Laboratories and research support: greenhouse and growth chambers

Back to Laboratories and Research Support
Article Title

Greenhouse and Growth Chambers

Spray chamber at the National Wildlife Research Centre
Plants are the main primary producers of terrestrial ecosystems and, together with algae, are important components of aquatic ecosystems. Many native plants are of high conservation value, either because they belong to rare taxa or because they are important food sources and provide habitats for other trophic levels, arthropods, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. 

Native plants are exposed to pesticides and other contaminants that may impact their survival, growth and reproduction, and thus have impact on other wildlife that may depend on them for food or habitat.

Advancing research on phytotoxicity testing is helping to bridge the gap between artificial laboratory testing with crops, and testing with native plants under conditions that emulate plant communities in their natural environments. These tests seek to reproduce natural conditions in order to yield more accurate results and better inform decision making about the control of chemical substances.

Current research and methodology

Located at the National Wildlife Research Centre, the Greenhouse and Growth Chambers have recently contributed to the understanding of:

Research undertaken in the greenhouse and growth chambers integrates a variety of approaches and directions to fulfill several distinct objectives. 

Some methods and equipment used include:

Collaboration

Greenhouse at the National Wildlife Research Centre
Research is conducted in partnership with several graduate students at and the . At the international level, research is performed with students and research scientists from Denmark, Spain and France. 

Phytotoxicity testing aimed at improving pesticide risk assessment is carried out in collaboration with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency funded under the Pesticide Science Funds.

Using inorganic compounds, researchers develop and improve the testing of native plants, as part of the Chemicals Management Plan using the medium priority substances list.

Experts in laboratory

Further reading

Page details

Date modified: