Physiological responses of marine phytoplankton exposed to oil and Corexit in culture experiments

This work is a continuation of the Tier 1 screening process to identify species of phytoplankton that are sensitive and resilient to oil and Corexit exposure. Cultures were grown of Micromonas pusilla, Tetraselmis astigmatica, Ochromonas sp., and other groups of phytoplankton that are underrepresented in the literature, but still important to the ecology of the Gulf of Mexico. Measurements of growth dynamics and photophysiology help to ascertain how these organisms respond to oil pollution.