CEREEP – ECOTRON IDFENS CNRS UAR 3194

The CEREEP - Ecotron IleDeFrance unit, set up on 1 January 2008 by the Ecole Normale Supérieure and the CNRS, is a service unit dedicated to experimental research in ecology, as well as education and training. Its development took place as part of a national plan to promote experimental ecology research facilities coordinated by the CNRS Ecology and Environment Institute (INEE). The unit is located are located on the historic site of the Biological Station of ENS, located in the district of Foljuif in the commune of Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours in Seine-et-Marne. The property of 78 ha, fully dedicated to the research and teaching of biology since the 1960s thanks to a private donation to the ENS, includes ancient and modern buildings, forest areas and natural meadows. Since its inception, the unit has developed a diversified range of research services in experimental ecology and currently hosts eight technical platforms initiated for the oldest in 1994. The centre coordinates Ecotron IleDeFrance, a high-technology research infrastructure allowing for experiments with terrestrial and aquatic organisms and ecosystems under highly controlled conditions to measure their functioning and sensitivity to climate change. The centre further pilots the National Experimental Platform in Aquatic Ecology (PLANAQUA), which includes a unique set of experimental units devoted to the study of the ecological functioning of lacustrine systems and ranging from the microcosm to the macrocosm.

Our technical platforms are open to teams from all over the world. The research teams can use workspace, have access to common services and logistics, as well as support of technical staff, and our accommodation or catering facilities.These services are invoiced according to fees defined by CNRS and ENS in order to cover the operating and maintenance costs and the equipment’s operating costs. Intellectual property conditions specific to each situation are adapted to each project. Our technical staff is involved in preliminary research, protocol testing and choice of implantation sites, and the setting up of experiments. The staff also generally monitors the experience, collects and manages the data and can participate in the valorisation of the results by means of publications, participation in conferences, and technical productions.