Student Scholars & Faculty Mentors
Projects funded by our internal grants program. Search the table to find students or faculty mentors that share in your interests, and could help you achieve your goals in research, creative activity, or service.
Trophic level passage of nano plastics in aquatic and terrestrial invertebrate food webs
Name: Donaldson,
Advisor: John Wallance
Department: BIOL
Award: Student Research Grant
Abstract: Microplastic (MP) production has increased in the environment since the 1950s. Microplastics are found in ocean, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Increasing the understanding of how microplastics move within food webs may be critical in reducing health risks. This study will focus on the transfer of microplastics from aquatic to terrestrial food webs. Mosquito larvae will be fed two sizes of fluorescently coated microplastics. Microplastic contaminated mosquito larvae will be fed to aquatic predators while contaminated adult mosquitoes will be fed to two different terrestrial predators to determine if microplastics can be transferred across food webs. All organisms will be examind with an epi-fluorescent microscope to determine the internal presence of microplastics.