SUBLETHAL INJURY TO RED MANGROVES TWO YEARS AFTER OILING1

1997 ◽  
Vol 1997 (1) ◽  
pp. 1040-1041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally C. Levings ◽  
Stephen D. Garrity ◽  
Edward S. Van Vleet ◽  
Dana L. Wetzel
Keyword(s):  
Shoot Growth ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Specific Growth ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Fuel Oil ◽  
Detailed Data ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Sublethal Injury ◽  
Species Specific

ABSTRACT More than 300,000 gallons of refined petroleum products were discharged near the entrance to Tampa Bay, Florida on August 10, 1993. Floating slicks and sunken oil patty (no. 6 fuel oil) subsequently entered Boca Ciega Bay through John's Pass and washed or stranded on four mangrove keys inside the pass. Between one and two years after the spill, surviving red mangroves showed graded negative responses to oil in 4 of 4 measures of shoot growth and production. Sublethal, long-term effects of oil spills may be more common than reported, but detection requires detailed data on species-specific growth and production patterns with respect to oiling.

scholarly journals Tropical Storm Agnes Pennsylvania's Torrey Canyon

1973 ◽  
Vol 1973 (1) ◽  
pp. 569-577
Author(s):  
Robert Kaiser ◽  
Donald Jones ◽  
Howard Lamp'l
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Tropical Storm ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Fuel Oil ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Middle Atlantic ◽  
Schuylkill River

ABSTRACT This paper presents the “Agnes Story” disaster as related to the largest inland oil spill experienced in the history of the U.S. and actions taken by EPA in coping with the problem. Contrasted to the massive oceanic spill of the TORREY CANYON, other major ship oil pollution disasters, the Santa Barbara and Gulf of Mexico offshore platform oil spills, the oil pollution resulting from the flooding produced by Tropical Storm Agnes required unprecedented actions by many governmental agencies. The inland rivers of the Middle Atlantic area experienced spills of petroleum products ranging from over 3,000,000 gallons of No. 2 fuel oil, gasoline and kerosene from storage tanks in Big Flats / Elmira, N.Y. (just north of the Pennsylvania border) to 6,000,000–8,000,000 gallons of black, highly metallic waste oil and sludge from an oil reclamation plant on the Schuylkill River. The aftermath of this gigantic inland oil spill was oil and gasoline soaked fields, oil coated trees, farm houses, homes, factories, an airport, and hundreds of stranded oil puddles, ponds and lagoons as the rivers receded to normal levels. The record setting flood stage along several miles of both the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Rivers and their tributaries was recorded vividly ashore on trees and buildings as if by a black grease pencil, drawing attention to the most widespread property damage suffered from the most devastating storm in recorded U.S. history. Cleanup of the spilled oil in the midst of other rescue and restorative actions by Federal, State and Municipal agencies was fraught with emergency response problems including: identification of major impact points, availability of resources for response actions, coordination of response actions, activation of cleanup contractors, meeting administrative requirements, and the structure for making command decisions. Along with these requirements were technical decisions to be made concerning methods of physical removal procedures, containment systems, chemical treating agents and, very importantly, protecting and restoring the environment. Major spill effects and significant cleanup operations, problems encountered, and lessons learned are presented so that future responses can be better and more efficiently dealt with in an inland oil spill disaster comparable to the “Agnes Oil Spill”.

scholarly journals Long-term effects of snowmelt timing and climate warming on phenology, growth and reproductive effort of arctic tundra plant species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther R. Frei ◽  
Greg H.R. Henry
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
High Arctic ◽  
Snow Accumulation ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Plant Responses ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Passive Warming ◽  
Species Specific

Arctic regions are particularly affected by rapidly rising temperatures and altered snow regimes. Snowmelt timing depends on spring temperatures and winter snow accumulation. Scenarios for the Arctic include both decreases and increases in snow accumulation. Predictions of future snowmelt timing are thus difficult and experimental evidence for ecological consequences is scarce. In 1995, a long-term factorial experiment was set up in a High Arctic evergreen shrub heath community on Ellesmere Island, Canada. We investigated how snow removal, snow addition and passive warming affected phenology, growth and reproductive effort of the four common tundra plant species <i>Cassiope tetragona</i>, <i>Dryas integrifolia</i>, <i>Luzula arctica</i> and <i>Papaver radicatum</i>. Timing of flowering and seed maturation as well as flower production were more strongly influenced by the combined effects of snowmelt timing and warming in the two shrub species than in the two herbaceous species. Warming effects persisted over the course of the growing season and resulted in increased shrub growth. Moreover, the long-term trend of increasing growth in two species suggests that ambient warming promotes tundra plant growth. Our results confirm the importance of complex interactions between temperature and snowmelt timing in driving species-specific plant responses to climate change in the Arctic.

