From 4 to 6 November 2026, the scientific community will gather in Angers to officially launch the PEPR LivingSoils. Three days to share the programme’s scientific roadmap, foster new collaborations and kick-start a collective scientific effort centred on a major challenge: improving our understanding of soil interactions in order to promote soil health.

Registration are closed.

Day-by-day programme

Wednesday, 4 novembre 

14h : Welcoming and opening remarks by the two scientific co-directors of the programme

• Philippe Hinsinger 
• Jérôme Mathieu 

14h30 : Data Lifecycle challenges : Jérôme Dutroncy 

15h : Presentation of the cross-cutting community engagement axes :

• Axis 1: Lætitia Bernard and Mathieu Chauvat
• Axis 2 : Sébastien Barot, Pierre Quévreux and Manuel Blouin
• Axis 3 : Guénola Pérès and Nicolas Gross 
• Axis 4 : Estelle Forey and Jean Trap 

15h30 : Keynote speech : Joana Falcao Salles (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)

Coffee break

16h45 : Presentation of the Targeted Project 1 : Soil interaction networks (trophic and non-trophic interactions) :

• Juliana Almario
• Françoise Binet
• Laurent Philippot
• Jean Trap 

17h30 : Scientific Poster Session on the different tasks of the Targeted Project 1.

End of Day 1 and dinner

Thursday, 5 novembre

8h30 : Interfaces with other Priority Research Programmes and Equipments (PEPR)

• Dynabiod, Emmanuel Porcher (MNHN) 
• FairCarboN, Pierre Barré (CNRS) 
• FORESTT, Mathieu Santonja (Aix Marseille University)

9h15 : Keynote speech : Elisa Thébaut (CNRS) 

Coffee break

10h30 : Presentation of the Targeted Project 2 The Impact of Biotic Interactions in Soils on Soil Multifunctionality :

• Isabelle Cousin
• Sébastien Barot
• Sébastien Fontaine
• Audrey Niboyet 

11h15 : Scientific Poster Session on the different tasks of the Targeted Project 2.

Lunch

14h00 : Workshop session on the cross-cutting community engagement axes : 

• 14h : session 1 (choice between axis 1, 2, 3 or 4 in advance of the seminar, places are limited)
• 15h : session 2  (choice between axis 1, 2, 3 or 4 in advance of the seminar, places are limited)

Workshops held by the coordinators of the cross-cutting community engagement axes :

• Axis 1: Lætitia Bernard and Mathieu Chauvat
• Axis 2 : Sébastien Barot, Pierre Quévreux and Manuel Blouin
• Axis 3 : Guénola Pérès and Nicolas Gross 
• Axis 4 : Estelle Forey and Jean Trap 

Coffee break

16h30 : Intervention of Yves Coquet, Responsable of the action (French National Research Agency)

17h15 : Presentation of the Research Groupes of the programme, by their coordinators : 

• Research Groupe 1 : Temperate Mountain Grassland Ecosystems, Jérémy Puissant
• Research Groupe 2 : Temperate Forest and Agroforestry Ecosystems, François-Xavier Joly
• Research Groupe 3 : Temperate Agroecosystem, Pierre-Alain Maron
• Research Groupe 4 : Highly Anthropized Temperate and Tropical Ecosystems, Florence Maunoury-Danger
• Research Groupe 5 : Tropical Ecosystems in French Guiana and Overseas Territories, Irène Calderon-Sanou, represented by Alexia Stokes
• Research Groupe 6 : Tropical Ecosystems in West Africa, Lydie Lardy

End of day 2 and dinner

Friday, 6 novembre

8h30 : Outcomes of the workshop session on the cross-cutting community engagement axes

9h : Keynote speech : Nolwenn Bougon (French Biodiversity Agency, OFB)

9h45 : Institutional Presentations :

• Carole Caranta, Deputy Director General of Science and Innovation (INRAE) 
• Sandrine Sagan, Deputy CEO for Science (CNRS) 
• Philippe Baptiste, Ministre of Higher Education, Research and Space 
• Secretary general for investment (SGPI)
• Thomas Lombes, Executive director (Agralife)

Coffee break

11h30 : Thematic workshops in parallel sessions (programme is currently being finalised)

12h45 : Foresight... and now, so what? 

• Philippe Hinsinger 
• Jérôme Mathieu 

13h30 : Lunch
End of seminar

Join the PEPR LivingSoils initiative

As the first major event for the PEPR LivingSoils community, this seminar will bring together the scientific teams involved in the PEPR, as well as all researchers, academic partners and stakeholders with an interest in soil science, ecology and related disciplines.

Over the course of these three days, participants will learn about the programme’s scientific ambitions, its organisation, the two Targeted Projects that will shape its work, and the outreach activities designed to bring the scientific community together on a long-term basis. Opportunities for discussion, workshops and networking will also foster the emergence of new interdisciplinary collaborations and the development of a shared vision for the research to be conducted over the next five years.

We look forward to seeing many of you in Angers for this key launch event.

The PEPR LivingSoils team