Journal
BIOSCIENCE
Volume 64, Issue 9, Pages 796-807Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biu129
Keywords
aquatic ecosystems; coral reefs; ecology; environmental science
Categories
Funding
- BOEM [M08PC20038]
- US Geological Survey for the Lophelia II project
- National Science Foundation Grants for Rapid Response Research [OCE-1045083, OCE-1064041, OCE-1045079, OCE-1045131]
- BP/GoMRI
Ask authors/readers for more resources
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.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available