Alexandru Milcu

58
Documents

Présentation

I am an ecosystem ecologist whose research interest focuses on the consequences of global changes such as biodiversity loss and climate change for the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. In my research I often use functional traits as a predictive framework for ecosystem functioning. In particular, I have a great interest in controlled environment facilities for ecosystem research (ECOTRONs) because they have the capacity to simultaneously control environmental conditions while allowing for ecosystem-level measurements of carbon and water fluxes. My research time is currently shared between CEFE and the CNRS Ecotron of Montpellier. I also act as an Associate Editor for Scientific Reports.

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Publications

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Biodiversity co-variation patterns in a range of soil organism taxa across highly contrasting ecosystems

Axelle Tortosa , Grégoire Freschet , Jean Trap , Alain Brauman , Yvan Capowiez et al.

Soil Biology and Biochemistry, In press, pp.110093. ⟨10.1016/j.soilbio.2026.110093⟩

Article dans une revue hal-05465242v1
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Functional diversity of soil macrofauna may contribute to microbial community stabilization under drought stress

Diana Morales-Fonseca , Sandra Barantal , François Buscot , Stephan Hättenschwiler , Alexandru Milcu et al.

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2025, 16, pp.1597272. ⟨10.3389/fmicb.2025.1597272⟩

Article dans une revue hal-05368013v1
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Persistent macrodetritivore functional diversity and identity effects on litter mass loss under drought in a Mediterranean forest understory model ecosystem

Mika Lemoine , Stephan Hättenschwiler , Alexandru Milcu , Sandra Barantal , Johanne Nahmani et al.

Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2025, 209, pp.109918. ⟨10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109918⟩

Article dans une revue hal-05369602v1
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Air oxygen fractionation associated with respiration and photosynthesis processes in plants: impact on the study of the global Dole effect

Clémence Paul , Clément Piel , Joana Sauze , Ji-Woong Yang , Marie Bouchet et al.

Quaternary Science Reviews, 2025, 370, pp.109663. ⟨10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109663⟩

Article dans une revue hal-05468864v1
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A multiplexing system for quantifying oxygen fractionation factors in closed chambers

Clémence Paul , Clément Piel , Joana Sauze , Olivier Jossoud , Arnaud Dapoigny et al.

Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems, 2025, 14 (1), pp.91 - 101. ⟨10.5194/gi-14-91-2025⟩

Article dans une revue hal-05064904v1
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Earthworms and plants can decrease soil greenhouse gas emissions by modulating soil moisture fluctuations and soil macroporosity in a mesocosm experiment

Pierre Ganault , Johanne Nahmani , Yvan Capowiez , Nathalie Fromin , Ammar Shihan et al.

PLoS ONE, 2024, 19 (2), pp.e0289859. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0289859⟩

Article dans une revue hal-04552879v2
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Microclimate modulation: an overlooked mechanism influencing the impact of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning

Rémy Beugnon , Nolwenn Le Guyader , Alexandru Milcu , Jonathan Lenoir , Jérémy Puissant et al.

Global Change Biology, 2024, 30 (3), pp.e17214. ⟨10.1111/gcb.17214⟩

Article dans une revue hal-04464876v1
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Natural genetic variation underlying the negative effect of elevated CO2 on ionome composition in Arabidopsis thaliana

Oceane Cassan , Lea-Lou Pimpare , Mozzanino Timothy , Cecile Fizames , Sebastien Devidal et al.

eLife, 2024, 12 (RP90170), ⟨10.7554/eLife.90170.3⟩

Article dans une revue hal-04592341v2
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Additive effects of basalt enhanced weathering and biochar co-application on carbon sequestration, soil nutrient status and plant performance in a mesocosm experiment

Nicolas Honvault , Marie-Laure Tiouchichine , Joana Sauze , Clément Piel , Damien Landais et al.

