The morphometry platform, which includes the quantitative eco-anatomy approaches, comprises several workstations: two microscopes, two stereomicroscopes equipped with cameras, two stands with digital cameras. The latter allow taking photographs and measurements of vegetal (seeds and fruits, anatomical features of wood) and animal material (teeth). The various studies conducted on the platform are supported by reference collections, serving as models for the characterization of fossil and sub-fossil material.
(1) The morphometric approach allows the analysis of variations in size (traditional morphometry) and conformation of objects (geometric morphometry) and to quantify their similarities or divergences. For example, morphometrics allows us to understand and model the impact of environmental conditions and the influence of human practices (disturbance, exploitation, agriculture, domestication…) on plants and animals.
(2) The principle of quantitative eco-anatomy resides in the measurement of the vascular elements of wood and their variations according to natural or anthropogenic ecological parameters. The research developed on the technical platform focuses on the impact of human activities, on the conditions influencing tree growth and on the domestication history of cultivated varieties.
