxons rhéophiles et psychrophiles (e.g. Chloroperlidae). En parallèle, ces modifications hydroclimatiques expliquent une majeure partie de l’apparition et de la colonisation de taxons limnophiles et thermophiles, comprenant certaines espèces invasives (e.g. Corbicula sp.). En termes de réponses fonctionnelles, ces changements s’illustrent par une évolution adaptative des profils de traits biologiques cohérente avec les prédictions a priori qu’il est possible de faire dans un cadre théorique. Toutefois, cette dérive progressive vers un assemblage généraliste et polluotolérant est partiellement confondue par l’amélioration de la qualité d’eau, qui explique l’apparition de nouveaux taxons polluo-sensibles lors des dernières années (e.g. Philopotamidae). Bien qu’aucune résilience taxonomique ou fonctionnelle ne soit constatée, cette tendance se manifeste, via les traits biologiques, par un transfert probable des ressources trophiques depuis les organismes phytoplanctoniques vers des biofilms épibenthiques et des macrophytes.Pour finir, nous avons exploré la variabilité spatiale multi-sites de ces tendances biotiques et abiotiques et montré que l’ensemble de ces résultats, qui corrobore déjà un certain nombre d’observations en Europe, constitue également un patron homogène le long de la Loire moyenne (sur près de 300 km) et entre différents hydrosystèmes (e.g. Loire, Seine, Meuse). / Evidence for climate change effects on biodiversity at global scale is now unequivocal. Among impaired ecosystems, running waters are particularly vulnerable to climate fluctuations. Changes in aquatic community structure and composition are then considered as integrative signals of the ecological responses to these climate changes. Under certain circumstances, these signals can be also exacerbated, confounded or potentially obscured by other abiotic variations.Therefore, the aim of this PhD was to assess the relative effect of different drivers on longterm trends in benthic macroinvertebrate communities, in the context of global climate change. Our investigations were focused more precisely on the Middle Loire River since, as lowland large river, it is particularly concerned by the potential impact of multiple stressors. Regarding the choice of the biological model, benthic fauna has been selected according to its acknowledged interest in bioassessment of running waters, especially thanks to a great diversity of potential responses to environmental disturbances and a number of methodological advantages.First, we investigated the temporal changes of ten major abiotic parameters over three decades (1977-2008). We highlighted the gradual warming of the Loire River (c. +1.2°C in the mean annual temperature over the three decades), coupled with a significant drop in mean discharge (c. -25%), both trends being exacerbated during the warm period (May-August). In the same time, although these changes were expected to induce a rise in the trophic level of the river, we emphasized a confounding effect of the wastewater treatment improvement (i.e. phosphorus input reduction), leading mainly to a drop in phosphate concentrations and a phytoplankton limitation.Second, we assessed the long-term structural and functional responses (i.e. over a 30-year period) of invertebrates of the Loire River to both major concomitant trends. On the one hand, we highlighted that water warming and to a lesser extent discharge reduction were significantly involved in the disappearance or decrease in rheophilic and psychrophilic taxa (e.g. Chloroperlidae). On the other hand, they explained also a major part of the appearance and increase of limnophilic and thermophilic taxa, including invasive species (e.g. Corbicula sp.). In terms of functional responses, these changes were illustrated by an adaptive evolution of the biological trait profiles in agreement with a priori predictions that is possible to make in a theoretical framework. However, this shift towards a generalist and pollution tolerant assemblage was partially confounded by improvement in water quality, explaining the settlement of new pollution-sensitive taxa during the last years (e.g. Philopotamidae). Although no taxonomic or functional resilience was observed, this trend was translated, via biological traits, into a probable transfer of trophic resources from phytoplankton to periphytic biofilms and macrophytes.Finally, we explored the multi-site spatial variability of these biotic and abiotic trends and we showed that our results as a whole, which supported already a number of observations in Europe, exhibited also a strong homogeneous pattern along the Middle Loire River (on nearly 300 km) and among different hydrosystems (e.g. Loire, Seine, Meuse).