By Lindsay Trottier, PhD Candidate at McGill University

In September 2025, I had the opportunity to travel to Lisbon, Portugal, to attend the International Symposium on Aquatic Plants, an important meeting for scientists studying aquatic vegetation. The symposium brings together researchers, conservationists, and experts from around the world to share the latest advances in aquatic plant ecology, evolution, management, and conservation. I attended the last conference in November 2023 held in Antwerp, Belgium, and really enjoyed the experience. I met a lot of very interesting people at that last edition, and I was excited to reconnect with everyone after two years. Over 25 years ago, this conference was also held in Lisbon, Portugal, so the organizers decided “Back to the Future of Aquatic Plants and the Way Forward” would be a fitting theme.

This conference is very tightly related to my own research on aquatic plants (also known as macrophytes), so the discussions I have with other researchers and experts are always very valuable. Broadly, my research focuses on macrophyte functional traits, which are specific characteristics that describe the growth, reproduction, or survival of an organism. Functional traits tend to be easy to measure (e.g., plant height, leaf area) and can be used to link together biodiversity with ecosystem functioning. Some of my work has looked at how macrophyte functional traits vary seasonally, which could have implications for ecosystem functioning over time, and how macrophyte functional traits differ from those of terrestrial plants, which is important for our understanding of how aquatic plants adapt to life under water.

I knew this conference would be a busy one for me, as I had planned to present the preliminary findings of my third thesis chapter where I have compiled a global database of macrophyte functional traits (see details here: www.maptraits.com) and am using it with species distributions and environmental data to understand how the size and leaf physiology of aquatic plants varies spatially. In addition to presenting my own research, I registered to present a project on behalf of a colleague who was unable to attend the conference and a poster on a social group I organize for early-career researchers (ECRs) studying macrophytes.

It’s quite possible that I was spreading myself too thin… and then I also received an e-mail from the conference organizers inviting me to give a joint keynote presentation alongside three post-docs on the future of macrophyte research from the perspective of ECRs . The organizers wanted to hear the perspective of aquatic plant research and where we think the field is headed, which aligned with the forward-looking attitude of the conference. How can I say no to that?!

At our first meeting to work on the keynote, the three post-docs and I decided that it was important for this presentation to capture more than just our four perspectives. So we developed a survey to share with our networks (and beyond them!) to see what the ECRs as a broader group think. Preparing the keynote was both exciting and daunting. We wanted to highlight not just scientific trends, but also the challenges faced by young scientists entering the field. 

Over the summer, we worked tirelessly to share our survey as broadly as possible, before compiling and collating the responses, and trying to make sense of the results. In total, over 150 ECRs completed our survey – far beyond my expectations! Our central message was that the next generation of macrophyte research must embrace interdisciplinary collaboration, open data, and global inclusivity. We also discussed the importance of connecting field ecologists with data scientists across realms, and of linking local-scale studies to global trait databases and long-term monitoring efforts. Importantly, we highlighted the need for macrophyte researchers to embrace new technologies and incorporate them into our studies. Finally, we emphasized that, at the end of the day, macrophyte researchers should try to remember why we do this research in the first place: because macrophytes are COOL and aquatic ecosystems are important!

The keynote was very well received, sparked great conversations with other ECRs during the conference, and opened the door for discussions with mid- and late- career researchers who are genuinely interested in making sure ECRs feel supported. Overall, the honour of giving a keynote presentation as a PhD candidate is certainly a highlight of my career so far and makes me feel extremely motivated to continue going down the path I have been going on.

Of course, I also learned that giving a keynote, two presentations, and a poster at a single conference is TOO MUCH. But I have certainly learned what my limit is, and that I can pull together a solid presentation on my own research in only a few days 😉

I want to thank the QCBS for providing me with an Excellence Award to help fund my participation and attendance at this conference. I feel incredibly lucky and proud to be a member of the QCBS, an organization that provides so much support to ECRs.

About the author:
Lindsay Trottier is a PhD Candidate at McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Lars Iversen. Her research focuses on the functional biogeography of freshwater aquatic plants. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-louise-trottier/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/elletee10.bsky.social
Personal Website: https://www.lindsaytrottier.ca/