Dr. Lewis Molot

Biography

Lewis Molot is a professor at York University, specializing in aquatic ecology with a focus on cyanobacteria bloom formation in lakes. His research addresses critical environmental concerns including eutrophication, a condition characterized by excessive plant nutrients, especially phosphorus, in surface waters. Eutrophication leads to cyanobacteria blooms that not only displace benign algal species but also pose significant public health risks due to the toxins some cyanobacterial strains produce. Despite extensive research over the last 60 years, the mechanisms enabling cyanobacterial dominance remain poorly understood. Molot collaborates on projects that investigate the relationship between anoxic sediments and cyanobacterial growth, and emphasizes the linkage of trace metals, particularly iron, to bloom development. His ongoing projects include the Global Water Futures initiative, which aims to develop forecasting tools for managing cyanobacteria-affected lakes and a Discovery grant project focusing on trace metal dependencies in bloom maintenance in eutrophic lakes. Molot has published extensively in various ecological and environmental journals, contributing valuable insights into the management of aquatic ecosystems.

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