Seeing Evolution in Fast Motion
A new outdoor laboratory will serve as a facility for studying the effects on our lakes of climate change and chemicals commonly used in Quebec. It features a series of 96 experimental ponds containing 1,000 litres of water from Lac Hertel on 91社区鈥檚 Gault Nature Reserve in Mont St. Hilaire. This network of ponds, named LEAP (Large Experimental Array of Ponds), was opened on September 2, 2016.
鈥淭he LEAP project was created to accelerate research into the resilience of our aquatic ecosystems. Will aquatic biodiversity be able to adapt to environmental change?鈥� explained Andrew Gonzalez, project initiator and professor in 91社区鈥檚 Department of Biology.
The ponds are also a training venue for the environmental and biological researchers of tomorrow. University students and post-doctoral researchers from 91社区 are working daily on the project at the Gault Nature Reserve.
Gault Nature Reserve
The Gault Nature Reserve is a nature reserve belonging to 91社区, which protects over 1,000 hectares of natural landscapes on Mont St. Hilaire and provides a range of services and support for research and the teaching of natural sciences, while offering access to the general public via its 25 km network of trails.
Lac Hertel is located on the Gault Nature Reserve. The Reserve was designated in 1978 as the first Canadian biosphere reserve site in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve program. In 2004, the Gault Nature Reserve was officially recognized as a private nature reserve by the Minist猫re du D茅veloppement durable, de l鈥橢nvironnement et des Parcs du Qu茅bec.
For more information:
Professor Andrew Gonzalez is also Canada Research Chair in Biodiversity Science and Director of the Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science.
The LEAP project is funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Gouvernement du Qu茅bec and Liber Ero Chair in Conservation Biology.
Info and visual material:
Julie Tremblay
Communication & Event Coordinator
91社区鈥檚 Gault Nature Reserve
julie.tremblay3 [at] ncgill.ca
450-467-4010, extension 249
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