Oceanography Students Study Shoreline Processes

Oceanography students spent the day at Headlands Beach State Park studying shoreline processes. They collected data on waves, longshore currents, water and air temperature, beach sediment size and composition, and the ecology of the dunes.

The class conducted a 100-foot plankton tow which revealed the presence of microcystis (cyanobacteria that make up toxic algal blooms) in Lake Erie. As a bonus, students had the opportunity to share their data with park rangers from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources who happened to stop during their fieldwork.