“The release of oil in the Gulf of Mexico will have a tremendous impact on the living resources of coastal and marine environments. Wetland and benthic communities, already stressed by reduced sediment supply, bottom-water hypoxia, and canal/channel construction, will most likely need years to recover in order to provide important ecosystem services such as nutrient filtration, spawning-nursery habitat, and storm protection. This watershed event will hopefully alter how we protect these vital natural resources and must lead to improved prevention and response.”
—Dr. David Velinsky
Vice President, Patrick Center for Environmental Research
The Academy of Natural Sciences
The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
The massive oil release in the Gulf of Mexico, officially referred to as the Deepwater Horizon Incident, is receiving worldwide attention and will result in long-lasting environmental impacts. Some of the impacts, including the harm to shore birds, the spoiling of coastal wetlands and the short-term cessation of several major fisheries, are painfully familiar to the public.
The coastal wetlands of the Gulf of Mexico account for the vast majority of this crucial habitat in the United States. (Those wetlands in Louisiana alone account for nearly a third.) They provide food and haven for wildlife and nourish finfish and shellfish populations that provide many of our country’s most important commercial and sport fisheries. Reductions in the ecosystem services provided by these productive and vital wetlands will be felt for years to come.
Impacts are also occurring well below the surface. The oil from the damaged Deepwater Horizon drilling site is mixing with Gulf Coast waters nearly a mile below the surface. Massive deepwater plumes of oil droplets have been detected, but it’s much harder to gauge their extent than it is to measure the size of oil slicks on the surface. Moreover—like most things associated with the deep sea—scientists know far too little. How much of it will remain suspended in deep water or end up on the sea floor? How long will it remain there? How will microorganisms, fish, and other animals exposed to this toxic brew fare? Will bacteria that feed on these newly abundant hydrocarbons deplete oxygen levels and create more dead zones?
The Deepwater Horizon spill highlights one of the Academy of Natural Science’s most critical roles—to provide high quality, unbiased scientific information about the earth’s environment, ecosystems, and biodiversity. Without this fundamental information, it would be impossible to measure the full impact of crises like this one. The Academy’s work is also central to the development of sound environmental policies that might be able to prevent or mitigate the impact of such disasters in the future. Our scientists have worked in the Gulf of Mexico for many years, gathering information about wetlands and stream systems. Our research collections contain thousands of specimens drawn from Gulf waters, which can provide a historical record of ocean biodiversity and chemistry from decades past. These resources will help to provide necessary reference points and baseline data as scientists investigate the ongoing consequences of this disaster.
Academy scientists have put together the following online resources in order to help keep our members and supporters informed about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and its impact on the environment. We will keep this resource page updated as efforts progress to stop the oil spill and measure and mitigate its damaging impacts.
General information
- Deepwater Horizon Response
(The official site of the Deepwater Horizon Unified Command)
www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/ - NOAA daily update on the Deepwater Horizon Incident
response.restoration.noaa.gov/topic_subtopic_entry.php?RECORD_KEY%28
entry_subtopic_topic%29=entry_id,subtopic_id,topic_id&entry_id%28
entry_subtopic_topic%29=809&subtopic_id%28entry_subtopic_topic%29=2&
topic_id%28entry_subtopic_topic%29=1 - Google Crisis Response on the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
www.google.com/crisisresponse/oilspill/ - The New York Times Times Topics on the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill (2010)
topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/
subjects/o/oil_spills/gulf_of_mexico_2010/index.html
Information by or about scientists and scientific organizations
- Nature News Special section on the Gulf Oil Spill
www.nature.com/oilspill - Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation: Oil Spill and Leak Information
www.erf.org/gulf-mexico-oil-spill-and-leak-web-resources - American Fisheries Society: Update on the Gulf Spill
www.fisheries.org/blog/update-on-the-gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill/ - Deep Sea News: How the Oil Spill Affects Fisheries
deepseanews.com/2010/05/how-the-oil-spill-affects-fisheries-
interview-with-dr-dave-kerstetter/ - Society of Wetlands Scientists: Press Release on the Spill Effects on Wetlands
www.sws.org/docs/SWS_OilEffectsOnWetlands.pdf - Philadelphia Inquirer: Temple researcher's project could aid spill study
www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/93255634.html#axzz0p9yQhsxr
(Dr. Erik Cordes is a Temple University oceanographer who studies deep sea corals in the Gulf of Mexico. He will be presenting an illustrated talk at the Academy on Saturday, June 5, at 1 pm.) - The New York Times: Deep Underwater, Oil Threatens Reef
June 1 article featuring Dr. Erik Cordes.
www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/us/02coral.html
