McGill University
M.Sc. candidate
Supervisor: Anthony Ricciardi
Start: 2011-09-01
End: 2014-05-01
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Project

Ecology of benthic invertebrates in a thermal plume
My MSc research will compare benthic community properties within the thermal discharge of a nuclear power plant (Gentilly-2) to that in the surrounding area in space (along the thermal gradient) and time (several years of data). Using a multi-variate approach, I will assess the impacts of the effluent on the native community composition, as well as identify the role of exotic species in community response to temperature. Not only will this work provide insight into the effect of thermal pollution on aquatic communities, but this system acts as a "living laboratory" for evaluating the potential future effects of global warming on the St. Lawrence biota.