EFFECTS OF EXPERIMENTAL OILING ON RECOVERY OF STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA INTERTIDAL HABITATS

• Main Authors: J.W. Blaylock, P. Wilkinson, M. Wilkinson, G. Fellingham, J.R. Vanderhorst
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2005
• Subjects: Prudhoe Bay
• Online Access: http://oaspub.epa.gov/eims/eimsapi.dispdetail?deid=47238

Experimental studies of the effects of Prudhoe Bay crude oil on the recovery of inter-tidal infauna and epifauna were conducted in the Strait of Juan de Fuca region of Washington State. The studies experimentally evaluated the effect of oil treatment, site, substrate type, season, and tide level on the composition, density, and species richness of organisms colonizing substrates which were initially free of organisms. Significant differences for some biological parameters were demonstrated for each of the types of treatment contrast (site, substrate type, season, tide level, and oil). Significant biological effects were demonstrated to be due to oil treatments for 70% of 56 biological parameters evaluated in detail. Full recovery following contamination with oil was predicted for sediment-borne infauna based on oil retention time and recovery of infauna in unoiled sediments.