A fresh approach to biodiversity patterns of freshwater zooplancton across scales and ecosystems

在加拿大，湖泊和河流是景观的主要特征，但对食物网底部淡水微生物多样性的了解仍处于初级阶段。拟议的研究计划将提供一种研究微生物多样性的新方法，使用淡水浮游动物作为模式群落，并将群落生态学、功能特征和系统发育生物学结合在一起的启发式框架。这项研究计划结合了数据库分析和实地考察。将利用我独特的加拿大湖泊浮游动物群落数据库和对魁北克南部圣劳伦斯河、城市周边湖泊和城市池塘的实地研究，开发四个跨尺度(大陆、区域和当地)和生态系统(湖泊、河流和池塘)的项目。为了达到研究目标，我们将研究：*1.纬度温度梯度如何决定加拿大大陆尺度的甲壳类浮游动物的分类、功能和系统发育多样性？**2.区域景观特征、人为干扰和当地环境过滤器如何调节北部湖区的浮游动物多样性和群落结构？**3.沉水植被的结构复杂性如何影响河流和湖泊的浮游动物物种丰富度、群落结构和功能多样性？**4.浮游动物生物多样性在分类和功能类群之间的分布，我们的主要目标之一是培养水生群落生态学和生物多样性科学方面的高素质人才。通过拟议的研究计划，我将培养2名PDF、3名博士、3名硕士、2名硕士和至少3名本科生。我将提供理论生态学、浮游动物生态学、空间建模、宏观生态学、生物多样性、系统发生学、功能特性和城市生态学方面的培训。这项研究将产生几个交付成果和产品：i)加拿大浮游动物物种和特征分布图；ii)加拿大浮游动物分类、功能和系统发生多样性度量的完整数据库；iii)不同来源淡水浮游动物的元数据，将浮游动物结构与环境条件联系起来；iv)在高质量科学期刊上发表科学论文；v)新的成像系统应用于分析淡水浮游动物功能组；vi)生物评估工具，用于评估城市景观中水生生物的生态完整性和生物多样性养护。最后，我想编辑一本关于加拿大淡水桡足类的分类、分类和分布的书，作为我长期研究浮游动物生态学的遗产。总体而言，我的研究计划将更好地理解淡水微生物生命的结构机制，并为保护水生生态系统做出贡献。

In Canada, lakes and rivers are dominant features of the landscape, butknowledge of freshwater diversity of microorganisms at the base of food webs is still in infancy. The proposed research program will provide a fresh approach to microbial biodiversity, using freshwater zooplankton as a model community and a heuristic framework integrating community ecology, functional traits and phylogenetic biology. The research program involves a mix of database analyses and field studies. Four projects will be developed across scales (continental, regional and local) and ecosystems (lakes, rivers and ponds), using my unique database on zooplankton communities in Canadian lakes, and field studies in the St. Lawrence River, peri-urban lakes and urban ponds in Southern Québec. To address the research objectives, we will examine:****1. How the latitudinal temperature gradient determines crustacean zooplankton taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity at the continental scale of Canada?**2. How regional landscape features, anthropogenic disturbances, and local environmental filters regulate zooplankton diversity and community structure in boreal lake districts?**3. How structural complexity of submerged vegetation affects zooplankton species richness, community structure and functional diversity in rivers and lakes?**4. How zooplankton biodiversity is distributed among taxonomic and functional groups, and ecosystems in peri-urban and urban landscapes?*****One of our primary goals is to train highly qualified personnel in aquatic community ecology and biodiversity science. Through the proposed research program, I will train 2 PDF, 3 Ph.D., 3 M.Sc., 2 Master, and at least 3 undergraduate students. I will offer training in theoretical ecology, zooplankton ecology, spatial modelling, macroecology, biodiversity, phylogeny, functional traits, and urban ecology. The research will lead to several deliverables and products: i) species and trait distribution maps for Canadian zooplankton, ii) a complete database on taxonomical, functional and phylogenetic diversity metrics for Canadian zooplankton, iii) metadata on freshwater zooplankton from different sources across scales linking zooplankton structure to environmental conditions, iv) scientific papers in high quality scientific journals, v) new imaging system application for analysing zooplankton functional groups in fresh waters, vi) bioassessment tools for evaluating ecological integrity and biodiversity conservation of aquatic biota in urban landscapes. Finally, I would like to edit a book on the systematics, taxonomy and distribution of freshwater copepods in Canada as the legacy of my long-term research on zooplankton ecology. Overall, my research program will give a better understanding of mechanisms that structure microbial life in fresh waters, and contribute to conservation of aquatic ecosystems.***