Summary:
This project was designed to evaluate the impact of oil contamination on the plant community of the costal marshland area of Mobile Bay and adjacent area. The initial step was to identify several contaminated sites as well as several uncontaminated sites. Additionally, two key contaminated elements, Vanadium and Lead, will be determined from both soil and plant samples to examine the extent of the impact of these elements on the plants. This is for the purpose of comparison and evaluation of the impact of oil contamination on the physiology of the plant, diversity, and nutrient uptake. The selected site will be revisited monthly and the same measurements and samples will be taken.