Université de Montréal
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Geneviève Lajoie
Anne Bruneau
Start: 2022-08-22
End: 2025-08-22

Project

Effects of urbanization on spatial and temporal dynamics of leaf microbial communities
Urbanization affects the survival and distribution of many organisms globally. Compared to wild habitats, the higher temperature and pollution recorded in urbanized areas have been linked to changes in the composition and traits of plants. Despite their importance for plant health and ecosystem functioning, we however still largely ignore how such environmental changes affect community dynamics of plant-associated microbial communities. This project aims to determine the response of leaf endophytic microbes of the New-England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) to spatial and temporal gradients in urbanization. To fulfill this objective, we will be developing the molecular analysis of microbial communities from herbarium specimens as a new approach to study temporal community dynamics of leaf microbes.