Macondo‐1 well oil‐derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mesozooplankton from the northern Gulf of Mexico

Mitra, Siddhartha; Kimmel, David G.; Snyder, Jessica J.; Scalise, Kimberly; McGlaughon, Benjamin D.; Roman, Michael R.; Jahn, Ginger L.; Pierson, James J.; Brandt, Stephen B.; Montoya, Joseph P.; Rosenbauer, Robert J.; Lorenson, Thomas D.; Wong, Florence L.; Campbell, Pamela L.

doi:10.1029/2011gl049505

Cited by 50 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 35 publications

(32 reference statements)

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“…In contrast, the δ 13 C change from 2010 to 2011−12 in Lk is consistent with the incorporation and subsequent fractionation of C from the oil (δ 13 C = -27 ± 0.2‰; Carmichael et al 2012) via direct oil ingestion, inhalation, or dermal absorption, the consumption of oil-contaminated prey, or incorporation of oil C at lower levels of the food chain (Shigenaka 2003, Graham et al 2010 and not a change in foraging location. Other studies that have documented the incorporation of oil C into lower trophic levels and at different depths in the GoM also reported depleted C signatures (Graham et al 2010, Mitra et al 2012. In contrast to findings for loggerhead turtles (Vander Zanden et al 2016), our results indicate that the oil signature was transferred to Lk, as also reported for 2 species of mesopelagic GoM fishes (Quintana-Rizzo et al 2015).…”

contrasting

confidence: 56%

“…New scute is formed from a layer of epidermal tissue that overlies the bony shell of a turtle and produces successive layers 'from the bottom up'. Thus, the oldest dietary record is retained in the outermost (dorsal) layer, and each successive layer (~0.05 mm) reveals more recent diet and habitat use (Reich et al 2007, Vander Zanden et al 2010 (Mitra et al 2012, Cherrier et al 2014, Quintana-Rizzo et al 2015, Bonisoli-Alquati et al 2016, Wilson et al 2016. Therefore, absorption via inhalation, dermal exposure, or direct ingestion of oil by turtles or their prey (Shigenaki 2003), incorporation of oil into the food chain, a change in foraging area, or any combination of these factors after the spill could be reflected in the stable C and (or) N isotope signatures of the most recent (ventral) scute layers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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δ13C and δ15N in the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Reich¹,

López‐Castro²,

Shaver³

et al. 2017

Endang. Species. Res.

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contrasting

confidence: 56%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

δ13C and δ15N in the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Reich¹,

López‐Castro²,

Shaver³

et al. 2017

Endang. Species. Res.

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“…They also noted that several ophiuroids had their arms loosely coiled around coral branches, an abnormal behavior for this species. This suggests that A. clavigerum was likely directly impacted like the corals (White et al 2012a), either through surface exposure to oil and/or dispersant or by ingesting conta minated particles or zooplankton (Mitra et al 2012); this raises the possibility that some individuals died or left their host during the following year. On average, A. clavigerum had a beneficial effect on its P. biscaya host over an area equivalent to at least 19 times the diameter of its oral disc.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mutualistic symbiosis with ophiuroids limited the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on deep-sea octocorals

Girard

Fisher³

2016

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Deep-water corals form structurally complex biological habitats in the deep-sea that are generally associated with a diverse fauna. Yet, little is known about the effect of symbionts on coral resilience to natural or anthropogenic impacts. This study focused on the influence of the ophiuroid symbiont Asteroschema clavigerum on the resilience of its octocoral host Paramuricea biscaya after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Corals were imaged between 2011 and 2014 at 4 sites, 3 of which were impacted by the spill. Each colony was digitized to quantify the impact on corals. We developed a method to define an area under the influence of ophiuroids for each coral colony. The level of total visible impact, as well as recovery, was then compared within and outside this area. For the majority of colonies, recovery from visible impact and hydroid colonization was negatively correlated with distance from the ophiuroid. Total visible impact was lower within the area influenced by ophiuroids, and branches within this area were more likely to recover. These results indicate that P. biscaya benefits from its association with A. clavigerum, likely through the physical action of ophiuroids removing material depositing on polyps, and perhaps inhibiting the settlement of hydroids. Although the beneficial role of the ophiuroids was demonstrated on corals affected by an oil spill, we suggest that these benefits would also extend to corals in environments exposed to natural sedimentation events, perhaps allowing the corals to live in environments where sedimentation would otherwise limit their survival.

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“…The direct exposure, the disruption of breeding and spawning areas, or the transfer of contaminants through the food web, are just some of the deleterious effects one may expect to occur in the GoM due to the Macondo's blow out [28,29]. Considering the existing ecological connectivity within the GoM, it is doubtful to accept the argument that the conditions of environmental damage caused by the accidental oil spill in the northern gulf were spatially and temporally confined to that region.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Legal Issues and Scientific Constraints in the Environmental Assessment of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Mexico Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Gulf of Mexico

Soto¹,

Botello²

2013

IJG

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The largest accidental marine oil spill (4.9 million barrels) in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) seabed (1600 m) caused by the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in 2010, put to the test once again the resilient capacity of the pelagic and benthic realms of this Large Marine Ecosystem. Many are the ecological services provided by its waters (fisheries, tourism, aquaculture and fossil fuel reserves) to neighboring countries (US, Mexico and Cuba). However, the unprecedented volumes of hydrocarbons, gas and chemical dispersants (Corexit) introduced in the system, represent ecological stressors whose deleterious effects are still the subject of civil claims and scientific controversy. Presumably, the short scale effects were confined to the Gulf's northeastern shallow waters, and the combined actions of weathering, biodegradation, and oil recovery left the system almost under pre-spill conditions. Unfortunately, surface and subsurface oil plumes were detected in the spill aftermath, and their dispersion trajectories threatened Mexico EEZ. Surface oil slicks were detected in the pristine waters of northern Yucatán, while subsurface oil plumes from the Macondo's well blowout were dangerously advancing southwest towards key fishing grounds in the northwestern GoM. This disaster prompted the Mexican government to implement an ambitious ocean monitoring program adopting a bottom-up approach focused on building a base line for more than 42 physicochemical and biological variables for water, sediment and biota from the continental shelf-slope region of the NW GoM. Technological constraints have precluded systematic observations in the vast Mexican EEZ that could discriminate natural variability and oil seep emissions from antropic disturbances. Therefore, preliminary risk analyses relied on seasonal and historical records. Two years of field observations revealed subtle environmental changes in the studied area attributed to antropic disturbances. Waters maintained oligotrophic conditions and zooplankton and benthic infaunal biomass were also poor. Biomarkers in sediments and biota did not exceed EPA's benchmarks, and sediment's fingerprinting (δ 13 C) indicated marine carbon sources. Geomarkers revealed an active transport from the Mississippi towards the NW GoM of phyllosilicates bearing a weathered oil coating. Consequently, shelf and slope sediment toxicity begins to show an increasing trend in the region. The complexity of hydrocarbons bioaccumulation and biodegradation processes in deep waters of the GoM seems to indicate that meso-and large-scale observations may prove to be essential in understanding the capacity of the GoM to recover its ecological stability.

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Macondo‐1 well oil‐derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mesozooplankton from the northern Gulf of Mexico

Cited by 50 publications

References 35 publications

δ13C and δ15N in the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

δ13C and δ15N in the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Mutualistic symbiosis with ophiuroids limited the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on deep-sea octocorals

Legal Issues and Scientific Constraints in the Environmental Assessment of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Mexico Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Gulf of Mexico

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