NSERC CREATE Training Program in Aquatic Ecosystem Health: Integrative Approaches for Studying Multiple Stressors (ERASMUS)

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It is predicted that the world's population will exceed 9 billion people within the next 40 years and there is no question that freshwater resources must be managed wisely to meet human needs, yet maintain sustainable aquatic ecosystems. Nowhere are the effects of human induced habitat alterations more evident than in climate change issues, large scale freshwater crises, and the long-term sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. In Canada, for example, contamination from both anthropogenic and natural sources remains a serious threat to the health of both aquatic environments, and the people and economies relying on them. To effectively address these issues we require global cooperation and innovative tools and approaches. The development of guidelines to protect global resources is not occurring fast enough, primarily because of the lack of interdisciplinary expertise required to develop integrative management models. Currently, the training of environmental professionals focuses on high specialization within narrowly defined disciplines. This proposal aims to address this lack of expertise within the critical research framework of managing global freshwater resources.