Could student research at LSSU change oil spill response?

Lake Superior State University students are conducting research that could change how scientists respond to oil spills in freshwater systems.

The students, working at the university's Center for Freshwater Research and Education , are conducting one of the first studies to replicate real oil spill conditions in large mesocosms, according to a school announcement. Mesocosms are controlled environments that replicate freshwater wetlands found throughout the Great Lakes region.

In these mesocosms, fish, aquatic invertebrates, sediments and plants are exposed to varying levels of oil to evaluate how different components of the ecosystem respond. The findings help identify the most vulnerable parts of the Great Lakes food web and inform more targeted and effective oil spill response strateg