Satellite image of 2010 sampling locations along Louisiana and Mississippi coast. Image credit: MSU
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill put hundreds of miles of the northern Gulf of Mexico coastline in harm’s way. Salt marshes in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama received varied amounts of oil during the summer of 2010, ranging from light sheen and tarballs in the east to patchy, heavy oiling in the west and along barrier islands. Dr. Deepak Mishra, along with colleagues at Mississippi State University, is working with NGI to address the large scale disturbances of these fragile gulf coast salt marshes.
Classroom Activity: Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis, the process by which plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, add water, and use the energy from sunlight to produce sugar, can be divided into two major reaction types: light-dependent and light-independent. This activity demonstrates both, and can lead to further discussions and experiments of factors in the environment that can affect the rate of photosynthesis.
Gulf Coast Salt Marshes_Oil Spill Impacts – PDF 1.4MB