Bob Berwyn:
"SUMMIT COUNTY — The devastating 2010 earthquake and tsunami in Chile had some unexpected consequences, restoring lost beaches and even entire coastal ecoystems, according to an international team of researchers who had a unique opportunity to take a close before-and-after look at the ecological impact of the 8.8 magnitude temblor.
“Dune plants are coming back in places there haven’t been plants, as far as we know, for a very long time. The earthquake created sandy beach habitat where it had been lost. This is not the initial ecological response you might expect from a major earthquake and tsunami,” said Jenifer Dugan, an associate research biologist at UC Santa Barbara’s Marine Science Institute.
The study also offers a preview of problems associated with sea level rise, a major symptom of climate change.
“When someone builds a seawall, not only is beach habitat covered up with the wall itself, but, over time, sand is lost in front of the wall until the beach eventually drowns,” Dugan said. “The semi-dry and damp sand zones of the upper and mid intertidal are lost first, leaving only the wet lower beach zones. This causes the beach to lose diversity, including birds, and to lose ecological function. This is an under-appreciated human impact on coastlines around the world, and with climate change squeezing beaches further, it’s a very serious issue to consider.”
“This is very important because sandy beaches represent about 80 percent of the open coastlines globally. Also, sandy beaches are very good barriers against the sea level rise we are seeing around the world. It is essential to take care of sandy beaches. They are not only important for recreation, but also for conservation,” said the study’s lead author, Eduardo Jaramillo, of Universidad Austral de Chile....."
(Read more? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
Showing posts with label eco-systems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eco-systems. Show all posts
May 5, 2012
March 21, 2012
SandBoxBlogs: Summit County Citizens Voice "Report: Zooplankton in the Gulf of Mexico soaked by toxic compounds from Deepwater Horizon spill"
Bob Berwyn:
"SUMMIT COUNTY — Oil from BP’s failed Deepwater Horizon drilling contaminated the Gulf of Mexico‘s marine food chain from the bottom up, according to a new study showing that the oil was absorbed by tiny zooplankton.
Zooplankton are useful to track oil-derived pollution. They serve as food for baby fish and shrimp and act as conduits for the movement of oil contamination and pollutants into the food chain. The study confirms that, not only did oil affect the ecosystem in the Gulf during the blowout, but was still entering the food web long after the well was capped.
“Our research helped to determine a ‘fingerprint’ of the Deepwater Horizon spill—something that other researchers interested the spill may be able to use,” said Dr. Siddhartha Mitra of Eastern Carolina University. “Furthermore, our work demonstrated that zooplankton in the Northern Gulf of Mexico accumulated toxic compounds derived from the Macondo well.” he said.
After the April 20, 2010 explosion on the drilling rig, crude oil gushed into the water at a rate of at least 53,000 barrels per day before the well was capped on July 15.
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
"SUMMIT COUNTY — Oil from BP’s failed Deepwater Horizon drilling contaminated the Gulf of Mexico‘s marine food chain from the bottom up, according to a new study showing that the oil was absorbed by tiny zooplankton.
Zooplankton are useful to track oil-derived pollution. They serve as food for baby fish and shrimp and act as conduits for the movement of oil contamination and pollutants into the food chain. The study confirms that, not only did oil affect the ecosystem in the Gulf during the blowout, but was still entering the food web long after the well was capped.
“Our research helped to determine a ‘fingerprint’ of the Deepwater Horizon spill—something that other researchers interested the spill may be able to use,” said Dr. Siddhartha Mitra of Eastern Carolina University. “Furthermore, our work demonstrated that zooplankton in the Northern Gulf of Mexico accumulated toxic compounds derived from the Macondo well.” he said.
After the April 20, 2010 explosion on the drilling rig, crude oil gushed into the water at a rate of at least 53,000 barrels per day before the well was capped on July 15.
Oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and other chemicals. It contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can be used to fingerprint oil and determine its origins. The researchers were able to identify the signature unique to the Deep Water Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico.
The team’s research indicates that the fingerprint of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill could be found in some zooplankton in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem at low levels as much as a month after the leaking wellhead was capped..." (Read more? Click title)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)