| Summary: | Benthic organisms associated with subtidal sediments generally represent good monitors for measuring effects of oil fluxing to the bottom. These organisms typically remain close to or at the site of larval settlement and, consequently, represent good monitoring organisms. The composition of the marine benthic fauna has been successfully used at various locations throughout the industrial world as a basis for measuring effects of pollutants on the bottom. Shallow (<20 m) subtidal studies were initiated in Prince William Sound in the fall of 1989, and continued during the summers of 1990 and 1991. Thus far, the 1989-90 sampling effort has demonstrated the presence of oil (observed as sheens) and/or injury to marine plants, invertebrates, and fishes in silted fjord, eelgrass (Zostera) and Laminaria/Agarum bay habitats (Jewett et al., 1992). Deep (>20 m) benthos studies were initiated in the Prince William Sound in July l99O. Six of the deep benthos sites sampled in l990 were adjacent to eelgrass sites sampled by the shallow benthic program. Preliminary results from the deep benthos study indicated significant differences for infauna within oiled embayments in comparison with unoiled embayments. The data here include only fish density data. Other data assocaited with this project can be found in additional data packages.
|
|---|