Presentation
Impacts of Median-Sized and Large Oil Spills on Shallow Coral Reefs
DescriptionThe Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in 2021 funded two studies to synthesize the literature on impacts to various physical, biological, social, and economic resources from “large” (greater than 20,000 barrels (bbl)) and “median-sized” (500 to less than 20,000 bbl) spills of crude oil, condensate, or diesel, to aid in National Environmental Policy Act analysis of affected resources. Twenty resource categories were included in these syntheses, including marine benthic communities (shallow and mesophotic coral reefs, deep-sea coral communities, oyster reefs, mesophotic rhodolith beds, and soft-sediment communities). In this paper, we synthesize the literature on impacts and recovery of shallow coral reefs. Coral reefs were chosen because they were relatively well-studied with several case studies. Additionally, the wide array of ecosystem services that coral reefs provide make them particularly valuable systems for which to understand spill impacts and recovery. Primary and grey literature was searched for documented impacts to these ecosystems from 62 median-sized spills and 42 large spills. Field-based documentation of impacts and/or estimates of recovery were found for five spills and one field experiment for shallow coral reefs.
Impacts to coral reef communities were variable, but when impacts were observed, the effects lasted for years. Impacts were observed across multiple taxa on coral reefs for both median-sized and large spills, and time to recovery varied widely with taxa. Corals had the longest time to recovery, at 3.5 to 10 years, followed by algae (1.5 to >3 years), sea urchins (0.7 to >3 years), and mollusks (>2 years). No impacts were detected in reef fish in the studies that examined them. Physical factors at the time of the spill, notably wave action over the reef, can play a pivotal role in whether oil reaches reef organisms. Furthermore, physical habitat characteristics appear to play a role in severity of impacts, with intertidal and very shallow subtidal reefs particularly at risk.
Impacts to coral reef communities were variable, but when impacts were observed, the effects lasted for years. Impacts were observed across multiple taxa on coral reefs for both median-sized and large spills, and time to recovery varied widely with taxa. Corals had the longest time to recovery, at 3.5 to 10 years, followed by algae (1.5 to >3 years), sea urchins (0.7 to >3 years), and mollusks (>2 years). No impacts were detected in reef fish in the studies that examined them. Physical factors at the time of the spill, notably wave action over the reef, can play a pivotal role in whether oil reaches reef organisms. Furthermore, physical habitat characteristics appear to play a role in severity of impacts, with intertidal and very shallow subtidal reefs particularly at risk.
Authors
Event Type
Paper
TimeWednesday, May 15th10:00am - 10:20am CDT
Location298-299
Restoration