Long-term direct and indirect effects of the 'Exxon Valdez' oil spill on pigeon guillemots in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Abstract We compared post Exxon Valdez oil-spill densities of marine birds in Prince William Sound from 1989–1991, 1993, 1996, and 1998 to pre-spill densities from 1984–1985. Post-spill densities of several species of marine birds were lower than expected in the oiled area of Prince William Sound when compared to densities in the unoiled area. These negative effects continued through 1998 for five taxa: cormorants, goldeneyes, mergansers, Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba), and murres. Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) and Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) exhibited negative effects in 1990 and 1991. Loons showed a weak negative effect in 1993. Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) showed relative decreases in 1989, 1996, and 1998 which may have been caused by shifts in foraging distribution rather than declines in populations. Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) showed positive effects in most post-spill years. Murrelets and terns showed relative increases in 1993, 1996, and 1998. Generally, taxa that dive for their food were negatively affected, whereas taxa that feed at the surface were not. Effects for some taxa were dependent upon the spatial scale at which they were analyzed. Movements of birds and the mosaic pattern of oiling reduced our ability to detect oil-spill effects, therefore our results may be conservative. Several marine bird species were negatively affected at the population level and have not recovered to pre-spill levels nine years after the oil spill. The reason for lack of recovery may be related to persistent oil remaining in the environment and reduced forage fish abundance.

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Comparative Toxicities of Polar and Non-Polar Organic Fractions From Sediments Affected By the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Chemistry and Ecology ◽

10.1080/02757549508035337 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 10 (1-2) ◽

pp. 137-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Douglas A. Wolfe ◽

K. John Scott ◽

John R. Clayton ◽

John Lunz ◽

James R. Payne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Prince William Sound ◽

Exxon Valdez ◽

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽

Organic Fractions

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Exposure of sea otters and harlequin ducks in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA, to shoreline oil residues 20 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry ◽

10.1002/etc.415 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 659-672 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Jerry M. Neff ◽

David S. Page ◽

Paul D. Boehm

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Prince William Sound ◽

Exxon Valdez ◽

Sea Otters ◽

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽

Harlequin Ducks

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Long-Term Ecosystem Response to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Science ◽

10.1126/science.1084282 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 302 (5653) ◽

pp. 2082-2086 ◽

Cited By ~ 843

Author(s):

C. H. Peterson

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Ecosystem Response ◽

Exxon Valdez ◽

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

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Review of Studies on Oil Damage To Prince William Sound Pink Salmon

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2001-1-569 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 2001 (1) ◽

pp. 569-575

Author(s):

Ernest Brannon ◽

Keya Collins ◽

Lawrence Moulton ◽

Keith R. Parker

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Pink Salmon ◽

Sampling Procedure ◽

Prince William Sound ◽

Measurable Effect ◽

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill ◽

Differences Of Opinion ◽

History Of ◽

Oil Exposure

ABSTRACT In the tenth year following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, differences of opinion still exist about injuries to pink salmon. It was alleged that exposure to oil reduced growth of fry and induced mortality in eggs. The authors reexamined the allegation that injury occurred and have concluded that insufficient consideration was given to other factors that affected results in the studies from which these allegations were drawn. The inability to track temperature differences and the unknown ages of fry precluded assessment of oil effects on growth during early marine residence. Reported higher egg mortality and long-term injury alleged to have resulted from oil exposure during incubation were confounded by the mortality of eggs that occurred as an artifact of the sampling procedure, unrelated to oil effects. The authors concluded that injury to incubating pink salmon embryos and reduced fry growth were based on an incomplete assessment of other factors that influenced these results. This evidence is supported by other research that has disclosed no oil effects on incubating eggs. Among these were studies that showed measured oil concentrations reaching the incubation substrate were 14 to 7,600 times below the lethal threshold. The seven largest runs in the history of Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska have returned in the 10 years following the spill, which ultimately demonstrated the lack of measurable effect of the oil spill on pink salmon. The authors suggest that the allegation of oil-induced injury to PWS pink salmon needs to be reconsidered in light of these analyses.

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A 10-Year Study of Shoreline Conditions in the Exxon Valdez Spill Zone, Prince William Sound, Alaska

International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings ◽

10.7901/2169-3358-2001-1-559 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 2001 (1) ◽

pp. 559-567 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Edward S. Gilfillan ◽

David S. Page ◽

Keith R. Parker ◽

Jerry M. Neff ◽

Paul D. Boehm

Keyword(s):

Oil Spill ◽

Individual Species ◽

Prince William Sound ◽

Exxon Valdez ◽

Worst Case ◽

Intertidal Community ◽

Infaunal Community ◽

Long Term Study ◽

Natural Factors

ABSTRACT A shoreline ecology program was performed in Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska in 1990 and 1991 (1 and 2 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, EVOS) to assess the fate and effects of the oil in the intertidal zone. Major components of the study were repeated in 1998 and 1999. This update included a sediment-sampling program at formerly oiled “worst-case” boulder/cobble (B/C) sites and randomly chosen unoiled B/C reference sites. The samples were analyzed for petroleum hydrocarbons and benthic infaunal community characteristics. This paper focuses on the results of the benthic infaunal community analysis. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the 1990–1999 infaunal species composition data. Very little effect of oiling was detected in either the analysis of community structure parameters or in individual species abundances. Oiling effects were detected at some sites in 1990 and 1991, but not in 1998 and 1999. Nearly all the change in intertidal community parameters between 1990 and 1999 was attributed to natural interannual variation. The composition of the intertidal community of B/C shores changed over time because of natural factors not related to the spill. A core group of species was found in each of the 4 years. This group of species represented between 9 to 30% of all species identified. Two other groups of species did not co-occur. One group was present in 1990 and 1991, but not in 1998 and 1999; the other group was present in 1998 and 1999, but not in 1990 and 1991. The progressive change in the animal community observed between 1990 and 1999 is very likely related to long-term climatic changes occurring in the study area and not the oil spill. This long-term study demonstrates the importance of study designs that allow separation of oiling effects from natural factors that can affect biological communities.

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