Silvatech

The SILVATECH platform is a national platform dedicated to the analysis of forest ecosystems and wood property. The range of techniques and methods the SILVATECH platform has developed makes integrated approaches possible, from the molecular to the plot scale. The platform is able to analyse structures, properties and functions, from the tree in its ecosystem to the wood itself as a material. SILVATECH provides analytical expertise and development capacity to regional, national and international research units and enhanced support to integrative research programmes (ecology, ecophysiology, biogeochemistry, forest-prairie-aquatic ecosystem functioning, dendrometry, wood anatomy and properties, structure-property relationships, wood sciences). It is playing a key role in national and European research networks and training programmes. In this context, the facility offers services dedicated to (1) understanding the trade-offs between resource acquisition and allocation (C, N, water) and their use (assessment of tree health status through carbon reserve measurements, tracing C-N-O-H metabolic pathways using isotopic approaches both in lab and in situ, water-use efficiency through isotopic or stomatal approaches), and (2) defining the environmental determinants of the hydraulic and biomechanical properties of wood subjected to multiple contexts (wind, drought, silviculture) by estimating the dynamics of wood formation at the cellular and wall scales, analysing the plasticity of anatomical structures in response to biotic and abiotic stresses, and monitoring growth at different scales. To meet your needs, the platform offers Isotopy-Chemistry methods, including coupled spectrometry, chromatography, isotopy, and plasma techniques dedicated to the analysis of molecules in complex matrices (wood, sap, soil, water), as well as a sample preparation facility (grinding, extractions, micro-weighing). Additionally, it provides Imaging and Multimodal Measurement techniques, covering physical and mechanical properties, laser techniques, X-ray radiography, tomography, fluorescence and diffraction. The platform also includes specialized preparation workshops (wood and metal), high-resolution SEM and confocal imaging, cryo-SEM, mineral X-ray microanalysis, histology, and photonic microscopy, along with a dedicated sample preparation facility. In conclusion, SILVATECH facility highly open to research collaborations, the development of new methods, and the training of your students. We would be delighted to welcome you and work alongside your teams. Web site: https://silvatech.isc.inrae.fr/ Service contact E-mail: silvatech@inrae.fr