BIOL 537 2012-13
Dr. B. Cumming

Rm:  4307b Bioscience Complex
Tel:   (613) 533-6153
E-mail:   cummingb@queensu.ca
Faculty Web Site:  http://www.queensu.ca/biology/people/faculty/cumming.html

RESEARCH AREA /POTENTIAL PROJECTS
My research interests are in the areas of aquatic ecology, paleolimnology and sustainability of water quality and supply.  I am broadly interested in understanding how the chemical, physical and biological conditions of aquatic ecosystems influence the distributions of biological communities, and how the remains of aquatic organisms in the sedimentary record of a lake can be used to study local, regional and global environmental change.

PROJECTS:
I will supervise/co-supervise 2-3 undergraduate thesis students in 2011/12.  Undergraduate thesis projects could include studies designed to increase our understanding of:  1) multiple stressors on Adirondack lakes (e.g. recovery from acidic deposition, climate change); 2) the impact of climate on lakes in northwestern Ontario or northern Saskatchewan; and/or 3) the development of new approaches to track environmental change.  There are likely opportunities to undertake field work associated with some of these projects, and students are encouraged to apply for SWEP positions, and/or an undergraduate NSERC to gain additional training opportunities in our lab.  For information on activities at PEARL (Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Lab), please visit our website (http://post.queensu.ca/~pearl).