Education
PhD (2000), Ecotoxicology, University of Guelph.
Dissertation: Accumulation of cadmium by durum wheat (Triticum turgidum): Influence of solution chemistry and root morphology.
M.Sc. (1995), Plant Physiology, University of Guelph.
Thesis: The effect of visible and ultraviolet-A radiation on the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to ultraviolet-B radiation.
B.Sc. (1993), Biology and Chemistry, Acadia University.
Courses
- Fundamentals of Biology II (BIO-122)
- Internship (BIO-480)
- Honours Independent Study (BIO-485)
- Honours Research Project (BIO-490)
- Principles of Chemistry II (CHE-122)
- Independent Research Project (CHE-490)
- Environmental Studies I: Population, Resource Use, and Cities (ENV-121)
- Environmental Studies II: Pollution and Climate Change (ENV-222)
- Senior Seminar I (ENV-381 (BIO/CHEM-381))
- Senior Seminar II (ENV-382 (BIO/CHE-382))
- Senior Seminar III (ENV-383 (BIO/CHE-383))
- Senior Seminar IV (ENV-384 (BIO/CHE-384))
- Internship (ENV-480)
- Independent Study (ENV-485)
- Independent Research Project (ENV-490)
About
Edward Berkelaar grew up on a farm in Nova Scotia, Canada. After completing an undergraduate degree, he moved to Ontario to study plant science and environmental toxicology at the University of Guelph. He worked at ECHO in North Fort Myers, Florida for three years before accepting a faculty position in environmental science and chemistry at Redeemer University in 2003 where he teaches and does research on water quality of the Chedoke Creek and Red Hill Creek watersheds in Hamilton, ON. He, along with his wife Dawn and children enjoy gardening and taking hikes along Hamilton’s many beautiful trails.
Research Interests
- Bioavailability of trace elements (cadmium, thallium, and selenium) to plants
- Monitoring urban watershed quality
Selected Research Publications
Berkelaar, Edward, and Darren H. Brouwer. Water Quality Data of the Chedoke and Red Hill Creek Watersheds. Data series.
Chedoke Creek Water Quality Monitoring Data. Version 2.0.0. DataStream, 2026.
Chedoke Creek Outfall Water Quality Monitoring Data. Version 2.0.0. DataStream, 2026.
Red Hill Creek Water Quality Monitoring Data. Version 2.0.0. DataStream, 2026.
Red Hill Creek Outfall Water Quality Monitoring Data. Version 2.0.0. DataStream, 2026.
Other Watersheds Feeding into Cootes Paradise Water Quality Monitoring Data. Version 2.00. DataStream, 2026.
Gibson, John, George Arhonditsis, Edward Berkelaar, and Ramin Farnood. “Randomness and Stochastic Modeling of Combined Sewer Overflows.” Journal of Environmental Engineering 152, no. 6 (2026): 04026020.
Brouwer, Henry, Edward Berkelaar, John Wood, and David Clements. “Canadian Perspectives on Christianity and Creation Care.” In Global Perspectives on Science and Christianity, edited by Mike Brownnutt and Keith R. Fox, Langham Publishing, UK, 2024.
Alissa Heagy, Shauna White, and Edward Berkelaar. “Water Quality Monitoring of the Chedoke Creek Watershed.” Poster Presentation at the Source to Stream Conference, Brampton, ON, March 22-23, 2023.
Berkelaar, Edward. “Nitrogen Regained: Fertilizer, Explosives and Waterfalls.” Inaugural address, Redeemer University, November 12, 2015.
Renkema, Heidi, Amy Koopmans, Beverly Hale, and Edward Berkelaar. “Uptake kinetics of thallium and potassium differ between wheat and canola.” Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 22 (2014): 2166-2174.
Kikkert, Julie, and Edward Berkelaar. “Plant Uptake and Translocation of Inorganic and Organic Forms of Selenium.” Archives of Environmental Contamination Toxicology 65, no. 3 (2013): 458-465.
Kikkert, Julie, Beverly Hale, and Edward Berkelaar. “Selenium accumulation in durum wheat and spring canola as a function of amending soils with selenite, selenate and or sulphate.” Plant Soil 372 (2013): 629-641.
Renkema, Heidi, Amy Koopmans, Leanne Kersbergen, Julie Kikkert, Beverly Hale, and Edward Berkelaar. “The effect of transpiration on selenium uptake and mobility in durum wheat and spring canola.” Plant Soil 354 (2011): 239-250.
Renkema, Heidi, Julie Kikkert, Beverly Hale, and Edward Berkelaar. “The effect of transpiration on thallium uptake and mobility in durum wheat and spring canola.” Plant Soil 354 (2011): 229-238.
Harskamp, James G., Michael J. O’Donnell, and Edward Berkelaar. “Determining the fluxes of Tl+ and K+ at the root surfaces of wheat and canola using Tl(I) and K ion-selective microelectrodes.” Plant Soil 335 (2010): 299-310.
Research Funding
Monitoring Nutrient (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) and Bacterial Contamination in the Chedoke and Red Hill Creek Watersheds (Canada Water Agency), 2024-2027
Environment and Climate Change Canada (Great Lakes Protection Initiative – Areas of Concern), 2022-2024
Environment Canada (Great Lakes Protection Initiative): co-awarded with Darren Brouwer, 2020-2022
Environment Canada (from the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund): co-awarded with Darren Brouwer, 2017-2020
Zylstra Grant: co-awarded with Darren Brouwer, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018
OMAFRA Food Safety Research Grant: co-awarded with Beverley Hale, 2008-2009
NSERC Network Grant, 2005-2010.
Related Experience
Tropical Agriculture Extension
Environmental Consulting