The St-Sardos and Le Fauga sites are described elsewhere (see above sections and Appendix), because they are common sites of the CarboEurope and Continental biosphere projects. This section is thus focused on the Auradé and Lamasquere sites, in complement of the informations given in the CoSMOS section (see above).

Most information concerning present and past management, detailed information concerning site location, former land cover, map, and satellite pictures have been collected in 2004. A data base is under construction. Detailed description of soil profile has still to be done. For more details see Appendix.

The Auradé site is located on a plateau. Surface area of the plot is 14 ha. It is cultivated on a wheat-sunflower-wheat-rapeseed rotation basis. The parcel is tilled and fertilised, and will be covered with rapeseed in 2005.

The Lamasquere site is located in a flat large alluvial valley. Surface area of the plot is 37 ha.

It is cultivated on a wheat-corn-corn- sunflower rotation basis. The parcel is tilled, irrigated and fertilised, and will be covered by wheat in 2005.

figure II.2.5-a : The Lamasquere (left) and Auradé (right) sites

The Auradé and Lamasquère sites were equipped in March and July 2004, respectively, with meteorological and flux stations running on batteries and solar panels.

Other parameters (soil heat flux, light interception, canopy radiative temperature…) were also recorded. Concerning the footprint analysis data were sent to Mathias Goeckede for the standardised footprint analysis.

Phenology, leaf area index, plant area index biomass and height were measured regularly throughout the 2004 season. Biometric relationships were already obtained for several crops on our two plots and on surrounding plots in Lamasquère. LAI and PAI were also estimated