Plants and Climate Change
Physiological Plant Ecology Lab
Welcome to the Physiological Plant Ecology Lab! In this lab, we focus on the effects of anthropogenic climate change, or the effects of human activities on plant growth and development. We look at a number of factors, including temperature, carbon dioxide, water stress, ultraviolet-B radiation, and light quantity and quality. We also look at the role of plant hormones in survival of plants under stress conditions, and how stress conditions affect gaseous emissions from plants into the atmosphere. Other projects include looking at the effects of stress conditions on the levels of secondary metabolites, or compounds that a plant produces for functions other than growth and development.
Understanding the interactions between a plant and its environment is critical to understanding how climate change will affect plants − both crops and weeds. Our work contributes to a broader field, helping in studies that look at methods of stress mitigation, such as enhancing certain plant genes, which could help crops succeed in the future.
If you are interested in any opportunities in our lab, please contact mirwais.qaderi@msvu.ca with your resume and research interests.