Captive husbandry and veterinary care of seabirds during the MV Rena oil spill response

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 610 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. D. Gartrell ◽  
P. F. Battley ◽  
C. Clumpner ◽  
W. Dwyer ◽  
S. Hunter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fuel Oil ◽  
Heavy Fuel Oil ◽  
Seabird Species ◽  
Rehabilitation Protocols ◽  
Common Causes ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract ContextSeabirds were the most common taxa captured alive as part of the oiled wildlife response to the grounding of the container vessel MV Rena in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. AimsTo describe the management of seabirds during the spill response, to outline the common problems encountered and to make recommendations for future responses. MethodsSeabirds were collected from 7 October 2011 to 14 January 2012. They were stabilised and underwent pretreatment, washing and rinsing procedures to remove oil, followed by swimming physiotherapy to restore waterproofing and long-term housing in outdoor aviaries. The birds were released in batches close to the original sites of capture once the wild habitat was cleaned. Key results428 live seabirds were admitted. There were two temporal peaks in admissions associated with the ship grounding and when the ship broke up. The majority of live birds were little penguins (Eudyptula minor; 394/428, 92%). Most seabirds admitted (393/428, 91.8%) were contaminated with heavy fuel oil, with the remainder (35/428, 8.2%) found unoiled but starving and/or exhausted or with injuries. Little penguins had lower mortality during rehabilitation (28/394, 7.1%) than other seabird species combined (27/34, 79.4%). Seabirds in poorer body condition on arrival had higher mortality, and unoiled birds were also more likely to die than oiled birds. In oiled little penguins, the degree of oiling on the plumage ranged from 1 to 100%, but mortality was not significantly associated with the degree of oiling (P=0.887). Pododermatitis affected 66% of little penguins. The most common causes of death (n=45) included weakness, anaemia and hypothermia in oiled seabirds (16/45, 35.6%), and starvation and weakness in unoiled seabirds (14/45, 31.1%). ConclusionsTotal survival to release was 87.1%, primarily influenced by the species involved and the body condition of the birds on arrival. Unoiled seabirds had higher mortality rates than oiled seabirds. ImplicationsOiled wildlife can be rehabilitated with good success, even when heavily oiled, or to a lesser extent, when found in poor body condition. More work is needed to refine species-specific rehabilitation protocols for seabirds, especially for those being admitted in emaciated body condition.

EFFECTS OF EXPERIMENTAL CRUDE OIL SPILLS ON TAIGA AND TUNDRA VEGETATION OF THE CANADIAN ARCTIC

1975 ◽  
Vol 1975 (1) ◽  
pp. 517-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.C. Hutchinson ◽  
W. Freedman
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Energy Budgets ◽  
Ground Vegetation ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Tundra Vegetation ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Vegetation Species

ABSTRACT Summer and winter crude oil spills have been made on tundra and taiga sites in arctic Canada. The short- and long-term effects of these spills have been recorded, to date, over a 3-year period. Spills were made by even surface spraying and by high intensity point spills. The vegetation present prior to such spills was carefully recorded. All surface spills had a devastating effect on above-ground vegetation. Species did, however, differ markedly in both their ability to survive an oil spill and their ability to recover. Many species, especially lichens, mosses, and liverworts, were killed outright. Some woody and dwarf shrubs were able to produce new, healthy shoots within a few weeks of initial defoliation. The reduced production of storage material, as a result of foliage (and photosynthetic) loss, caused markedly increased plant losses by winter-killing factors. Flowering and reproduction were severely reduced, even in the third summer following a spill. Winter spills had significantly less effect than summer spills. Permafrost was little affected, despite changes in the site energy budgets. Damage appeared greater in exposed taiga sites than on the tundra. Some species, such as black spruce, died throughout a 3-year period, emphasizing the necessity for long-term studies for accurate assessment.

scholarly journals Long-term effects of CO2 enrichment on bud phenology and shoot growth patterns of Norway spruce juvenile trees

2010 ◽  
Vol 56 (No. 6) ◽  
pp. 251-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Pokorný ◽  
I. Tomášková ◽  
I. Drápelová ◽  
J. Kulhavý ◽  
V. Marek M
Keyword(s):  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Shoot Growth ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Shoot Elongation ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Elongation Growth ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Bud Phenology

Bud phenology and shoot elongation growth were monitored on Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) trees grown inside glass domes with adjustable windows for six years under ambient (355 &micro;mol CO<sub>2</sub>∙mol<sup>&ndash;1</sup>) and elevated (700 &micro;mol CO<sub>2</sub>∙mol<sup>&ndash;1</sup>) atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations CO<sub>2</sub>. Each treatment consisted of two stand densities &ndash; sparse (5,000 trees∙ha<sup>&ndash;1</sup>) and dense (10,000 trees∙ha<sup>&ndash;1</sup>). The age of spruce trees was 10 years at the beginning of the experiment.Elevated CO<sub>2</sub> slightly accelerated the consequential bud germinating phases and it significantly induced shoot elongation growth, especially of sun-exposed shoots in a stand with sparse density. This accelerated growth lasted one to three weeks after full bud development in E compared to A. At the end of the growing season the total shoot length did not show any differences between the treatments. We supposed that limiting nitrogen supply to needles slowed down subsequent shoot elongation growth in E treatment. Nevertheless, faster shoot growth in elevated CO<sub>2</sub> conditions can enhance the carbon sink in spruce due to prolongation of the growing season.