Applied Geochemistry, 2024, 169, pp.106054. ⟨10.1016/j.apgeochem.2024.106054⟩

Article dans une revue hal-04731683v1

Reply to: Plant traits alone are good predictors of ecosystem properties when used carefully

Fons van der Plas , Thomas Schröder-Georgi , Alexandra Weigelt , Kathryn Barry , Sebastian Meyer et al.

Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2023, 7 (3), pp.335-336. ⟨10.1038/s41559-022-01957-y⟩

Article dans une revue hal-04096005v1
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Taxonomical and functional responses of microbial communities from forest soils of differing tree species diversity to drying-rewetting cycles

Lauren M. Gillespie , Luis Daniel Prada-Salcedo , Ammar Shihan , Nathalie Fromin , Kezia Goldmann et al.

Pedobiologia, 2023, 97-98, pp.150875. ⟨10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150875⟩

Article dans une revue hal-04083344v1
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Determination of respiration and photosynthesis fractionation factors for atmospheric dioxygen inferred from a vegetation-soil-atmosphere analogue of the terrestrial biosphere in closed chambers

Clémence Paul , Clément Piel , Joana Sauze , Nicolas Pasquier , Frédéric Prié et al.

Biogeosciences, 2023, 20 (5), pp.1047-1062. ⟨10.5194/bg-20-1047-2023⟩

Article dans une revue hal-04042604v1
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Earthworms do not increase greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 and N2O) in an ecotron experiment simulating a three-crop rotation system

Oswaldo Forey , Joana Sauze , Clément Piel , Emmanuel S Gritti , Sébastien Devidal et al.

Scientific Reports, 2023, 13, pp.art. 21920. ⟨10.1038/s41598-023-48765-3⟩

Article dans une revue hal-04344102v2
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Tree species mixing affects soil microbial functioning indirectly via root and litter traits and soil parameters in European forests

Lauren M. Gillespie , Stephan Hättenschwiler , Alexandru Milcu , Janna Wambsganss , Ammar Shihan et al.

Functional Ecology, 2021, 35 (10), pp.2190-2204. ⟨10.1111/1365-2435.13877⟩

Article dans une revue hal-03377552v1
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Positive tree diversity effect on fine root biomass: via density dependence rather than spatial root partitioning

Weixian Zeng , Wenhua Xiang , Bo Zhou , Shuai Ouyang , Yelin Zeng et al.

Oikos, 2021, 130, pp.1-14. ⟨10.1111/oik.07777⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02987226v1
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Ecotrons: powerful and versatile ecosystem analysers for ecology, agronomy and environmental science

Jacques Roy , François Rineau , Hans de Boeck , Ivan Nijs , Thomas Pütz et al.

Global Change Biology, In press, ⟨10.1111/gcb.15471⟩

Article dans une revue hal-03102109v1
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Plant diversity enhances production and downward transport of biodegradable dissolved organic matter

Markus Lange , Vanessa‐nina Roth , Nico Eisenhauer , Christiane Roscher , Thorsten Dittmar et al.

Journal of Ecology, 2020, ⟨10.1111/1365-2745.13556⟩

Article dans une revue hal-03102027v1
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Higher tree diversity increases soil microbial resistance to drought

Lauren M. Gillespie , Nathalie Fromin , Alexandru Milcu , Bruno Buatois , Clovis Pontoizeau et al.

Communications Biology, 2020, 3, pp.377. ⟨10.1038/s42003-020-1112-0⟩

Article dans une revue hal-03006796v1

Species richness and functional-trait effects on fine root biomass along a subtropical tree diversity gradient

Weixian Zeng , Wenhua Xiang , Jiangping Fang , Bo Zhou , Shuai Ouyang et al.

Plant and Soil, 2020, 446 (1-2), pp.515-527. ⟨10.1007/s11104-019-04369-3⟩

Article dans une revue hal-03102016v1
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Circadian Regulation Does Not Optimize Stomatal Behaviour

Víctor Resco de Dios , William R.L. Anderegg , Ximeng Li , David Tissue , Michael Bahn et al.

