Disturbance of deep-water reef communities by exploratory oil and gas operations in the Santa Maria basin and Santa Barbara channel. Final report, September 1992-September 1995
A study was undertaken to investigate the impacts to deep-water, hard-bottom benthic communities associated with disturbances caused by oil and gas exploratory operations on the Outer Continental Shelf of California. A literature survey compiled a history of exploratory oil and gas development and located wellsites where disturbances due to anchoring or discharges probably impacted hard-bottom communities. A photographic survey of the selected sites collected data for subsequent analyses on the type, distribution, and longevity of anchoring disturbances. Analyses of the field data revealed that less than one percent of hard-bottom habitat within the area of the mooring system was disturbed. The results of the study indicated that hard-bottom epifaunal communities do recover from these disturbances; however, recovery is highly dependent on the type of disturbance.
- Research Organization:
- MEC Analytical Systems, Inc., Carlsbad, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 195151
- Report Number(s):
- PB-96-130562/XAB; CNN: Contract DI-14-35-0001-30601; TRN: 60241708
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: DN: Color illustrations reproduced in black and white; PBD: Sep 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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