Eco-evolutionary dynamics in aquatic environments

Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec
What the facility does

Ecology and evolution of aquatic ecosystems currently under anthropogenic stress or at risk of being under stress in the future.

Areas of expertise

My research team studies the relationships between the ecological and evolutionary forces that maintain the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. More specifically, we study the consequences of anthropogenic stress on the ecology and evolution of aquatic populations and communities. We look at how adaptive reactions influence ecological interactions in communities and ecosystem operation. Improving knowledge of the reciprocal influence between ecology and evolution is critical for adequately preserving aquatic resources and understanding the factors that influence biodiversity loss.

My research program is unique in Canada because it is the only eco-evolutionary program studying interior aquatic ecosystems in the country. The CFI’s infrastructure is used for studying key environmental issues that will increasingly threaten the integrity of 21ST century aquatic ecosystems, such as changes in water chemistry due to climate change, mining of metals, acidification, and altered food webs from exotic invasion and disrupted trophic interactions.

Research services

- Eco-evolutionary experimentation in the field and lab

- Microscopy and imaging

- Lipid and pigment extraction

- Metabolic performance

- Community genetics

Sectors of application
  • Education
  • Fisheries and aquaculture
Specialized lab Equipment Function
Acquatic ecosystem ecology and evolution Truck Field research
  Boat, outboard motors, and trailer Field research
  Chemostats & associated equipment (water baths, pumps, pumpheads) Eco-evolutionary laboratory experiments
  High-resolution stereomicroscopes & camera Community analyses of zooplankton and invertebrates
  High-resolution inverted microscopes & camera Community analyses of phytoplankton
  Microbalance Lipid and pigment extraction; preparation of media for chemostat experiments
  Freeze dryer system Lipid and pigment extraction
  Nitrogen evaporator Lipid and pigment extraction
  Benchtop refrigerator centrifuge Lipid and pigment extraction; resurrection ecology experiments
  Fluorometer Metabolic performance
  Flammables storage freezer Preservation of ethanol-preserved community genetics samples
  PCR machine & gel electrophoresis Community genetics
  Automated temperature and conductivity dataloggers Field research
  Stream sampling unit Field research
  Clean bench Sterile preparation of DNA samples and assembly of chemostat experiments

- Environment Canada

- Parks Canada

- Group for Interuniversity Research in Limnology and aquatic environment (GRIL)

- Quebec Center for Biodiversity Science (QCBS)

- WSP Canada Inc.

Title URL
De minuscules baromètres du climat dans les lacs http://www.sciencepresse.qc.ca/actualite/2013/05/09/minuscules-barometres-climat-lacs