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In this project, we will study oak forests (Quercus spp.). Oak masting has massive impact on the demography of various acorn consumer species (insects, birds, ungulates), and could, by extent,
also impact the dynamics of forest ecosystems as a whole. This project aims at (i) quantifying the impact of societal decisions on seed production and regeneration and (ii) providing guidance to sustainable forest
management through acquiring sound knowledge and accurate tools for regeneration policies, following three axes: (1) identifying the physiological, climatic and societal factors that alter oak masting, (2) analyzing the interactions between oak masting and insect specialist acorn consumer dynamics, and (3) providing forest managers with tools or knowledge in support to their policies. We will focus on three species living in contrasted environments (pedunculate and sessile oaks -Q. robur and Q. petraea- in temperate and mountain regions and holm oaks Q. ilex in Mediterranean region).