Student Research Profile: Tyler Black
The Department of Environment and Geography is proud to highlight recently published graduate student research.
THE STUDENT
Tyler Black is currently a second-year PhD student, and a Vanier Scholar, at the School of Environmental Science at the University of Guelph, under the co-supervision of Drs. Ryan Prosser and Kyle Artelle. He also completed his BSc in Toxicology at the U of G in 2016. Tyler completed his MSc, with a focus in ecotoxicology, at the University of Manitoba in 2020 under the supervision of Dr. Mark Hanson. His MSc research evaluated the impact of spills of diluted bitumen (dilbit) on freshwater invertebrate communities (zooplankton, macrobenthos, and emerging insect communities) as a part of the larger BOREAL project at the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA).
During his undergraduate experience at the U of G, Tyler developed a keen interest in understanding the impacts of human activities on the environment. Knowing that oil exploration and transport was becoming an increasingly emerging issue, when Tyler heard of dilbit research being done at the ELA, he knew he wanted to be a part of it. The research component was interesting and the field component intriguing. Tyler is passionate about contributing to society’s transition away from fossil fuels and towards a greener more equitable future.
THE RESEARCH
Thus far, Tyler has published two papers based on his MSc work.
Surface-Dwelling Aquatic Insects in Low-Energy Freshwater Environments Are Highly Impacted by Oil Spills and the Surface Washing Agent Corexit EC9580A Used in Oil Spill Response, published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, investigated the physical impacts of dilbit and surface washing agent, Corexit, on aquatic invertebrates. The study demonstrates that the exposure of Corexit, both with and without oil, to water striders resulted in 100% immobility within minutes.
Surface Oil is the Primary Driver of Macroinvertebrate Impacts Following Spills of Diluted Bitumen in Freshwater, published in Environmental Pollution, examined the effects of dilbit on insect emergence and benthic invertebrates. The study shows that exposure to oil altered the benthic invertebrate community, it did not hinder its abundance. However, they demonstrated that increases in volume of oil spilled lead to sustained decrease in insect emergence, likely attributed to oil sheen thickness.
THE PUBLISHING
How did you select the journals to publish in? Journal selection was a conversation between me and my supervisor. As the papers were produced from a larger multi-university project, I did also consult my co-authors, but ultimately the decision was made by my advisor and me. The environmental sciences have key journals read by everyone, and I wanted to publish work that became incorporated in the development of better methodology too, so I looked into the most impactful journals in the field. That’s how I chose Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and Environmental Pollution.
What did you think of the reviewer comments? I found reviewer comments to be helpful for both papers. Coming up as new scientist, having feedback from established people in the field is important of the journey. The comments made the papers better and helped me be better at scientific writing, which was really important for me as these were my first papers. You’ll make some mistakes, naturally, but the reviewers aren’t there to take you down, they are they to help you. Though it is important to acknowledge that these are researchers with their own opinions and biases too.
How did you find the process overall? I found the process relatively straightforward. It was daunting at first, and writing the first drafts was hard, but with my advisors’ supports and responsive co-authors the process was relatively seamless. Responsive and helpful journal editors also help with that.
THE TAKE-HOME ADVICE
“You’re going to make mistakes and you just have to roll with it. Support systems are really important when things get harder. Take the time to reflect and check in on yourself, to make sure that what you’re doing and what you want to be doing coincide with one another. And talk to someone when you need to, a friend, an advisor, someone experience the same program or research as you.”
CONTACT
Tyler A. Black, PhD Student
School of Environmental Science
University of Guelph
Email: tblack02@uoguelph.ca
THE PAPERS
Black, T. A., Hanson, M. L., Palace, V. P., Rodriguez-Gil, J. L. (2021). Surface-Dwelling Aquatic Insects in Low-Energy Freshwater Environments Are Highly Impacted by Oil Spills and the Surface Washing Agent Corexit EC9580A Used in Oil Spill Response. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 40(5). https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4976
Black, T. A., White, M. S., Blais, J. M., Hollebone, B., Orihel, D. M., Palace, V. P., Rodriguez-Gil, J. L., Hanson, M. S. (2021). Surface Oil is the Primary Driver of Macroinvertebrate Impacts Following Spills of Diluted Bitumen in Freshwater. Environmental Pollution, 290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117929
Interview by Katarina Djordjevic