Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Pollution caused by pesticides or other pollutants is an actual problem for aquatic ecosystems. Phytoplankton (algae and cyanobacteria) and aquatic plants found in these waters are very sensitive to water quality variations. Lakes and rivers are impacted rarely by a single pollutant and environmental factors. Very few studies were performed in the past to understand the combined effect of these environmental stressors on the physiology of algae, cyanobacteria and aquatic higher plants. Furthermore, some algal and plant species have developed mechanisms to decontaminate polluted environments, but these species have different ability, link to their physiology, to perform this task. The research programs that will be completed with the use of the requested equipment will aimed to better understand these two aspects. Therefore, important impacts on the environmental quality of Canadian aquatic ecosystems.The requested equipment and its accessories, a JTS-10 Pump and probe spectrometer system, is composed of different modules allowing to measure key processes related to photosynthesis and protection mechanisms involving Photosystems I and II, plastocyanin and cytochrome b6f. The JTS-10 is the only existing system allowing to study the effects of environmental factors on these mechanisms and to evaluate the link between sequestration efficiency of metallic contaminants and the efficiency of photosynthetic activity. We will also study the mechanisms involved in the resistance of plant and phytoplankton species to the combination of environmental factors. This combined approach is original and will permit to obtain a complete understanding of the involved mechanisms, which is not possible with the equipments currently available. The requested equipment, not available in Quebec province (and maybe even in Canada), will be essential for the completion of several MSc and PhD training programs.