Aquifer ecosystem in response to operation of groundwater heat pump system
New green technologies are developing rapidly in recent years to combat the consequential effects of climate change. Groundwater heat pump system (GWHPs) is a promising technology that utilises groundwater for cooling buildings, to reduce the effects of urban heat island caused by conventional cooling methods. The operation of such system is often challenging, at which adverse reactions (i.e., clogging mediated by iron-oxidising bacteria) can be resulted from the disturbance of aquifer biodiversity and groundwater chemistry (i.e., elevated temperature, homogenising vertical groundwater column, draw-in of dissolved oxygen into an anoxic aquifer). This project aims to investigate the responses of aquifer microbial communities and groundwater chemistry as resulted from operation of GWHPs, including three parts:
This project is part of a bigger multi-disciplinary project known as Aquifroid, and is in collaboration with Université Laval, La Commission géologique du Canada, Ressources naturelles Canada, Environnement et Lutte contre les changements climaqitues Québec and CanmetEnergie. It is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, under the program of Advancing Climate Change Science in Canada. |
Rapid on-site detection of harmful algal blooms (RosHAB)
Every summer in Quebec, hundreds of lakes are affected by potentially toxic cyanobacterial blooms, which are predicted to become more frequent with climate change. The Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faunes et des Parcs (MELCCFP) surveys several water bodies in the province to guarantee the early detection of blooms and the fast implementation of a management action together with the Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux (MSS) du Quebec. However, they currently rely on microscopic quantification of cyanobacteria which may take up to 4 days from sampling to the release of results. The RosHAB project aims to decrease this delay to no more than 24h by implementing an on-site real time sequencing using the Oxford Nanopore Technology. Beyond using a cutting-edge sequencing technology to survey cyanobacterial blooms in collaboration with the MELCCFP, the project aims to create the International Cyanobacterial toxin (ICYATOX) database with cyanobacterial strains isolated from Quebec and the whole-sequence of their genomes.
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The health status of Quebec southern lakes defined by the microbiome and their responses to disturbancesClimate change and human activities are increasingly threatening the health of freshwater ecosystems, including lakes in Quebec. These ecosystems hide a rich biodiversity and provide many services to the population such as drinking water. It is therefore essential to characterize and monitor the health of lakes in order to better understand and anticipate their responses to disturbances. Among the consequences generated by these anthropogenic pressures, the proliferation of algal and cyanobacteria blooms could increase in frequency and magnitude. Episodes of cyanobacteria and algal blooms are among the major environmental and health concerns in Quebec. At the base of the lake food chain, microorganisms (microbiome) contribute in different ways to the proper functioning of these ecosystems. These microorganisms are identified as the first line of information on the health status of the lakes. This research project in collaboration with the Ministère de l’environnement et de la lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faunes et des Parcs (MELCCFP) aims to use the microbiome as a sentinel of the impacts of global warming and human activities, in particular agricultural activities and enrichment by nutrients, on the health of lakes in Quebec. The proposed approach, next-generation sequencing (NGS), opens the door to more cost-effective, faster and more representative monitoring of our lakes; allowing to answer the needs expressed by the MELCCFP to understand more precisely the changes and dynamics that characterize the evolution towards the eutrophication of lakes for better water management in Quebec.
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GROW: Genomics Research for Optimization of constructed treatment Wetlands for water remediationOil sand mining produces large volumes of contaminated water containing naphthenic acids (NAs) – major contaminants of concern due to their high toxicity and associated risks to ecosystems integrity, aquatic biota, and human health. Constructed wetland treatment systems have the potential to remediate oil sand process-affected water by promoting microbial degradation of NAs. However, little knowledge on the mechanisms of NAs biodegradation prevents the optimization of the treatment of oil sands affected waters. In this highly collaborative project, funded by Genome Canada and Genome Quebec, our lab (in close partnership with Dr. Christine Martineau, NRCan) aims at identifying the microbial taxa, metabolic pathways, and genes involved in the degradation of NAs using a multifaceted approach. Sequencing, culture-based, and stable isotope probing (SIP) techniques will be used to identify bacteria with naphthenic acid degrading capabilities in a pilot constructed wetland as well as the metabolic pathways and genes involved. The outcomes of this project will guide optimization strategies for reducing oil sand-processed water toxicity using wetland treatment systems.
