Ecological effects of a major oil spill on Panamanian coastal marine communities

Journal Article · Fri Jan 06 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.243.4887.37· OSTI ID:6351679

Jackson, J B.C.; Cubit, J D; Keller, B D; Batista, V; Burns, K; Caffey, H M; Caldwell, R L; Garrity, S D; Getter, C D; Gonzalez, C; Guzman, H M; Kaufmann, K W; Knap, A H; Levings, S C; Marshall, M J; Steger, R; Thompson, R C; Weil, E ^[1]

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1. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa (Panama)

In 1986 more than 8 million liters of crude oil spilled into a complex region of mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs just east of the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal. This was the largest recorded spill into coastal habitats in the tropical Americas. Many populations of plants and animals in both oiled and unoiled sites had been studied previously, thereby providing an unprecedented measure of ecological variation before the spill. Documentation of the spread of oil and its biological effects begun immediately. Intertidal mangroves, seagrasses, algae, and associated invertebrates were covered by oil and died soon after. More surprisingly, there was also extensive mortality of shallow subtidal reef corals and infauna of seagrass beds. After 1.5 years only some organisms in areas exposed to the open sea have recovered.

• OSTI ID: 6351679
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (USA), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (USA) Vol. 243:4887; ISSN SCIEA; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
COASTAL WATERS
DISTRIBUTION
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
HABITAT
OIL SPILLS
PANAMA CANAL
POLLUTION
SEAS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SURFACE WATERS
WATER POLLUTION