Gulf Oil Spill Effects On Wildlife

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What are and will be the effects of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill on the wildlife in the area?

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Scientists to study impact of gulf oil spill on marine food webs

Shells from oysters, clams, and periwinkles hold clues about the ways and rates at which harmful compounds from the spill are being incorporated into the Gulf's marine food web.

New reports are surfacing every day about the immediate impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on Gulf Coast wildlife, especially as the oil reaches the sensitive marshlands along the coast. But how will these communities be affected over time? Scientists currently know very little about how long it takes for the hydrocarbons and heavy metals in crude oil to work their way through marine food webs. To address this issue, California Academy of Sciences researcher Peter Roopnarine is working with Laurie Anderson from Louisiana State University and David Goodwin from Denison University to collect and analyze three different types of mollusks from the Gulf Coast.

These animals are continually building their shells, and if contaminants are present in their environment, they can incorporate those compounds into their shells. Roopnarine and his colleagues will study growth rings in the shells - much like scientists would study tree rings - to determine how quickly harmful compounds from the oil become incorporated into the animals' homemade armor. They will also sample tissues from the animals over the next four months to test for hydrocarbons, and will measure changes in growth rate and survivorship. In addition to its value in informing conservation and policy decisions, this research will have direct implications for the region's commercial oyster fisheries.

• http://www.calacademy.org/sciencetoday/
• http://www.calacademy.org/newsroom/releases/2010/roopnarine_oil_spill.php

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NASA Satellites' View of Gulf Oil Spill Over Time

Two NASA satellites are capturing images of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which began April 20, 2010, with the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. This series of images reveals a space-based view of the burning oil rig and the ensuing oil spill, through May 24. The imagery comes from the MODIS instruments aboard NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. The oil slick appears grayish-beige in these images. The shape of the spill changes due to weather conditions, currents and the use of oil-dispersing chemicals.

The images in this video were selected to show the spill most clearly. The full image archive is available at http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov. For more information and imagery about the oil spill, visit NASA's Oil Spill website. Imagery and information about the oil spill is also available on NASA's Earth Observatory Natural Hazards website.

• http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/oilspill/index.html
• http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards
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gulf mexico coast oil spill effects bp deepwater horizon rig impacts studies marine food web wildlife animals shells oysters sea turtles environment scientists calacademy nasa satellites

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• gulf
• mexico
• coast
• oil
• spill
• effects
• wildlife
• bp
• deepwater
• horizon
• rig
• impacts
• studies
• marine
• food
• web
• animals
• shells
• oysters
• sea
• turtles
• environment
• scientists
• calacademy
• nasa
• satellites

[oralacerta]

Don't EVER forget what the PEOPLE are being exposed to down there right now. There is nothing on the news right now informing the people of the gulf about the major health problems this toxic spill and the previously banned toxic dispersants being used on the spill will cause people. Not just on the coast either, as the wind is carrying fumes across the south.

No matter what the news chooses to report to you, remember the human cost this will have as well. Less politics please and more action!

[nephilangel]

SPILL??? Using correct description helps keep it real, 'SPILL' hardly does it. Try raging gusher maybe..?

[antfischer93]

FUCK U BP and all these other motherfuckers tryin to cover this shit up, i live in maine and the only fuckin time u hear about this shit is if u go out of ur way to find it, this countrys fucked we need to over throw our government just like these other countrys fuckin minitary spening on one jet could hav fixed this the first day but u think that would ever be a fuckin idea, fuck no lets make my fuckin kid pay for it fuck the land of the free its the oppisite now adays

[TheSanovita]

this is so ugly

[ftopdirs]

Wau :(( Kasihan

[ctopdirs]

Ok deh,

[JeniTheBat]

Mantap...

[TheJatmikoo]

Very Good Video You

[andreeaweed]

Very nice video

[MyDavidsun]

thanks for the video