Biotron (Western University)
The Biotron Institute for Experimental Climate Change Research at Western University is a facility constructed to simulate ecosystems[1][2][3] and funded by the Canadian government to study how plants, microbes and insects sense and adjust to climate change.[4][5] Its biome chambers allow control of temperature, humidity and sunlight so scientists can simulate climatic zones from rainforests to Arctic tundra.[6] This enables the study environmental science, biotech, materials and biomaterials in realistic environmental conditions while still in a controlled laboratory setting.[7][8][9] The Biotron also trains students, including one of Western's winners of The Undergraduate Awards' Global Award.[10][11][12]
History
The lab was initially founded by Norman Hüner with a grant from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation in May 2003. Construction was completed in 2008, and like many research facilities, it struggled to establish a business model to support the technicians needed to operate its specialized equipment.[13] The facility is now part of the department of biology.[14]
The facility has had three directors: Norman Hüner (2003-2008, 2019-present), Jeremy McNeil(2009-2011), and Brian Branfireun (2012-2019).[13]
Research
Hüner and colleagues observed that 80% of Earth's biosphere is permanently below 5°C, including most of the oceans and the polar and alpine regions.[15] Previously, these regions had been assumed to be low in biodiversity, when in fact they are teeming with diverse life forms.[16] The facility now supports research ranging from biogeochemistry[17] to the study of insects in cold temperatures.[18][19]
Environmental Chambers
The Biotron's chambers augment polar research stations by enabling research on cold ecosystems in a controlled laboratory building.[15] Biotron's chambers enable the study of biomes, such as peatlands[20], and insects, such as the overwintering energetics of butterflies.[19][21][22] These chambers enable the study of climate change by simulating Arctic conditions in the laboratory.[23]
Analytical Services
Biotron's analytical laboratories measure trace metals in samples from field collections.[24][25] The facility provides mass spectrometry for measuring elements and compounds in water, soil, rock and biological materials.[26] The facility has been used to study of pollutants that impact human health, such as the neurotoxin Mercury (element)|mercury.[17][27]. Such studies enable biomonitoring to support the rights of indigenous peoples.[28] Biotron's analytical services also support global carbon cycle modeling [29] and medical Clinical trial|clinical trials.[30]
References
- ↑ "Western University, Biotron Environmental Research Facility". Architects Tillmann Ruth Robinson. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
- ↑ "University of Western Ontario / Biotron" (PDF). Agritech Nove. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
- ↑ "Western University, Biotron Experimental Climate Change Research Facility". Anderwesten & Rutherford Engineering. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
- ↑ Singh, A.; Dixon, M.; Grodzinski, B.; Huner, Norman (2005-11-28). The Biotron: An Experimental Climate Change Research Facility. Third International Conference on Plants & Environmental Pollution (ICPEP-3). Lucknow.
- ↑ Chidley, Dave (2006-09-29). "Biotron super garden - UWO facility to be leader in climate-controlled plant, ecological research". London Free Press.
- ↑ "Pole to pole – Positive steps towards a Canadian Antarctic research program". The Arctic Journal. 2017-04-28.
- ↑ World Conference on Climate Change - Norman P. A. Huner. Valencia, Spain. 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
- ↑ Van Brenk, Debora (2019-05-22). "Huner heads 'back to future' to lead Biotron" (Press release).
- ↑ Manolakos, Jana (2020-07-09). "Biotron: Crystalizing Cliimate Change".
- ↑ "Western undergrads named global award-winners". 2017-09-21.
- ↑ "Global Winners 2017 - Undergraduate Awards - Bridget Murphy - Western University - Earth & Environmental Sciences - Future Climate Conditions Alter Leaf Thermotolerance in Canadian Boreal Trees". The Undergraduate Awards. 2017.
- ↑ "UA director visits Western University - May 2019". 2019-10-07.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Travis, Heather (2012-01-19). "Troubling yesterdays for building of tomorrow". Archived from the original on 2012-01-26.
