scholarly journals Oil Pollution Affects the Central Metabolism of Keystone Vachellia (Acacia) Trees

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6660
Author(s):  
Marco Ferrante ◽  
Anuma Dangol ◽  
Shoshana Didi-Cohen ◽  
Gidon Winters ◽  
Vered Tzin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Desert Ecosystem ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Central Metabolism ◽  
Adult Trees ◽  
Metabolite Profiles ◽  
One Year

Vachellia (formerly Acacia) trees are native to arid environments in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where they often support the local animal and plant communities acting as keystone species. The aim of this study was to examine whether oil pollution affected the central metabolism of the native keystone trees Vachellia tortilis (Forssk.) and V. raddiana (Savi), as either adults or seedlings. The study was conducted in the Evrona Nature Reserve, a desert ecosystem in southern Israel where two major oil spills occurred in 1975 and in 2014. Leaf samples were collected to analyze the central metabolite profiles from oil-polluted and unpolluted adult trees and from Vachellia seedlings growing in oil-polluted and unpolluted soils in an outdoor setup. We found that oil pollution had a stronger effect on one-year-old seedlings than on adult trees, reducing the levels of amino acids, sugars, and organic acids. While adult trees are mildly affected by oil pollution, the effects on young seedlings can cause a long-term reduction in the population of these keystone desert trees, ultimately threatening this entire ecosystem.

scholarly journals Seed Predation on Oil-Polluted and Unpolluted Vachellia (Acacia) Trees in a Hyper-Arid Desert Ecosystem

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 665
Author(s):  
Marco Ferrante ◽  
Daniella M. Möller ◽  
Gabriella M. Möller ◽  
Yael Lubin ◽  
Michal Segoli
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Seed Predation ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Desert Ecosystem ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Animal Diversity ◽  
Arid Desert ◽  
Predation Rates

Acacia trees are keystone species in many arid environments, supporting high levels of plant and animal diversity. In Israel, the populations of Vachellia (formerly Acacia) tortilis (Forssk.) and V. raddiana (Savi) are declining at an alarming rate. Severe infestations by bruchid beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) are among the major causes of seed mortality, but additional environmental stressors can reduce the defence level of the seeds, exacerbating their susceptibility to predators. In a hyper-arid desert ecosystem affected by two major oil spills (in 1975 and 2014), we quantified seed predation rates caused by insect granivores before and after the pods dropped to the ground. We recorded predation rates of up to 84% for both tree species, and higher predation rates at the ground level than in the canopy, suggesting that repeated infestations occur. These results reinforce the call to protect the populations of large ungulates such as gazelles, which kill the bruchids by feeding upon the pods, and promote seed germination and dispersion. We found no clear evidence of a negative effect of the oil spill on seed predation, indicating that oil pollution did not increase the vulnerability of the seeds to granivores even in trees affected by the recent oil spill.

scholarly journals La paradoja de mezquites (Prosopis spp.): La invasión de especies o potenciadores de la biodiversidad?

2017 ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Golubov ◽  
María C. Mandujano ◽  
Luis E. Eguiarte
Keyword(s):  
Keystone Species ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Perennial Species ◽  
Semiarid Environments ◽  
High Species Diversity ◽  
Ecological Importance ◽  
Associated Species ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Arid And Semiarid

Arid and semi-arid environments contain relatively high species diversity and are subject to intense use, in particular extensive cattle grazing. The expansion of perennial species in to the grasslands decreases the value of the rangeland, because it makes necessary to control the shrubs, which is not practical in the long term. This paper is a bibliographic review of the ecological importance of the Prosopis (mequite) genus. We compiled information on all the species associated to mesquite (ca. 208 genera and 600 species from different taxa) and we propase that it is important to conserve the mesquites in order to maintain the diversity of the other associated species. We also stress the importance of mesquite as a keystone species in the balance of nitrogen and carbon in the arid and semiarid environments soils. We conclude that the conservation of the mesquites is very relevant, in particular in areas where people want to remove them and convert the environment to grasslands.

The Impact of Terrestrial Oil Pollution on Parasitoid Wasps Associated With Vachellia (Fabales: Fabaceae) Trees in a Desert Ecosystem, Israel

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1355-1362
Author(s):  
Daniella M Möller ◽  
Marco Ferrante ◽  
Gabriella M Möller ◽  
Tamir Rozenberg ◽  
Michal Segoli
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Sampling Site ◽  
Desert Ecosystem ◽  
Parasitoid Wasps ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Animal Diversity ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Oil is a major pollutant of the environment, and terrestrial oil spills frequently occur in desert areas. Although arthropods account for a large share of animal diversity, the effect of oil pollution on this group is rarely documented. We evaluated the effects of oil pollution on parasitoid wasps associated with Vachellia (formerly Acacia) tortilis (Forssk.) and Vachellia raddiana (Savi) trees in a hyper-arid desert that was affected by two major oil spills (in 1975 and 2014). We sampled the parasitoid populations between 2016 and 2018 in three sampling sites and compared their abundance, diversity, and community composition between oil-polluted and unpolluted trees. Parasitoid abundance in oil-polluted trees was lower in one of the sites affected by the recent oil spill, but not in the site affected by the 1975 oil spill. Oil-polluted trees supported lower parasitoid diversity than unpolluted trees in some sampling site/year combinations; however, such negative effects were inconsistent and pollution explained a small proportion of the variation in parasitoid community composition. Our results indicate that oil pollution may negatively affect parasitoid abundances and diversity, although the magnitude of the effect depends on the tree species, sampling site, and the time since the oil spill.

