Effects of Oil Spills on Terrestrial Arthropods in Coastal Wetlands

Coastal wetlands are important to human well-being and vulnerable to oil spills. Research on biotic effects of oil has been focused on microbes, plants, and benthic invertebrates, neglecting terrestrial arthropods. We review how oil affects terrestrial arthropods in coastal marshes and suggest future research topics. Terrestrial arthropods play important ecological roles in coastal marshes, affecting primary production and decomposition and providing food to terrestrial and marine vertebrates. Some species are pests and disease vectors for humans and livestock. Terrestrial arthropods are sensitive to oil exposure and are suppressed even in lightly oiled sites where plants are not affected. Some arthropods later reinhabit oiled marshes, which demonstrates that portions of the arthropod community may be resilient to oil exposure. However, oil that remains in sediments may affect terrestrial populations for years after the spill. The sensitivity of arthropods to oil exposure makes them useful indicators of marsh health following environmental impacts.