Plants, 2020, 9 (9), pp.1091. ⟨10.3390/plants9091091⟩

Article dans une revue hal-03102017v1

Plant traits alone are poor predictors of ecosystem properties and long-term ecosystem functioning

Fons van Der Plas , Thomas Schröder-Georgi , Alexandra Weigelt , Kathryn Barry , Sebastian Meyer et al.

Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2020, 4 (12), pp.1602-1611. ⟨10.1038/s41559-020-01316-9⟩

Article dans une revue hal-03102019v1
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Memory of environmental conditions across generations affects the acclimation potential of scots pine

Arun K Bose , Barbara Moser , Andreas Rigling , Marco Lehmann , Alexandru Milcu et al.

Plant, Cell and Environment, 2020, Trees, 43 (5), pp.1288-1299. ⟨10.1111/pce.13729⟩

Article dans une revue hal-03101978v1
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Limited evidence for spatial resource partitioning across temperate grassland biodiversity experiments

Kathryn E Barry , Jasper van Ruijven , Liesje Mommer , Yongfei Bai , Carl Beierkuhnlein et al.

Ecology, 2020, 101 (1), pp.e02905. ⟨10.1002/ecy.2905⟩

Article dans une revue hal-03101963v1
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Understanding ecosystems of the future will require more than realistic climate change experiments - A response to Korell et al.

Hans J. de Boeck , Juliette Bloor , Rien Aerts , Michael Bahn , Claus Beier et al.

Global Change Biology, 2020, 26 (2), pp.e6-e7. ⟨10.1111/gcb.14854⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02503326v1
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Microhabitat and ectomycorrhizal effects on the establishment, growth and survival of Quercus ilex L. seedlings under drought

Laura Garcia de Jalon , Jean‐marc Limousin , Franck Richard , Arthur Gessler , Martina Peter et al.

PLoS ONE, 2020, 15 (6), pp.e0229807. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0229807⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02998003v1

The Future of Complementarity: Disentangling Causes from Consequences

Kathryn Barry , Liesje Mommer , Jasper van Ruijven , Christian Wirth , Alexandra Wright et al.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 2019, 34 (2), pp.167-180. ⟨10.1016/j.tree.2018.10.013⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02405545v1
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Functional composition has stronger impact than species richness on carbon gain and allocation in experimental grasslands

Christiane Roscher , Stefan Karlowsky , Alexandru Milcu , Arthur Gessler , Dörte Bachmann et al.

PLoS ONE, 2019, 14 (1), pp.e0204715. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0204715⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02405553v1
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Temporal Shifts in Plant Diversity Effects on Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics During Litter Decomposition in a Mediterranean Shrubland Exposed to Reduced Precipitation

Mathieu Santonja , Alexandru Milcu , Nathalie Fromin , Anaïs Rancon , Ammar Shihan et al.

Ecosystems, 2019, 22 (5), pp.939-954. ⟨10.1007/s10021-018-0315-4⟩

Article dans une revue hal-01928001v1
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A multitrophic perspective on biodiversity–ecosystem functioning research

Nico Eisenhauer , Holger Schielzeth , Andrew Barnes , Kathryn Barry , Aletta Bonn et al.

Advances in Ecological Research, 2019, 61, pp.1-54. ⟨10.1016/bs.aecr.2019.06.001⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02309326v1
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Genotypic variability enhances the reproducibility of an ecological study

Alexandru Milcu , Ruben Puga-Freitas , Aaron M Ellison , Manuel Blouin , Stefan Scheu et al.

Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2018, 2 (2), pp.279 - 287. ⟨10.1038/s41559-017-0434-x⟩

Article dans une revue hal-01749308v1

Weak to no effects of litter biomass and mixing on litter decomposition in a seasonally dry tropical forest

Anderson Gripp , Francisco de Assis Esteves , Luciana Carneiro , Rafael Guariento , Marcos Paulo Figueiredo-Barros et al.

