Research

Roland's research integrates among fields of freshwater ecology, hydrology and paleolimnology to better understand how natural processes and human activities alter aquatic ecosystems. His research also aims to improve methods of monitoring capable of detecting and quantifying degradation and recovery phases, and the causes.

• Aquatic ecology / Limnology
• Hydroecology
• Paleolimnology
• Environmental change assessment
• Contaminant assessment
• Biomonitoring of shallow northern lakes, wetlands, and rivers

• Climatic variability and river regulation on hydro-ecological conditions of the MacKenzie Basin Deltas (Peace-Athabasca Delta, Alberta; Slave River Delta, NWT).
• Acid rain and climatic variability (drought) on Ontario lakes.
• Effects of human land-use and climatic variability on diatom communities in Lake Malawi, Africa, during the past 300 years.
• Holocene climatic and environmental changes in northern Sweden
• Assessment of mine-related pollution and climate warming on lakes within the Marian River Watershed, NWT.
• Hydrological change and mercury cycling in Kluane Lake, Yukon
• Paleolimnological assessment of thermokarst lake responses to past climate variations in the Old Crow Flats, Yukon
• Development and application of biomonitoring methods using periphytic algae to assess effects of metal mines in the South Nahanni River watershed.