Combined effects of natural and anthropogenic factors on the physiology of aquatic animals

人类的工业和经济活动对环境产生广泛的影响。特别是，金属开采和冶炼在环境中释放了大量金属，污染了淡水系统，对野生动物造成毒害。人类活动也在通过提高平均温度和改变水的循环来改变我们的气候，从而影响到水位、温度和氧合。该研究采用生物化学、生理学和基因组学方法，研究加拿大淡水生态系统中易受金属污染和气候变化影响的鱼类和水生无脊椎动物。通过实验室实验和现场采样相结合，研究了金属毒性的机制以及温度和缺氧等自然应激因素对这些生物的应激反应和耐受性的综合影响。在加拿大，水产资源，特别是鱼类，具有很高的经济价值。这项研究计划所产生的知识将有助于更好地了解人类活动对水生生物的影响，并将提高我们在合理科学的基础上保护它们的能力。

Human industrial and economic activities generate a wide range of environmental impacts. In particular, metal mining and smelting have released large quantities of metals in the environment that have contaminated freshwater systems and caused toxicity to wildlife. Human activities are also modifying our climate by increasing mean temperatures and modifying the cycle of water, hence impacting on water level, temperature and oxygenation. This research uses biochemical, physiological and genomic approaches to study fish and aquatic invertebrates found in Canadian freshwater ecosystems and which are vulnerable to metal contamination and climate change. Through a combination of laboratory experiments and field sampling, the research examines the mechanisms of toxicity of metals and the combined effects of natural stressors like temperature and hypoxia on the stress response and tolerance of these organisms. Aquatic resources in general, and fish in particular, are of high economic value in Canada. Knowledge generated by this research program will contribute to a better understanding of the impacts of human activities on aquatic organisms and will improve our capacity to protect them based on sound science.