Pedobiologia, 2018, 68, pp.20-23. ⟨10.1016/j.pedobi.2018.02.003⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02405517v1

Dynamic niche partitioning in root water uptake facilitates efficient water use in more diverse grassland plant communities

Marcus Guderle , Dörte Bachmann , Alexandru Milcu , Annette Gockele , Marcel Bechmann et al.

Functional Ecology, 2018, 32 (1), pp.214-227. ⟨10.1111/1365-2435.12948⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02480458v1
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Changes in soil microbial substrate utilization in response to altered litter diversity and precipitation in a Mediterranean shrubland

Ammar Shihan , Stephan Hättenschwiler , Alexandru Milcu , François-Xavier Joly , Mathieu Santonja et al.

Biology and Fertility of Soils, 2017, 53 (2), pp.171-185. ⟨10.1007/s00374-016-1166-9⟩

Article dans une revue hal-01481169v1

Circadian rhythms regulate the environmental responses of net CO2 exchange in bean and cotton canopies

Víctor Resco de Dios , Arthur Gessler , Juan Pedro Ferrio , Josu Alday , Michael Bahn et al.

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2017, 239, pp.185-191. ⟨10.1016/j.agrformet.2017.03.014⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02480461v1
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Top canopy nitrogen allocation linked to increased grassland carbon uptake in stands of varying species richness

Alexandru Milcu , Arthur Gessler , Christiane Roscher , Laura Rose , Zachary Kayler et al.

Scientific Reports, 2017, 7 (1), ⟨10.1038/s41598-017-08819-9⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02480457v1

Night and day – Circadian regulation of night-time dark respiration and light-enhanced dark respiration in plant leaves and canopies

Arthur Gessler , Jacques Roy , Zachary Kayler , Juan Pedro Ferrio , Josu Alday et al.

Environmental and Experimental Botany, 2017, 137, pp.14-25. ⟨10.1016/j.envexpbot.2017.01.014⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02480463v1
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Biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning in a 15-year grassland experiment: Patterns, mechanisms, and open questions

Wolfgang Weisser , Christiane Roscher , Sebastian Meyer , Anne Ebeling , Guangjuan Luo et al.

Basic and Applied Ecology, 2017, 23, pp.1-73. ⟨10.1016/j.baae.2017.06.002⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02480455v1

Endogenous circadian rhythms in pigment composition induce changes in photochemical efficiency in plant canopies

José Ignacio García-Plazaola , Beatriz Fernández-Marín , Juan Pedro Ferrio , Josu Alday , Günter Hoch et al.

Plant, Cell and Environment, 2017, 40 (7), pp.1153-1162. ⟨10.1111/pce.12909⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02480462v1

Plant diversity generates enhanced soil microbial access to recently photosynthesized carbon in the rhizosphere

Perla Griselle Mellado-Vázquez , Markus Lange , Dörte Bachmann , Annette Gockele , Stefan Karlowsky et al.

Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2016, 94, pp.122-132. ⟨10.1016/j.soilbio.2015.11.012⟩

Article dans une revue istex hal-02475332v1
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Elevated CO2 maintains grassland net carbon uptake under a future heat and drought extreme

Jacques Roy , Catherine Picon-Cochard , Angela Augusti , Marie-Lise Benot , Lionel Thiery et al.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2016, 113 (22), pp.6224-6229. ⟨10.1073/pnas.1524527113⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02127043v1

Plant functional diversity increases grassland productivity-related water vapor fluxes: an Ecotron and modeling approach

Alexandru Milcu , Werner Eugster , Dörte Bachmann , Marcus Guderle , Christiane Roscher et al.

Ecology, 2016, 97 (8), pp.2044-2054. ⟨10.1890/15-1110.1⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02475334v1
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Circadian rhythms have significant effects on leaf-to-canopy scale gas exchange under field conditions

Víctor Resco de Dios , Arthur Gessler , Juan Pedro Ferrio , Josu Alday , Michael Bahn et al.

