Guanchao Cheng (Northeast Forestry University) utilized the IRISCC Open Calls to access the FO3X manipulative research facility at the CNR-IRET Institute in Italy.
Success stories
Studying how trees respond to ozone stress in Italy
I am Guanchao Cheng, from China, currently undertaking a one-year visiting exchange program at the CNR-IRET Institute in Florence, Italy. During my stay, we have been working on a project that studies how different types of trees respond to ozone pollution.
In nature, nearly all plants form close relationships with fungi in the soil, which help them take up nutrients. Different types of these associations exist, and they can influence how plants react to environmental stress. In our study, we focus on two types—arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) trees—and investigate whether they respond differently when exposed to ozone, which is still an important air pollutant.
Installation
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FO3X O3-FACE (Free-air O3 eXposure)
Provider
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National Council of Research (CNR)
Research Infrastructure
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AnaEE
Link
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https://catalog.isia.cnrs.fr/catalog/20/installations/61
Duration
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120 days during 1.9.2025-31.8.2026
Access
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Transnational Access, Physical
To do this, we use a special experimental setup called a FACE (Free-Air Ozone Concentration Enrichment) system at CNR-IRET. CNR’s FO3X ecosystem-level manipulative research facility allows us to expose trees growing outdoors to different ozone levels over a full growing season, while keeping the conditions otherwise as natural as possible. It provides a reliable way to compare how the different tree species respond under controlled but realistic conditions.
I first learned about IRISCC through a professor at CNR-IRET before my exchange. Since my project depends heavily on access to the FO3X facility and its infrastructure, connecting my exchange with applying transnational access to this specific facility hosted by CNR through IRISCC was a natural choice.
The application process was clear and well organized with a user-friendly approach. From proposal submission to the completion of the review, the process was highly efficient.
During the project, the combination of IRISCC support and access to the FACE facility has been essential. The IRISCC sponsored access made it possible to carry out the field? work, and the infrastructure allowed us to collect the kind of long-term data we need. In addition, being able to work closely with the research team at CNR-IRET has been very valuable, especially when planning measurements and interpreting the results.
Access through IRISCC has also made it possible for us to look at a broad range of plant and soil responses. This has improved both the depth and the overall quality of the study.
Looking back, one of the most valuable aspects of the experience has been the opportunity to work with and learn from researchers at CNR-IRET. Being part of an active research group and exchanging ideas on a daily basis has been just as important as access to the facility itself.
Based on my experience, I would recommend IRISCC access program to other researchers, especially those coming outside of Europe. It provides a practical way to access specialized research infrastructure in Europe for climate change risk research and supports collaboration in a way that is both efficient and welcoming.
