Organization CEN Occitanie

Jardins de Cocagne

Type of ecosystem Agricultural wasteland
Working group WG 2: Scientific
Location Fabrègues (34095)
Site manager  David Lashley
Purpose of the experimentation The purpose was to test the behavior of several seed mixes in a plain field.

The goals of restauration were to restore a mediterranean grassland of community interest :
  • Increase vegetation cover ;
  • Increase biodiversity especially density of auxiliary organisms ;
  • Increase frequency and duration of attractive flowers ;
  • Reduce erosion ;
  • Improve soil structure.
List of species sown Aegilops cylindrica
Aegilops ventricosa
Anchusa italica
Anisantha rigida
Asphodelus fistulosus
Avenula bromoides
Bituminaria bituminosa
Blackstonia perfoliata
Brachypodium distachyon
Brachypodium phoenicoides
Bromopsis erecta
Centaurea paniculata
Cerinthe major
Crepis vesicaria ssp. taraxacifolia
Dactylis glomerata hispanica
Diplotaxis tenuifolia
Gaudinia fragilis
Geropogon glaber
Hirschfeldia incana
Knautia integrifolia
Lathyrus hirsutus
Linum usitatissimum ssp. angustifolium
Lolium rigidum
Loncomelos narbonensis
Lotus glaber
Lotus herbaceus
Malva nicaeensis
Malva pseudo-lavatera
Malva sylvestris
Medicago arabica
Medicago ciliaris
Medicago minima
Medicago orbicularis
Medicago polymorpha
Medicago scutellata
Melilotus alba
Melilotus indicus
Melilotus officinalis
Nigella damascena
Papaver rhoeas
Phalaris brachystachys
Phalaris paradoxa
Phlomis herba-venti
Rapistrum rugosum
Salvia verbenaca
Scabiosa atropurpurea
Scorpiurus subvillosus
Scorzonera laciniata
Silene italica
Taraxacum spp.
Tragopogon porrifolius
Trifolium campestre
Trifolium incarnatum molinerii
Trigonella elegans
Trigonella esculenta
Trigonella sicula
Trigonella smallii
Trigonella wojciechowskii
Urospermum dalechampii
Urospermum picroides
Verbascum blattaria
Verbascum boerhavii
Vicia sativa ssp. nigra
Protocol The experimental site consists of 16 25m2 plots where 15 seed mixtures were tested (1 control plot)
Surface tillage, with a scrubbing of the vegetation and passage of a toothed cultivar to 15 cm depth without turning the horizons, just to prepare the seed bed.
The semix was done on the fly, in 2 passes. A first passage with the smallest seeds mixed with a substrate to homogenize (sawdust), a second with the largest seeds. The soil was raked (for hoe mixing) and a roller was passed to compress the soil.

A closure has been installed on the site to avoid predation.
Free description (facultative) Monitoring
Indicators wanted
- List of species that were successfully installed (with reproductive success : new seeds produced on the site)
- Percentage of target community developed after one/two years
- Presence of related fauna (pollinators, spiders, orthoptera...)
Corresponding protocol or methods
- phytosociological survey on each plot : list of all species developed in the plot, with cover index for each of them ; in addition, cover index for vegetation (all species) / bare soil / litter for each plot. Minimum three surveys /year for each plot.
- protocol for related faune to be defined : probably an exhaustive assessment 3 times/year.
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