The Mareau-aux-Prés islands, along the Loire river are characterized by a multiple channel pattern, where natural limestone riffles influence the morphology and spatial distribution of vegetated islands, secondary channels and alluvial bars.

Within these islands, in september 2012, the vegetation of the central 3 ha sandy-gravelly bar was uprooted and the bar level lowered in order to maintain the flow capacity of the river. A new sandy-gravelly bar appeared in spring 2013, ideal field support for studying long-term ecological issues. A multidisciplinary research programme (BioMareau I and II projects) is currently being conducted from 2012 to 2019, focusing on physical and biological compartments. Field measurements on annual basis were performed on hydro-sedimentary processes. Biotic components focus on colonization dynamics by Populus nigra seedlings (studying small-scale DNA spatial genetic structure and through plot survey), by native and invasive flora (through seed bank and summer inventories), by community assemblages of ground beetles Coleoptera Carabidae, by gravel nesting birds and on the consequence of the modification of the feeding habitat by the European beaver (as the island constituted the main source of wood). The applied objectives of such study is to guide fluvial managers in order to perform optimal management works with a minimum loss of biodiversity.

Study Site of Zone Atelier Loire
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