Star formation is a complex process that involves dusty gaseous structures covering orders of magnitude in spatial scales and gas densities. How the physical properties and dynamical evolution of these structures relate to a particular star formation event is yet to be fully uncovered. In the past decade, some progress has been made on linking the properties of low-mass star-forming cores to those of the interstellar filaments in which they most often form. On the other hand, there is also a growing body of evidence suggesting that the reservoirs from which massive (proto)stars accrete gas from are typically much larger than those for low-mass protostars. Trying to determine what physical process fixes the properties of these mass reservoirs, and finding out how they evolve towards the formation of individual stars and stellar clusters is at the heart of current star formation research. In this context, I will present recent observational studies aiming at understanding how gas flows from the scale of a giant molecular cloud to individual massive-star forming cores, and how feedback from recently formed OB stars affect their parent molecular cloud. I will discuss how the corresponding findings impact our current knowledge on molecular cloud structure and dynamical evolution of dense star-forming clumps.
Local contact, organization: V. Lebouteiller
