Advanced environmentally-controlled experimentation to evaluate plant stressors and growth success

联合国生物多样性公约目前有四个生长室，其组成部分已经过时和/或无法运作。这些腔室由三种不同的模型类型组成，鉴于这些不一致性，不可能在生长环境之间没有显著差异的情况下进行更大规模的实验。因此，我们建议购买三个新的生长室，以取代现有的单位。*我们需要新的生长室，以便有效、准确地进行环境控制实验。我们需要增加温度变化，更全面和节能的照明，以及有效的工作湿度控制。与UNBC目前非常旧的型号相比，这些腔室将包含技术先进的照明和温度控制，以及有效的相对湿度控制。目前，最新的系统现在使用技术更先进的灯，这是更节能，大大增加了照明处理的灵活性，并产生更少的热量，从而消除了对照明灯具周围的冷却套的需要。此外，对室内温度调节技术进行了重大升级，允许在更大的温度范围内进行实验。最后，今天生产的生长室使用更先进的加湿，如超声波加湿器。* NSERC资助的研究将由拟议的设备采购支持，包括：1。研究温度和光照变化如何影响植物对草甘膦除草剂诱导的胁迫的反应速率以及植物营养，因为草甘膦是已知的螯合剂（CRD和Discovery - Wood）。2.用注入CO2的水培系统进行实验，以阐明对植物生长的影响（Engage-Wood）。3.用在提供外源糖的干燥环境中生长的附生地衣肺叶衣（Lobaria pulmonaria）进行实验（Discovery -Freescale）。4.开发沸石基吸附剂，从污染水中吸收PO 43-和NH 4，用作在不同条件下植物生长的缓释肥料（Engage-Kazemian）。* 将通过该补助金支持的其他研究包括调查湿温带冠层地衣对温度变化等环境压力的反应（Coxson），并评估不同湿度下木质残体上药用蘑菇的生长（Massicotte）。这些项目是为了满足关键需求。我们必须更好地了解加拿大植物对自然环境中气候变化压力和人类压力的反应。植物具有种和居群水平的抗逆性和适应能力特异性。需要更多的研究来了解植物如何科普温度，湿度和光照条件的变化，以减轻植物死亡率或繁殖能力的变化，并保护宝贵的资源。

UNBC currently has four growth chambers with components that are obsolete and/or non-functional. The chambers are composed of three different model types, and given these inconsistencies, it is impossible to run a larger-scale experiment without significant variability between growth environments. Therefore, we propose to purchase three new growth chambers to replace the existing units.***We require new growth chambers in order to effectively and accurately conduct environmentally-controlled experimentation. We have a need for increased temperature variation, more comprehensive and energy efficient lighting, and effective, working humidity controls. These chambers would contain technologically-advanced lighting and temperature control, and effective relative humidity control compared to the very old models currently at UNBC. More current, up to date systems now use more technologically-advanced lights, which are much more energy efficient, substantially increase the flexibility of lighting treatment, and produce less heat, thereby eliminating the need for cooling jackets around the lighting fixtures. Furthermore, there are significant upgrades to technology available for temperature regulation within the chambers, allowing experimentation at a greater temperature range. Lastly, growth chambers produced today use more advanced humidification, such as an ultrasonic humidifier. ***The NSERC-funded research that will be supported by the proposed equipment acquisition includes: 1. Investigating how temperature and light variation may influence plant rate of response to glyphosate herbicide-induced stress and also plant nutrition, given that glyphosate is a known chelator (CRD and Discovery - Wood). 2. Experimentation with CO2-injected hydroponic systems to elucidate impacts on plant growth (Engage - Wood). 3. Experimentation with epiphytic lichen, Lobaria pulmonaria, growing in drier' environments with the provision of exogenous sugar (Discovery - Fredeen). 4. The development of a zeolite-based adsorbent to uptake PO43- and NH4 from contaminated water to use as a slow-release fertilizer for plant growth in varying conditions (Engage - Kazemian). ***Additional Research that will be supported through this grant includes investigation of the response of wet temperate canopy lichen to environmental stresses such as temperature change (Coxson), and to assess the growth of medicinal mushrooms on woody debris in different humidities (Massicotte).***These projects address critical needs. It is imperative that we better understand the response of plants in Canada to climate change stress and human pressures in the natural environment. Plants possess species and population-level specificity in stress tolerance and acclimation capabilities. More research is required to understand how plants cope with changes to temperature, humidity, and light conditions to mitigate plant mortality or changes to reproductive capacity and conserve valuable resources.