Restoring Metal Contaminated Soils

The influence of heavy metal stress on drought tolerance of plants will be investigated using seedlings and saplings of two common tree species of Sudbury area, white birch and red maple. The effects of heavy metals on traits determining acquisition, transport and regulation of water will be investigated in an experiment with elevated levels of metals as found in Sudbury area and drought stress in an outdoor experiment. The effect of genetic tolerance to heavy metals, and feedback processes at ecosystem level will be investigated.