Mikayla is a M.Sc. student at the University of Manitoba in the Department of Environment & Geography. Her research focuses on the long-term ecological effects of a diluted bitumen (dilbit) spill on the structure and function of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in salmon-bearing rivers. As benthic macroinvertebrates are a primary food source for salmon during spawning, this project will give us insight into the long-term effects of dilbit on the chinook salmon food web and will help us better understand the relationship between dilbit concentrations within river sediment and the abundance of invertebrate prey for chinook salmon.