GigaScience, 2016, 5 (1), ⟨10.1186/s13742-016-0149-y⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02480465v1

Processes driving nocturnal transpiration and implications for estimating land evapotranspiration

Víctor Resco de Dios , Jacques Roy , Juan Pedro Ferrio , Josu Alday , Damien Landais et al.

Scientific Reports, 2015, 5 (1), ⟨10.1038/srep10975⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02475327v1

Global change experiments: challenges and opportunities

Hans J. de Boeck , Sara Vicca , Jacques Roy , Ivan Nijs , Alexandru Milcu et al.

Bioscience, 2015, 65 (9), pp.922-931. ⟨10.1093/biosci/biv099⟩

Article dans une revue hal-01236548v1

Functional diversity of leaf nitrogen concentrations drives grassland carbon fluxes

Alexandru Milcu , Christiane Roscher , Arthur Gessler , Dörte Bachmann , Annette Gockele et al.

Ecology Letters, 2014, 17 (4), pp.435-444. ⟨10.1111/ele.12243⟩

Article dans une revue istex hal-02475324v1
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Diversity Promotes Temporal Stability across Levels of Ecosystem Organization in Experimental Grasslands

Raphael Proulx , Christian Wirth , Winfried Voigt , Alexandra Weigelt , Christiane Roscher et al.

PLoS ONE, 2010, 5 (10), 8 p. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0013382⟩

Article dans une revue hal-02663920v1
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The response of decomposers (earthworms, springtails and microorganisms) to variations in species and functional group diversity of plants

Alexandru Milcu , Stephan Partsch , Reinhardt Langel , Stefan Scheu

Oikos, 2006, 112 (3), pp.513-524. ⟨10.1111/j.0030-1299.2006.14292.x⟩

Article dans une revue hal-04756132v1

Resource economics of tree communities control soil food web multifunctionality in European forests

Ludovic Henneron , D.A. Wardle , Matty P Berg , Stephan Hättenschwiler , Jürgen Bauhus et al.

Journées TEBIS 2025, 13e édition, Rouen, Oct 2025, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France

Communication dans un congrès hal-05312255v1

No evidence that earthworms increase soil greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 and N2O) in the presence of plants and soil-moisture fluctuations

Pierre Ganault , Johanne Nahmani , Yvan Capowiez , Isabelle Bertrand , Bruno Buatois et al.

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 2021, Online, Austria. ⟨10.5194/egusphere-egu21-8599⟩

Communication dans un congrès hal-03449979v1

Triple isotopic composition of oxygen in water and dioxygen during deglaciations recorded in the EPICA Dome C ice core to link climate, biosphere productivity and water cycle

Amaelle Landais , Ji-Woong Yang , Nicolas Pasquier , Antoine Grisart , Margaux Brandon et al.

EGU General Assembly 2020, May 2020, Vienna, Austria. ⟨10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-5961⟩

Communication dans un congrès hal-03102042v1

The European Ecotron of Montpellier: experimental platforms to study ecosystem response to climate change

Joana Sauze , Jacques Roy , Clément Piel , Damien Landais , Emmanuel Gritti et al.

EGU General Assembly 2020, May 2020, Vienna, Austria

Communication dans un congrès hal-03102036v1

Litter quality impacts the CNP stoichiometric homeostasis of the soil microbial biomass

Haijing Yuan , Philippe Hinsinger , Stephan Hättenschwiler , Alexandru Milcu , Isabelle Bertrand

6. International Symposium on Soil Organic Matter, Sep 2017, Harpenden, United Kingdom

Communication dans un congrès hal-02735897v1

Resistance and recovery of upland grasslands to climate change with extreme events.

Catherine Picon-Cochard , Marine Zwicke , Giorgio Alessio , Angela Augusti , Marie-Lise Benot et al.

Functional Ecology Conference - JEF AnaEE France, Mar 2017, La Grande Motte, France

Communication dans un congrès hal-02784866v1