LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com/in/gwenaëlle-lashermes-a2564a60

Orcid

0000-0002-8269-3562

Career

Since 2025: INRAE Research Director (DR2), AgroEcoSystem Division, Reims, France

Since 2021: Lab Deputy Director, FARE Lab, Reims

2015 - 2024: INRAE Researcher (class 1), FARE Lab, Reims

2010 - 2014: INRA Researcher (class 2), FARE Lab, Reims

2006 - 2010: Doctoral fellowship ADEME, INRA, Veolia-Environnement R&D, EcoSys Lab, Thiverval-Grignon

2005 - 2006: Research engineer ADEME-INRA, EcoSys Lab, Thiverval - Grignon

Education

2023: Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR) in Environmental Sciences, soil biogeochemistry, ABIES- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA), Reims

2010: PhD in Environmental Sciences, ABIES AgroParisTech, Paris

2005: Agricultural engineering degree and Master's degree, École Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie de Rennes (ENSAR)

Skills

Processes: Biological transformations of organic matter (soil decomposition, mulching, composting, retting). Interactions between organic substrates and microorganisms. Functional microbial ecology. Interactions between organic pollutants and organic matter. Soil carbon stabilization, mineralization, mineral nitrogen dynamics, microbial carbon and nitrogen use efficiency.
Modeling: EcoEnzymes models (EEZY), Guild decomposition Model (GDM), Carbon and Nitrogen Transformations in Soil (CANTIS), organic matter and pollutant evolution during composting (COP-Compost), decomposition in Simulateur mulTIdisciplinaire pour les Cultures Standard (STICS), microbial biodegradation during fiber plant retting (BioRetting).
Experimentation: enzymatic assays, instrumented devices, soil and plant microcosms, respirometry, biochemical analyses, use of isotopic labelling.

Research interests 

My research interests are on the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nutrients, particularly nitrogen, linked to the recycling of plant biomasses and organic matters in agroecosystems. They focus on improving our understanding of the interactions between microbial communities, their organic resources and their environment during decomposition in soils, and the representation of the processes involved in numerical models. They are structured in two axes: i) the impacts of microbial functioning in low-fertilization terrestrial ecosystems on the soil functions of biogeochemical cycles, and ii) the properties and circularity of carbon and nitrogen from organic resources in ecosystems and territories. The aim is to move towards sober and circular mobilization of carbon and nutrients in agroecosystems and territories.

See also Sylvie Recous, Hugues Clivot, Guillaume Humbert, Ali Faraj scientists in the same lab for further information about our activities.

Teaching

Since 2021: 4h “Soil and Man” course, La Maison Pour la Science Champagne Ardenne, primary and secondary school teachers.
Since 2019: 2h Agronomy and biosphere course in Licence 2 Biotechnologies Végétales et Bioraffinerie (BVB) and Œnologie (ŒNO) at URCA.
Since 2015: responsible for the “Agroecosystems and agroecological transition” teaching unit in Master 2 “Production de Biomasse Végétale et Bioprotection (PBVB)” at URCA, 25h of classes.
Since 2015: 4h Soil organic matters and biogeochemical cycles course in Master 1 Biologie AgroSciences (BAS) and Bioceb at URCA.

Main publications

Vion-Guibert, L., Capowiez, Y., Alavoine, G., Besaury, L., Delfosse, O., Hedde, M., Marsden, C., Lashermes, G. (2024) The effects of earthworm species on organic matter transformations and soil microbial communities are only partially related to their bioturbation activity. Soil Biology Biochemistry 199, 109606. DOI Jeu de données : Data Gouv, News Site FARE

Lashermes, G., Recous, S., Alavoine, G., Janz, B., Butterbach-Bahl, K., Ernfors, M., Laville, P. (2022) The N2O emission from decomposing crop residues is strongly linked to their initial soluble fraction and early mineralization dynamics. Science of the Total Environment, 806, 4, 150883. DOI Jeu de données: Data Gouv , News Site FARE 

Lashermes, G., Bleuze, L., Recous, S., Voinot, R., Lafolie, F., Chabbert, B. (2020) Multiscale modeling of microbial degradation of outer tissues of fiber-crop stems during the dew retting process. Bioresource Technology 311, 123558. DOI  Code modèle News Site FARE

