Academic Staff
Beardall Lab
|
|
|
About the lab
The overall interests in our laboratory centre on the ecophysiology and biochemistry of algae. Currently we are running projects
on the effects of climate change (elevated CO2 and UV-B radiation) on photosynthetic performance of microalgae,
biospectroscopic analysis of algal composition and using fluorescence as
a tool to investigate nutrient acquisition, photosynthesis and their
interactions. We have also been involved in various environmental impact
studies and have an in interest factors controlling the primary
productivity of aquatic systems and the role of benthic microalgae in modulating nutrient fluxes between sediments and the overlying
water column. With the School of Chemistry at Monash we play an important role in the
Centre for Biospectroscopy and Biospectroscopic Imaging. We also have
strong links with the Water Studies Centre in the School of Chemistry.
At present the laboratory personnel consists of 3 Postdoctoral Fellows, 6 postgraduate students and an Honours student. Technical support is admirably provided by Ms Leesa Hughes and Ms Amanda Pantorno The laboratory is well provided with equipment including a range
of fluorometers (Walz PAM 101, PhytoPAM and DivingPAM, Microscopy -PAM, Hitachi 2000
and 7000 Spectrofluorometers with 77K fluorescence facility) and oxygen
electrodes and optodes for investigations
of photosynthesis, analytical instruments such as GC-MS, HPLC, ion chromatography,
flow-injection analysers for phosphate, alkalinity and ammonia, and UV-VIS spectrophotometry as well as the
usual range standard laboratory equipment. Our interactions with the School of Chemistry provide access to their extensive range of Fourier Transform
InfraRed (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy equipment.
|
