research themes
Prairie AQUAtic greenhouse gas emissions
Our lab is advancing our understanding of the rates, controls, and historical trends in greenhouse gas emissions from Canadian Prairie aquatic ecosystems. We measure emissions from wetlands, rivers, reservoirs, and lakes.
Measurement and regulation of aquatic metabolism
We use a wide range of approaches to explore the controls, patterns, and rates of aquatic production and respiration, and how human activities modify food web metabolism.
Human impacts on nutrient cycling
A major goal of our research is to understand the impacts of human activities on aquatic nutrient cycling (nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur) and the links between eutrophication and management decisions (treatment plant upgrades, wetland effluent remediation, reservoir creation, etc.).
Understanding human impacts on aquatic food webs
(in a multiple-stressor context)
We are exploring how multiple, concurrent human impacts interactively shape diverse metrics of food web health and functioning, and degradation of water quality conditions.
Carbon processing in northern aquatic networks
Northern high latitude regions are warming faster than anywhere else on Earth, experiencing rapid climatic and hydrologic changes. While our research program is currently only focused on Canadian Prairie aquatic systems, we are involved in collaborations related to global change impacts on northern aquatic ecosystems through a number of different programs.
Current and Past Funding
Ducks Unlimited Canada Research contract (2023-24):
“Linkages between biodiversity and greenhouse gas fluxes in Prairie wetlands”