Research
EcoFoG (Ecology of Guiana Forests)
October 27 2025UMR (Joint Research Unit) AgroParisTech, Cirad, CNRS, INRAE, Université des Antilles et Université de la Guyane
General scientific orientation
The ÉcoFoG unit is interested in tropical ecology in the broad sense of the term. The unit combines different ecological and materials sciences approaches :
- To understand the relationships between biodiversity and the functioning of tropical forest ecosystems, whether or not commercially exploited, under climatic and anthropic pressures ;
- To stimulate innovation in the valorization of forest resources in the context of this strong biodiversity, taking into account the constraints of use linked to humid tropical environments.
The research work of this unit mostly involves the following disciplines : community ecology, ecological genetics, functional ecology, the chemistry of natural substances, microbiology, wood sciences and botany.
Fields of research
The unit focuses on six research axes :
- Significantly improving our understanding of the factors influencing the distribution of species in humid tropical forests
- Testing hypotheses concerning coordination between groups of species (e.g. trees, insects and fungi) in community assemblies
- Describing and understanding the mechanisms underlying the adaptation of organisms to their biotic and abiotic environment and biological diversification, by linking processes at the scales of the individual, population and species
- Developing an integral understanding of all the processes and mechanisms allowing the plant to develop, survive and reproduce throughout its life
- Making use of multidisciplinary skills to study the tropical forest ecosystem and its valorization as a source of products (wood in particular) or inspiration
- Description of Amazon chemodiversity and understanding of the nature of the interactions it materializes
- Initiating the development of bioinspired applications
- Quantifying the consequences of global changes (climate change and changes in land use) for the ecosystem processes (fluxes, dynamics, trophic networks) and services (benefits of ecosystems to humans, in terms of supply, regulatory, support and cultural services) provided by tropical forests