PhD (Oceanography) University of Alaska 
Professor
E–mail: lmolot@yorku.ca
Research Areas: Eutrophication and cyanobacteria bloom formation
Research Focus:
Eutrophication (impacts created by excessive inputs of plant nutrients, especially phosphorus, to surface waters) remains an important global issue in spite of the wealth of attention paid to it in the last 50 years. In particular, blooms of algal-like cyanobacteria in eutrophic lakes and rivers remain a serious water quality problem globally because they often produce nerve and liver toxins and chemicals that alter the taste and odour of drinking waters. My research explores how ferrous iron diffusing from anoxic sediments promotes blooms of nuisance cyanobacteria in eutrophic waters (Molot et al., Freshwater Biology 2014) and how blooms can be mitigated by managing redox levels at the sediment-water boundary.
Recent Publications:
Porcal, P., P.J. Dillon and L.A. Molot. 2015. Temperature dependence of photodegradation of dissolved organic matter to dissolved organic matter and particulate organic matter. PLOS One. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0128884, June 24, 2015.
Porcal, P., P.J. Dillon and L.A. Molot. 2014. Interaction of extrinsic chemical factors affecting photodegradation of dissolved organic matter in aquatic ecosystems. Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences. 13: 799-812.
Molot, L.A., S.B. Watson, I.F. Creed, C.G. Trick, S.K. McCabe, M.J. Verschoor, R.J. Sorichetti, C. Powe, J.J. Venkiteswaran and S.L. Schiff. 2014. A novel model for cyanobacteria bloom formation: The critical role of anoxia and ferrous iron. Freshwater Biology. 59(6): 1323-1340.
Oni, S.K., M.N. Futter, L.A. Molot, P.J. Dillon and J. Crossman. 2014. Uncertainty assessments and hydrological implications of climate change in two adjacent agricultural catchments of a rapidly urbanizing watershed. Science of the Total Environment. 473-474:326-337.
Porcal, P., P.J. Dillon, L.A. Molot. 2013. Seasonal changes in photochemical properties of dissolved organic matter. Biogeosciences. 10: 5533-5543.
