Cutting Edge Lectures in Science
Climate change, ecosystem collapse and cascading regime
shifts in the Canadian Arctic
By Dr. Warwick F. Vincent (Centre for Northern Studies /Centre d'Etudes Nordiques, Universit茅 Laval)
The Canadian Arctic contains a remarkably diverse variety of aquatic ecosystem types including permafrost thaw lakes, large rivers discharging to the Arctic Ocean, lagoons and other coastal ecosystems, and perennially ice-capped, solar heated lakes. Our analyses of the molecular microbiology of these waters have revealed diverse communities in each of the three domains of microbial life, with implications for biogeography, food web structure and 聽biogeochemical processes including greenhouse gas fluxes. The Arctic is currently warming at twice the global average, and some of these aquatic ecosystems have begun to experience step-like changes in their physical and ecological regimes. Our observations imply that global climate change will be increasingly accompanied by discontinuous shifts in aquatic ecosystem structure and function.
Sponsored and organized by 平特五不中 since 2003 with the express purpose of fostering communication between scientists in different disciplines as well as between scientists and the public, the Cutting Edge Lectures in Science are made possible through the generous support of Heather Munroe-Blum (平特五不中 Principal), Richard Levin (Dean of Medicine), Martin Grant (Dean of Science), Anthony Masi (Provost) and Denis Th茅rien (Vice-Principal, Research and International Relations). Lectures are followed by a聽vin d'honneur聽reception. Free, everyone welcome.