Abstract
The Macondo oil spill released massive quantities of oil and gas from a depth of 1500 meters. Although a buoyant plume carried released hydrocarbons to the sea surface, as much as half stayed in the water column and much of that in the deep sea. After the hydrocarbons reached the surface, weathering processes, burning, and the use of a dispersant caused hydrocarbon-rich marine snow to sink into the deep sea. As a result, this spill had a greater potential to affect deep-sea communities than had any previous spill. Here, we review the literature on impacts on deep-sea communities from the Macondo blowout and provide additional data on sediment hydrocarbon loads and the impacts on sediment infauna in areas with coral communities around the Macondo well. We review the literature on the genetic connectivity of deep-sea species in the Gulf of Mexico and discuss the potential for wider effects on deep Gulf coral communities.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 796-807 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | BioScience |
| Volume | 64 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2014 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
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Coral communities as indicators of ecosystem-level impacts of the deepwater horizon spill. / Fisher, Charles R.; Demopoulos, Amanda W J; Cordes, Erik E.; Baums, Iliana B.; White, Helen K.; Bourque, Jill R.
In: BioScience, Vol. 64, No. 9, 01.09.2014, p. 796-807.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Coral communities as indicators of ecosystem-level impacts of the deepwater horizon spill
AU - Fisher, Charles R.
AU - Demopoulos, Amanda W J
AU - Cordes, Erik E.
AU - Baums, Iliana B.
AU - White, Helen K.
AU - Bourque, Jill R.
PY - 2014/9/1
Y1 - 2014/9/1
N2 - The Macondo oil spill released massive quantities of oil and gas from a depth of 1500 meters. Although a buoyant plume carried released hydrocarbons to the sea surface, as much as half stayed in the water column and much of that in the deep sea. After the hydrocarbons reached the surface, weathering processes, burning, and the use of a dispersant caused hydrocarbon-rich marine snow to sink into the deep sea. As a result, this spill had a greater potential to affect deep-sea communities than had any previous spill. Here, we review the literature on impacts on deep-sea communities from the Macondo blowout and provide additional data on sediment hydrocarbon loads and the impacts on sediment infauna in areas with coral communities around the Macondo well. We review the literature on the genetic connectivity of deep-sea species in the Gulf of Mexico and discuss the potential for wider effects on deep Gulf coral communities.
AB - The Macondo oil spill released massive quantities of oil and gas from a depth of 1500 meters. Although a buoyant plume carried released hydrocarbons to the sea surface, as much as half stayed in the water column and much of that in the deep sea. After the hydrocarbons reached the surface, weathering processes, burning, and the use of a dispersant caused hydrocarbon-rich marine snow to sink into the deep sea. As a result, this spill had a greater potential to affect deep-sea communities than had any previous spill. Here, we review the literature on impacts on deep-sea communities from the Macondo blowout and provide additional data on sediment hydrocarbon loads and the impacts on sediment infauna in areas with coral communities around the Macondo well. We review the literature on the genetic connectivity of deep-sea species in the Gulf of Mexico and discuss the potential for wider effects on deep Gulf coral communities.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84910642314&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1093/biosci/biu129
DO - 10.1093/biosci/biu129
M3 - Article
VL - 64
SP - 796
EP - 807
JO - BioScience
JF - BioScience
SN - 0006-3568
IS - 9
ER -