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Nitrate contamination from a gold mine
The mining industry is subject to environmental standards in terms of discharges, however effluents lead to changes in the chemical composition of receiving environments affecting aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. However, a mine in Quebec will implement a new process to limit its impact on the environment by reducing the nitrate inputs in the receiving environment. Nitrate being used as one of the main nutrients by biofilms in aquatic environments, especially by the algal component, which stimulates primary productivity. Thus, this project focuses on assessing the impact of a decrease in nitrate inputs from the mining industry on stream biofilm. Indeed, variations in the environmental conditions can have an effect on the trophic chains by restructuring the biological communities and lead to a modification of the ratios of fatty acids. Taxonomic changes can provide information on environmental conditions. A multi-descriptor approach is used with the identification of diatom assemblages and teratological forms, the study of fatty acid profiles, the identification of taxonomic diversity within the biofilm.
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Soil to Water Connectivity: Structuring Factors for Microbial Communities in the ArcticThe thawing of the permafrost due to global warming leads, among other things, to the formation of ponds that emit greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide and methane. These ponds represent a very large surface, covering nearly 25% of the Arctic. The organic matter (OM), composed of the remains of living organisms, from the soil is used by the microorganisms of the ponds which use it as energy and produce GHG. As the permafrost thaws, organic matter, previously inaccessible to microorganisms, could change the GHG emission balance. In this project, we are comparing a site where the permafrost is highly degraded (Nunavik, northern Quebec) with a second site on Bylot Island, Nunavut, where the permafrost is less degraded. Some samples will be used to determine if the metabolisms of microorganisms vary according to the state of degradation of the permafrost. This project will allow a better understanding of the effects of the formation of this type of waterhole on possible climate feedbacks at the global scale, thus improving climate models.
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Defining Arctic lake core microbiome composition and functioning in a warming climate
Microorganisms, which provide an ecological backbone for the Arctic environment, are experiencing an increase in stress directly exacerbated by climate change. Despite this, the effects of climate change on Arctic microbial communities remain relatively uncharacterized. This project aims to investigate the responses of microorganisms to brownification, which is an increase in terrestrially derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) entering a body of water. This project will identify typical Arctic lake microbial taxa from clear-water lakes located on Bylot Island, Nunavut, and assess how they respond to changes in DOM at the community, population, and individual levels.
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CIMP projectThe Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program of the Government of the Northwest Territories supports our project aims at understanding how aquatic bacteria and their functions are changing due to various cumulative pressures in the Sahtù. By understanding how environmental variables affect aquatic bacteria under different landscape pressures, we aim to predict their response to future or intensified change. These changes can have significant impacts on the biodiversity and functioning of these ecosystems, as well as the livelihoods and well-being of people who rely on them. The project is conducted with the assistance of the K'asho Got'ine Guardians in Fort Good Hope, within the protected area Ts’udé Nilįné Tuyeta to investigate the bacterial community present in lakes and the environmental variables (e.g., temperature, nutrients, dissolved carbon, metals) that drive the differences in the abundance of the different bacterial species across waterbodies.
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Our collaborators
Given the multidisciplinary nature of my research, our projects imply collaborations with researchers from diverse disciplines and from other organizations including non-for profit organizations, municipalities and indigenous communities. We are grateful to collaborate with ECCC, Natural Resources Canada, the Ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutteaux Changements Climatiques, Faune et Parcs du gouvernement du Québec (MELCCFP), and The Northwest Territories Geological Survey (NTGS).
Team members are affiliated to two FRQNT strategic clusters, the Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie (GRIL) and the Centre d’études nordiques (CEN) that bring together scientists with distinct yet complementary expertise and offer logistical and financial supports to researchers and students.
Team members are affiliated to two FRQNT strategic clusters, the Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie (GRIL) and the Centre d’études nordiques (CEN) that bring together scientists with distinct yet complementary expertise and offer logistical and financial supports to researchers and students.