Biomagnification of Contaminants in Lake Foodwebs: Why is one lake different from another?

Dr. Noel Urban, nurban@mtu.edu
Post Date: 09/22/2014
Capstone/Internship Possible: Yes/Yes
Description:

Nearby lakes often differ tremendously in the concentrations of contaminants in the fish. Ideally, we could predict which lakes would have high concentrations. Characteristics of the lake and of the watershed affect the contaminant concentrations in fish. In this project, you will use a mathematical model of a food web to determine which characteristics of the food web influence the contaminant concentrations in the fish. You will compare predicted contaminant concentrations in fish from different lakes, and you will use the model to conduct "experiments" to determine what factors cause high concentrations in fish. This project will involve reading of scientific literature, gathering of data from reports and published papers, learning to use a mathematical model, conducting "experiments" with the model, and using statistics to compare the results of those "experiments".

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