scholarly journals Seabirds in Conditions of Local Chronic Oil Pollution, Davis Sea, Antarctica

Birds ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-284
Author(s):  
Sergey Golubev
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
East Antarctica ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Seabird Species ◽  
Eudyptes Chrysolophus ◽  
Adélie Penguins

Oil spills are rare in Antarctica. They threaten flying birds and penguins. This is the first report on the interactions of seabirds with oil in the area of the Mirny Station (East Antarctica). The purpose of the study is to determine the total number of seabird species interacting with oil in and around the Mirny Station, to assess the extent of pollution and to identify the most important sites of interactions. Oil pollution is found on the ground, on the continental ice and, on the seawater surface, both directly in the Mirny and beyond. Five species of seabirds were in contact with oil. Oil pollution threats have been identified for breeding and molting Adélie Penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) and vagrant Macaroni Penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus). Less affected by oil pollution during the breeding season were tube-nosed bird species and skuas. The most important places of interaction of seabirds with oil are at Cape Mabus, on the islands of Zykov, Tokarev, and Stroiteley. Evidence of long-term oil pollution of the environment is indicative of the chronic nature of the impacts on the coastal ecosystem.

scholarly journals Measuring Progress in Oil Spill Preparedness

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilie Canova ◽  
Julien Favier ◽  
Nai Ming Lee ◽  
Peter Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Global Risk ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
International Convention ◽  
Implementation Processes ◽  
Joint Activities ◽  
Global Initiative

Abstract Governments and industry have been cooperating in the development of oil spill preparedness for more than 30 years. This has included support to the ratification and implementation of instruments such as the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC 90), which provides the basis for collaborative efforts between governments and industry to prepare for and respond to marine oil pollutions. Joint activities implemented in this framework represent a major investment and it is important to measure and track the extent to which they have led to sustained improvements. This paper examines the challenges of measuring progress in oil spill preparedness that have emerged over time, leading to the development of different tools and systems to monitor long-term developments. It will first review the metrics and tools used to assess the key elements of preparedness, focused on regions where the International Maritime Organization (IMO) - industry Global Initiative has been active since 1996. The challenges of ascribing and assessing the indicators will be highlighted. Whilst a quantitative method, such as the IPIECA Global Risk Analysis, is useful regarding technical aspects and to compare progress in time and between different regions, it does have a number of caveats, including the verification of data and the need to ensure that preparedness frameworks described in national strategy are translated into credible response capability. There is thus a need for more refined metrics and a complementary qualitative approach. Moreover, the difficulty to catalyse lasting change without sustained efforts was recognized. This paper will discuss why the measures should apply both for evaluation and decision-making and explain why it is key to build more comprehensive (from legal basis to implementation processes and equipment) and sustainable national preparedness systems. The indicators cover a range of aspects of oil spill readiness and should enable a picture of both national and regional preparedness to be constructed, which inform decisions on future actions and activities. The benefits of a step based approach and the potential for tools such as the Readiness Evaluation Tool for Oil Spills (RETOSTM) to underpin broader evaluations will be highlighted. The need for an enhanced methodology to measure progress in preparedness and its consistency with the risk exposure is finally discussed.

An ecologist’s view of the implications of the observed physiological and biochemical effects of petroleum compounds on marine organisms and ecosystems

1982 ◽  
Vol 297 (1087) ◽  
pp. 241-255 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spills ◽  
Sublethal Effects ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Benthic Communities ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Spatial Changes ◽  
Long Time

The quantity of hydrocarbons in some seas and sediments approaches the concentrations at which oil can be lethal or cause sublethal effects to marine animals in the laboratory. Field studies of the biological consequences of oil spills show good agreement with the experimental data: intertidal and subtidal benthic communities are affected and can take a long time to recover, undergoing slow and subtle changes. The temporal changes seen after oil spills are comparable with the spatial changes observed around chronic discharges, essentially a simplification of the ecosystem with dominance of a few species. These changes cannot be expressed as a single index of diversity or of physiological stress. To understand the long-term consequences of oil pollution it is necessary to monitor the community as a whole, but well defined methods and objectives are required.

Oil pollution and fisheries

1982 ◽  
Vol 297 (1087) ◽  
pp. 401-411 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Coastal Areas ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Fish Stocks ◽  
Local Impacts ◽  
Reduced Water ◽  
Long Term Adverse Effects

The term ‘pollution’ is taken in its broadest sense and effects are recognized to be due to interference, tainting and toxicity. Each of these types of impact is discussed and assessed. It is concluded that no long-term adverse effects on fish stocks can be attributed to oil but that local impacts can be extremely damaging in the short term and that produce from specific localities can be tainted and unmarketable for long periods. In some coastal areas oil can be one among several contributors to reduced water quality, and the implications of this are discussed.

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