March 31, 2022
A new study in Rhodora examined the use of marine lichens to assess water pollution levels in the Boston Harbor. The study led by Liam F. Nokes, a former student at Arlington High School who was working in Donald H. Pfister's lab, suggests that marine lichens could prove useful as bioindicators of ocean pollution, and established a plan for a state fungus. Nokes' (now a student at Dartmouth) proposal is currently under review by Massachusetts State Legislature.
Nokes performed the collecting and analyses with the assistance from Danny Haelewaters (PhD '18) and Professor Pfister.