Alder-microbe interactions and adaptations in changing environments.

Frankia属土栖细菌在自然界中占有重要地位；据估计，全球固氮的15%至25%可归因于这些生物。不幸的是，研究frankiae及其与桤木根的共生关系存在许多技术困难。我正在使用最先进的技术解决这些困难，并以综合的方式进行这项重要的研究。在接下来的5年里，我们将研究桤木根部的真菌和其他桤木根居民（共生真菌）在暴露于重金属污染或干旱时如何与寄主植物相互作用。这两种环境压力都存在于桤木生长的地方。迄今为止，我们对它们的生物学和相互作用缺乏基本知识，无法有效预测工业活动和全球变暖如何影响它们，也无法充分利用它们的潜力来解决这些环境问题。这些植物-微生物系统的一个重要用途是受干扰矿区的植被恢复。这项研究将揭示桤木是否以及如何在它们的微生物伴侣存在的情况下，在暴露于金属或干旱时表现得更好。先进的植物生物学和分子生物学方法将应用于在受控（温室）条件下进行的试验，以及对青海北部金、铁和锂矿试验田的监测。

Soil-dwelling bacteria of genus Frankia are very important in Nature; it is estimated that 15% to 25% of global nitrogen fixation can be attributed to these organisms. Unfortunately, the study of frankiae and their symbiosis with alder roots comprise a number of technical difficulties. I am addressing these difficulties using state-of-the-art techniques, and pursuing this important research in an integrated manner. Over the course of the following 5 years, we will study how frankiae and other alder root inhabitants (symbiotic fungi) from alder roots, interact with their host plant when it is exposed to heavy metal contamination, or drought. Both these environmental stressors are present where alder grow. To date, we have insufficient fundamental knowledge of their biology and interactions to effectively predict how industrial activities and global warming can impact them, nor harness their full potential to adress these same environmental issues. One important use of these plant-microbe systems is the revegetatation of disturbed mine sites. This research will reveal if and how alders fare better in the presence of their microbial partners when exposed to metals or drought. Advanced plant biology and molecular biology methods will be applied in trials conducted in controlled (greenhouse) conditions, and the monitoring of experimental plantations on gold, iron and lithium mine sites in Northern Québec.