1. JEAI = Young Research-Team = YRT To help groups of researchers to build A RESEARCH TEAM through partnership with IRD. The scopes: - to become WORLD CLASS CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE - to ACHIEVE INTERNATIONAL VISIBILITY.

2. A budget, what for?

3. The project proposed in 2013: Soil functioning changes under tree cultivation: the case of rubber tree in North-East Thailand and Northern Laos. ECO-RUBBER: Why and what benefit for KKU?

4. Why? Let’s put this project in a more general context…

5. IN THE PAST 50 YEARS……. +12% +117 % +200 % World’s cultivated land Irrigated area Agricultural production Agriculture = successful intensification…

6. The agronomical success also had… high ecological and environmental costs!

7. The begining of intensive agriculture: chemical fertilisers:

8. : HIGH LEVEL OF INPUTS… Degradation of different terrestrial/aquatic ecosystems.. Degradation of the soil itself!

9. Soils of varying degradation status (low to high) show increasing degradation trends (GLADIS, 2011): Soil degradation status and trends –Water and wind erosion –Nutrient and SOM depletion –Acidification –Salinisation –Compaction –Contamination

10. SOILS: SYSTEMS AT RISK… B - A risk of progressive breakdown of the soils’ productive capacity, -driven by demographic pressure and unsustainable agricultural practices.

11. INNOVATIVE!

12. Soil is not a bucket many inter-relations…

13. Soil in not only “chemical” but also a PHYSICAL environment….

14. 14/30 ==> ABIOTIC/BIOTIC interactions at ≠ scales (space & time). SOIL = ECOSYTEM 14

15. Soil functioning changes under tree cultivation: the case of rubber tree in North-East Thailand and Northern Laos. WHY ‘ECO-RUBBER’ ?

16. Soils: - non renewable resource in very limited amount, - already degraded, especially in SEA (except Lao PDR…) Food production is no more increasing, when population and its needs are constantly increasing… an opportunity for soil rehabilitation ?  Tree plantations: a risk for food production? or…

17. Fast expansion for economical reasons (cannot be stopped) can we use them for soil rehabilitatation? WHY ‘tree plantations’ ? Inter-disciplinary reasearch in soil ecology.

18. Fast expansion for economical reasons (cannot be stopped) good example of this fast expansion, even in marginal areas WHY ‘rubber plantations’ ?

19. ==> does it really improve farmers income at long term? (socio-economical aspects)

20. WHY ‘rubber in NET & N Lao PDR’ ? -Incentives in Thailand -Moratorium/standstill in Lao

21. http://earthenginepartnershttp://earthenginepartners. appspot.com/science-2013-global-forest

24. ECOSYSTEM evolutions are different… (ecological aspects) …representative of different ASEAN countries.

25. WHY ‘rubber in NET & N Lao PDR’ ? To provide knowledge for local people, To develop an expertise at ASEAN scale for soil ecosystem management.

26. ECO-RUBBER: What benefit for KKU?

28. “Strong Thailand Action Plan 2012” : to push development of research of the country on international level, with Khon Kaen University as one of the selected universities. Opening of the Research Equipment Center: Having good tools (world class quality tools) will enhance the work made by researchers. ==> cursus ‘soil functionnal ecology’ (unique in Asean). ==> expertise in ecology.

29. - access to a world hotspot of biodiversity, - broaden the view of researchers on soil ecology. Cooperation with NUOL: Thank you for your attention!