Areas as varied as animal behaviour, genetics, toxicology and biogeochemistry will come under the microscope during the Multidisciplinary Graduate Student Symposium, this week at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research.

The event runs 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 9 and 10, in the institute’s conference room at 2990 Riverside Drive West. Presentations by more than 40 graduate students are open to the public, and director Daniel Heath says he hopes members of the community will take note.

“Our aquatic ecosystems are vulnerable to multiple, interacting stressors such as exotic invasive species, harmful chemicals, habitat alteration, climate change and overexploitation,” says Dr. Heath. “GLIER’s graduate students investigate how our aquatic ecosystems are impacted by threats, and explore the processes underlying healthy ecosystems to better predict the impact of novel or emerging stressors.”

He says the institute’s mandate includes engaging the public in efforts to aid in the conservation and restoration of aquatic resources and biodiversity.

“I am excited to be part of the dynamic research effort reflected by the graduate student presentations in this colloquium,” he says.