[FRB-Cesab] This summer at CESAB, researchers from the three continents gathered to advance knowledge on soil macrofauna in the tropics

The group during its first workshop at CESAB in July 2023

The FAUNASERVICES CESAB group, which research looks at the links between biodiversity of soil macrofauna and the delivery of ecosystem services in the tropics, brings together scientists from Southern America, Europe and Canada during four workshops, two being held at CESAB offices, France and two in São Paulo state, Brazil. This partnership is allowing a first data synthesis looking at the links between soil biodiversity and five major ecosystem services delivered by soils, such as fertility, carbon sequestration, water retention or pest and parasite control.

This unique partnership benefitted, this year, from the additional contribution of the French embassy in Canada, which funded the participation of a Canadian researcher to a workshop. From the University of Western Ontario, Canada, Zoe Lindo specializes in soil biodiversity and ecosystem function and provided major contributions to the group’s research, more specifically by sharing recently published R packages modelling food webs in soil ecology.

This second workshop, during which experts in soil ecology shared their complementary skills for a week, could not have happened without the support of the partners involved in the project.