The long-term effects of logging for woodchips on small mammal populations

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Lunney ◽  
Alison Matthews ◽  
Peggy Eby ◽  
Angela M. Penn
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
North West ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Species Specific

Context. Long-term studies are internationally recognised as an essential component of achieving ecologically sustainable forest management with respect to fauna. Aims. This study aimed to assess longer-term responses of small mammals to logging by returning in 1998 to our 1980–83 study sites in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Methods. Three age-classes of forest were surveyed: unlogged; 18–19-year-old regrowth; and 26–34-year-old regrowth. Key results. Rattus fuscipes remained affected by logging, and there were significantly fewer R. fuscipes males in logged, north-west-facing sites than at other sites, although the effect was less pronounced in 1998 than in 1980–83. Antechinus agilis females were significantly less numerous in south-east-facing, unlogged forest. This was not expected from the 1980–83 results. Antechinus swainsonii, which had disappeared following a fire in 1980, had returned to the forest by 1998. A. swainsonii females showed a significant preference for south-east-facing slopes and this relationship was consistent between logged and unlogged forest. No members of Mus musculus or Sminthopsis leucopus, which were present in 1980–83, were caught in 1998. Conclusions. As in the 1980s study, the responses of small mammal species to logging history were varied and species specific. Implications. In our study area, we predict that sustained logging for woodchips will continue to deplete its populations of small mammals. This adds to the case for a more robust and sustained approach to researching and managing our forest fauna.

scholarly journals Long-term reproductive impairment in a seabird after the Prestige oil spill

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 20131041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Álvaro Barros ◽  
David Álvarez ◽  
Alberto Velando
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Marine Organisms ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Reproductive Impairment ◽  
Long Term Consequences ◽  
The Impact

Large oil spills are dramatic perturbations on marine ecosystems, and seabirds are one of the worst affected organisms in such events. It has been argued that oil spills may have important long-term consequences on marine organisms, but supporting evidence remains scarce. The European shag ( Phalacrocorax aristotelis ) was strongly impacted at population level by the Prestige oil spill, the biggest spillage in the eastern North Atlantic. In this paper, we report on the long-term consequences on reproduction of this coastal seabird, using temporal and spatial replicated data (before–after–control–impact design). Our study revealed long-term reproductive impairment during at least the first 10 years since the Prestige oil spill. Annual reproductive success did not differ before the impact, but after the impact it was reduced by 45% in oiled colonies compared with unoiled ones. This is a rare documentation of long-term effects after a major oil spill, highlighting the need for long-term monitoring in order to assess the real impact of this type of disturbance on marine organisms.

Interagency Investigations of a Persistent Oil Spill on the Washington Coast: Animal Population Studies, Hydrocarbon Uptake by Marine Organisms, and Algae Response Following the Grounding of the Troopship GENERAL M. C. MEIGS

1973 ◽  
Vol 1973 (1) ◽  
pp. 793-808
Author(s):  
Robert C. Clark, Jr. ◽  
John S. Finley ◽  
Benjamin G. Patten ◽  
Dennis F. Stefani ◽  
Edward E. DeNike
Keyword(s):  
Petroleum Hydrocarbons ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Fuel Oil ◽  
Shelf Area ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Biological Damage ◽  
Intertidal Community ◽  
Upper Intertidal ◽  
Basic Characteristics

ABSTRACT An interagency team of biologists, chemists, oceanographers and engineers has been investigating the long-term effects of oil spilled by the grounding of the troopship GENERAL M. C. MEIGS January 6, 1972, on an ocean coast intertidal community of plants and animals. Oil has continuously been released from the 440,000 liters of Navy Special Fuel Oil carried by the vessel. The team assessed biological damage by making 1) surveys of abundance and physiological condition of animals, 2) qualitative evaluation of obvious damage to plants, and 3) measurements of the hydrocarbon uptake in both plants and animals. A series of sites, forming a vertical profile of the rocky shelf area from the upper intertidal zone to the lowest low tide level in Wreck Cove, have been studied. This report describes the preliminary findings of the first ten months (January-October, 1972) of the investigation. Abnormal and dead urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) indicated that this species was affected. Loss of fronds and bleached thalli not evident in control areas were observed in the plant community in the immediate vicinity of the hulk. Petroleum hydrocarbons were taken up in the intertidal community. The normal paraffin hydrocarbon patterns and content over the range n-C14 H30 to n-C37H76 of healthy-appearing goose barnacles (Mitella polymerus), crabs (Hemigrapsus nudus) and an alga (Fucus gardneri) display the same basic characteristics as the fuel oil which had been lost from the GENERAL M. C. MEIGS.

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