Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Nitrogen is the most often reported limiting nutrient in boreal ecosystems. Its availability constrains biomass production and will impact the response of this essential ecosystem to global climate change. Biological dinitrogen (N2) fixation is a critical source of new nitrogen input in unmanaged ecosystems. In the boreal forest, biological nitrogen fixation by cryptogams (bryophytes and lichens) accounts for more than half of all N input. Our multidisciplinary research team is composed of researchers from Biogeochemistry, and Ecology. We develop innovative fundamental research on biological nitrogen fixation, including (i) the evaluation of the role of alternative means of N2 fixation on global N input, (ii) the role of bryophytes on the nitrogen budget in boreal forests, and (iii) the effect of forest perturbation on bryophytes community and nitrogen fixation. Our applied research also provides innovative bryophyte-based solutions for revegetating mining sites and supports the development of new green biofertilizers. All our research programs rely on our ability to analyze biological nitrogen fixation activity. The most common method to assess biological nitrogen fixation is the acetylene reduction assay. This method uses acetylene reduction to ethylene as a proxy for biological nitrogen fixation. Gas chromatography (GC) coupled with a flame ionization detector (FID) is the gold standard for the analysis of ethylene. The requested equipment will address the acute shortage of GC for the efficient analysis of ethylene, currently limiting our research. It will also contribute to significantly improving the quality of HQPs training in analytical techniques in high demand in the job market (both academia and private sector). The benefits of our research to Canada are numerous. Our work on nitrogen cycling will improve knowledge of factors controlling N inputs and, ultimately, biomass production in boreal ecosystems and will lead to the development of new biofertilizers and innovative solutions for revegetating mining sites. Our research will provide the fundamental knowledge required to develop sustainable strategies to protect critical ecosystem services such as soil quality and plant production. It will also contribute to better evaluate the impact of global climate change on boreal ecosystems helping decision makers implementing appropriated legislations.