- ↑ "Western Biology". 2020-04-28.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Morgan-Kiss, Rachael M.; Priscu, John C.; Pocock, Tessa; Gudynaite-Savitch, Loreta; Huner, Norman P. A. (2006-03-01). "Adaptation and Acclimation of Photosynthetic Microorganisms to Permanently Cold Environments". Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews (70): 222–252. doi:10.1128/MMBR.70.1.222-252.2006.
- ↑ Norman Hüner (Canada) - Professor Canada Research Chair. Albena Resort, Bulgaria: 11th International Meeting "Photosynthesis and Hydrogen Energy Research for Sustainability – 2021". 2021-09-19. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Cole, Amanda S; Steffen, Alexandra; Eckley, Chris S.; Narayan, Julie; Pilote, Martin; Tordon, Rob; Graydon, Jennifer A.; St Louis, Vincent L.; Xu, Xiaohong; Branfireun, Brian A. (2014-09-01). "A Survey of Mercury in Air and Precipitation across Canada: Patterns and Trends". Atmosphere. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
- ↑ Winders, Jason (2012-01-19). "Meet some of the Biotron's research superstars".
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Sinclair, Brent J.; Marshall, Katie E.; Sewell, Mary A.; Levesque, Danielle L.; Willett, Christopher S.; Slotsbo, Stine; Dong, Yunwei; Harley, Christopher D. G.; Marshall, David J.; Helmuth, Brian S.; Huey, Raymond B. (2016). "Can we predict ectotherm responses to climate change using thermal performance curves and body temperatures?". Ecology Letters (19): 1372–1385. doi:10.1111/ele.12686.
- ↑ Asemaninejad, Asma; Thorn, R. Greg; Lindo, Zoë (2016-10-15). "Experimental Climate Change Modifies Degradative Succession in Boreal Peatland Fungal Communities". Microbial Ecology. 73: 521–531. doi:10.1007/s00248-016-0875-9.
- ↑ Sinclair, Brent J. (2015). "Linking energetics and overwintering in temperate insects". Journal of Thermal Biology. 54: 5–11. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.07.007.
- ↑ "Insects - Biotron". Retrieved 2020-12-07.
- ↑ Gillespie, Bruce (2009-03-18). "Recreating nature - Simulating climate change at Western's new Biotron facility". Canada Foundation for Innovation.
- ↑ Bekeris, Leanne (2012-08-01). "A Seat at the Table: A Nonconformist Approach to Grassroots Participation in the Articulation of Health Standards".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ↑ "Analytical Services". Retrieved 2020-12-07.
- ↑ "Western University Experts are Improving Water Treatment, Protection and Management with help from SOWC". Ontario Water Consortium. 2016-05-16.
- ↑ Bond, Alexander L.; Hobson, Keith A.; Branfireun, Brian A. (2015-02-17). "Rapidly increasing methylmercury in endangered ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) feathers over a 130 year record". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Royal Society Publishing (282). doi:10.1098/rspb.2015.0032.
- ↑ Ratelle, Mylène; Skinner, Kelly; Laird, Matthew J.; Majowicz, Shannon; Brandow, Danielle; Packull-McCormick, Sara; Bouchard, Michèle; Dieme, Denis; Stark, Ken D.; Henao, Juan Jose Aristizabal; Hanning, Rhona; Laird, Brian D. (2018-12-03). "Implementation of human biomonitoring in the Dehcho region of the Northwest Territories, Canada (2016–2017)". Archives of Public Health. doi:10.1186/s13690-018-0318-9.
- ↑ Kohlenberg, Andrew J.; Turetsky1, Merritt R.; Thompson, Dan K.; Branfireun, Brian A.; Mitchell, Carl P. J. (2018-02-28). "Controls on boreal peat combustion and resulting emissions of carbon and mercury". Environmental Research Letters. IOP Publishing Ltd. 13 (3). doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aa9ea8.
- ↑ "Investigating the Effects of Probiotic Yogurt on Reducing the Levels of Environmental Toxins Among School Children in Mwanza, Tanzania (PDTX)". 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
External links
This article "Biotron (Western University)" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.