Effects of oil on a tundra pond. Final report
A three year study of two spills in tundra ponds at Barrow showed that oil has a highly specific impact on the benthos. Instead of a toxic effect on the entire community, as occurred with the crustacean zooplankton, certain insect species inhabiting the vegetated margins of the ponds were eliminated. Physical entrapment by the floating oil slick or the film coating stems of emergent sedges and grasses appeared to cause this mortality, and species specific behaviors may be responsible for the observed selectivity. Recovery of affected populations may take years due to the long life cycles of arctic insects, and the poor dispersal capabilities of many arctic species. Large scale spills covering many contiguous lakes and ponds could have especially long lasting impacts.
- Research Organization:
- Marine Biological Lab., Woods Hole, MA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-S-02-2989
- OSTI ID:
- 6540169
- Report Number(s):
- COO-2989-3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Ecology of tundra ponds of the Arctic Coastal Plain: a community profile
Effects of Prudhoe Bay reserve pit fluids on water quality and macroinvertebrates of arctic tundra ponds in Alaska
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALASKA
PONDS
BENTHOS
CONTAMINATION
OIL SPILLS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ARCTIC REGIONS
TUNDRA
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
NORTH AMERICA
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
POLAR REGIONS
USA
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)