Margida, M.G., Lashermes, G., Moorhead, D.L. (2020) Estimating relative cellulolytic and ligninolytic enzyme activities as functions of lignin and cellulose content in decomposing plant litter. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 141, 107689. DOI News Site FARE

Recous, S., Lashermes, G., Bertrand, I., Duru, M., Pellerin, S. (2019). C-N-P Decoupling processes linked to arable cropping management systems in relation with intensification of production. In: Gilles Lemaire, Paulo César de Faccio Carvalho, Scott Kronberg, Sylvie Recous, dir., Agrosystem Diversity. Reconciling contemporary agriculture and environmental quality (p. 35-53). London, GBR: Academic press, Elsevier. 478 p. News Site FARE

Bleuze, L., Lashermes, G., Alavoine, G., Recous, S., Chabbert, B. (2018) Tracking the dynamics of hemp dew retting under controlled environmental conditions. Industrial Crops and Products, 123, 55-63. DOI News Site FARE

Sauvadet, M., Lashermes, G., Alavoine, G., Recous, S., Chauvat, M., Maron, P.A., Bertrand, I. (2018) High carbon use efficiency and low priming effects promote soil C stabilization under reduced tillage. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 123, 64-73‏. DOI News Site FARE

Lashermes, G., Claisse-Gainvors, A., Recous, S., Bertrand, I. (2016). Enzymatic strategies and carbon use efficiency of a litter-decomposing fungus grown on maize leaves, stems, and root. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7. (Open Access) DOI

Lashermes, G., Moorhead, D., Recous, S., Bertrand, I. (2014) Interacting Microbe and Litter Quality Controls on Litter Decomposition: A Modeling Analysis. Plos One, 9 (9). co-first authors (Open Access) DOI

Moorhead, D.L., Lashermes, G., Sinsabaugh, R.L. (2012) A theoretical model of C- and N-acquiring exoenzyme activities, which balances microbial demands during decomposition. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 53, 133 -141. DOI

Vulgarization article

Lashermes, G., Recous, S., Alavoine, G., 2022. A delicate balance: Should we return green crop residues to the soil? Research Outreach! Issue 128, 48-52. Site.

Derrien, D., Dignac, M.-F., Basile Doelsch, I., Barot, S., Cécillon, L., Chenu, C., Chevallier, T., Freschet, G. T., Garnier, P., Guenet, B., Hedde, M., Klumpp, K., Lashermes, G., Maron, P.-A., Nunan, N., Roumet, C., Barré, P. (2016). Stocker du C dans les sols : Quels mécanismes, quelles pratiques agricoles, quels indicateurs ? Etude et Gestion des Sols, 23, 193-223. 

Recous, S, Lashermes, G, Bertrand, I. (2017) Couplages et contrôles des cycles du carbone et de l’azote par les communautés microbiennes dans les sols cultivés. Les sols et la vie souterraine: Des enjeux majeurs en agroécologie„ Editions Quae, 328 p., 2017, Synthèses (Quae), 978-2-7592-2651-1. DOI

PhD thesis supervisor

In progress, P. Verjans. Mineralogical and microbial control of organic matter stabilization in soils
In progress, A. Bouhenache. Impact of climate change on the production and recycling of plant biomass and the use of nitrogen in the soil: a case study of maize under extreme precipitation conditions.
2021, V. Chandra. Emissions of gaseous nitrogen compounds from soils during decomposition of crop residues: experimental approach and modeling.
2021, M. Margida. Simulating Microbial Enzyme Allocation During Plant Litter Decay in Response to Litter Lignin Content and C:N Stoichiometry.
2019, L. Bleuze. Soil retting of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). Dynamics under controlled environment and modeling. French Académie Dufrenoy Silver Medal Award-2019. Website News.
2013, A. Iqbal. Role of plant residue mulches in the expected ecological functions of conservation agriculture cropping systems.

Other activities

Since 2023: coordinator of the topic “Looping nitrogen/phosphorus cycles and carbon neutrality in agricultural systems” in the AgroEcoSystem division of INRAE.
Since 2023: coordinator of the CANETE research project (Efficiency of microbial use of soil carbon and nutrients in human-managed terrestrial ecosystems) funded by the FairCarboN Priority Research Programs and Equipment (PEPR). Website News.
Since 2021: Member of the scientific committee, BioChemEnv platform, EcoSys Lab
Since 2021: open science referent, FARE Lab