ANR-Biological filtration to reduce trace elements in woody biomass

由于工业活动，法国和加拿大存在大量受微量元素严重污染的场地，对环境和人类健康造成危害。该提案旨在制定一项短期和长期的轮作战略，以限制受TE污染的土地，并将其重新转化为具有生产力和弹性的生态系统，提供全方位的商品和服务。它还将通过选择避免TE从土壤大量转移到可收获的木质生物质的栽培或品种来评估生产木质生物质的可能性。短期和长期的研究目标是：1)开发基于候选基因的功能基因组标记，以辅助树木和微共生物种的基因型选择；ii)选择（体外和体内）对污染土壤中遇到的TE具有生态耐受性的树木和微共生物种；Iii)建立并评价基于间作树种的综合生物修复大规模大田试验；（四）对这些试验进行经济财务分析和社会接受度；v)协调、沟通和传播结果和信息。该项目的创新方面依赖于技术和经济可行性水平。为了解决与这些创新方面有关的复杂问题，我们召集了一个由两国具有互补专业知识的领先科学家组成的加拿大-法国联盟。开发这种潜在的补救生物技术将为两国的辅助工业和环境咨询机构提供机会。这个联合研究项目是国家科学研究委员会加强与法国国家科学研究院科学合作的国际战略的一部分，它将加强两国研究和创新社区之间的合作，以取得世界级的科学和技术成果，引领健康环境和生态系统领域的新的创新绿色技术。这也符合大学的研究和培训任务，以及NSERC的使命，即投资于可能在未来10年内对加拿大绿色经济、社会和/或环境产生重大影响的人员、发现和创新。

Due to industrial activities, large sites highly contaminated by trace elements (TE) are present in France and Canada, imposing hazard(s) to environment and human health. This proposal aims at developing a short and long rotation strategy for the capping of TE contaminated lands and for reconverting them into productive and resilient ecosystems offering a full range of goods and services. It will also evaluate the possibility of producing woody biomass by selecting cultivars or varieties that avoid mass translocation of TE from soil to the harvestable woody biomass. The short-and long- term research objectives are to: i) develop functional genomic markers based on candidate genes approach to assist genotypic selection of tree and microsymbiont species; ii) select (in vitro and in vivo) ecogenetically tolerant tree and microsymbiont species to TE encountered in contaminated soils; iii) establish and evaluate integrated bioremediation large-scale field trials based on intercropping tree species; iv) conduct economical and financial analyses and social acceptance of these trials; and v) coordinate, communicate and disseminate the results and information. The innovative aspects of this project rely on both technological and economical feasibility levels. To address the complex questions related to these innovative aspects, we have assembled a Canadian-French consortium of leading scientists in both countries with complementary expertise. Exploitation of this potential remediation biotechnology will provide opportunities for ancillary industries and environmental consultant agencies in both countries. This joint research project is part of NSERC's international strategy to increase scientific collaboration with the ANR-France, It will strengthen the collaboration between the two countries' research and innovation communities to achieve world-class scientific and technical results, leading towards new innovative green technologies in the area of healthy environment and ecosystems. It is also consistent with the University's research and training mandates and with NSERC's mission to invest in people, discovery and innovation that could strongly influence Canada's green economy, society and/or environment within the next 10 years.