Individualized Master’s with Jared D. Sparr: The Snail Project

Conventional agriculture dominates current practices, comprising over 90% of total crop production. But the pesticide mixtures used in agriculture can end up in watersheds and eventually reach natural systems in multiple pulses in the environment. The effects of these chemicals have consequences for the wider community by increasing nitrates levels and having a toxic effect. One of the consequences is the destruction of basal food sources like biofilm which can lead to a trophic cascade or the accumulation of pollutants. While individual chemicals’ effects on aquatic life have been studied, little research has focused on quantifying the combined effects of commonly used pesticide mixes (used for crops) on freshwater ecosystems. To address this scientific gap, Jared D. Sparr’s M.Sc. objectives are to investigate the health of the great pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) and biofilm in relation to three different concentrations of pesticide mixtures by using 12 outdoor mesocosm bins containing snails and an environment that mimics natural bioaccumulation from contaminated water and food sources.

Jared will analyze the snails’ shell growth, activity/response time, fatty acid composition, and oxidative stress as indicators of chemical effects. Additionally, he will measure the snails’ fecundity through a standardized reproduction test. The experiments will be conducted during summer 2023, and the data will be analyzed in the fall of 2023 and winter of 2024. With the finalized data analysis, he will write a scientific publication in 2024.

The snail project works in collaboration with the Institute national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) who have extensive experience working with freshwater and biofilm. The outdoor experiment at Bishop’s contributes to bridging laboratory results with the natural environment by analyzing toxicology and larger trophic dynamics in an exposed setting. Both biofilm and gastropod groups serve as the basis of food webs for freshwater systems, making them essential to the long-term health of the ecosystem. Their environmental significance makes these organisms foundational to research surrounding biotoxic effects. Learning how to properly assess total toxin effects can aid future survey efforts to understand the dynamics of human impacts within the natural world. This branch of research will empower communities by providing ways to assess water health through the organisms and provides stakeholders with tangible data on the consequences of pesticides.

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc.
Research Officer
Office of Research and Graduate Studies
819-822-9600 ext. 2242