Giant Vacuum to Help Bugs in Oiled Marshes? | National Geographic

when people think of salt marshes they

when people think of salt marshes they usually think of the grasses the birds

usually think of the grasses the birds

usually think of the grasses the birds and animals but people don’t always

and animals but people don’t always

and animals but people don’t always think about the smallest creatures

think about the smallest creatures

think about the smallest creatures living there as scientists try to

living there as scientists try to

living there as scientists try to measure the environmental impact of the

measure the environmental impact of the

measure the environmental impact of the world’s largest accidental oil spill

world’s largest accidental oil spill

world’s largest accidental oil spill some are studying the smallest animals

some are studying the smallest animals

some are studying the smallest animals namely the arthropods near the bottom of

namely the arthropods near the bottom of

namely the arthropods near the bottom of the food chain arthropods are animals

the food chain arthropods are animals

the food chain arthropods are animals like insects spiders and crustaceans and

like insects spiders and crustaceans and

like insects spiders and crustaceans and the food web they form is a vital

the food web they form is a vital

the food web they form is a vital component of this ecosystem more than

component of this ecosystem more than

component of this ecosystem more than 200 million gallons of oil gushed into

200 million gallons of oil gushed into

200 million gallons of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico and some of that oil

the Gulf of Mexico and some of that oil

the Gulf of Mexico and some of that oil crept into the marshes of the Gulf Coast

crept into the marshes of the Gulf Coast

crept into the marshes of the Gulf Coast contaminating hundreds of miles of

contaminating hundreds of miles of

contaminating hundreds of miles of coastline from tar balls to thick oil a

coastline from tar balls to thick oil a

coastline from tar balls to thick oil a team from the University of Houston

team from the University of Houston

team from the University of Houston conducted a study looking at the coastal

conducted a study looking at the coastal

conducted a study looking at the coastal food web along the Gulf and the Atlantic

food web along the Gulf and the Atlantic

food web along the Gulf and the Atlantic coast last year before the spill now the

coast last year before the spill now the

coast last year before the spill now the researchers hope they can shed light on

researchers hope they can shed light on

researchers hope they can shed light on the oils impact on that food webs we

the oils impact on that food webs we

the oils impact on that food webs we have 22 sites and at each site we make a

have 22 sites and at each site we make a

have 22 sites and at each site we make a collection of the arthropod food web and

collection of the arthropod food web and

collection of the arthropod food web and we do this by vacuum sampling so we have

we do this by vacuum sampling so we have

we do this by vacuum sampling so we have a backpack with a lawnmower engine on it

a backpack with a lawnmower engine on it

a backpack with a lawnmower engine on it and it connects to a big hose and the

and it connects to a big hose and the

and it connects to a big hose and the students base

what pennings team visits each site from

what pennings team visits each site from Texas to New England carefully surveying

Texas to New England carefully surveying

Texas to New England carefully surveying animal in plant health as Brittany

animal in plant health as Brittany

animal in plant health as Brittany DeLoach McCall sucks up arthropods at

DeLoach McCall sucks up arthropods at

DeLoach McCall sucks up arthropods at this collection site in New Jersey her

this collection site in New Jersey her

this collection site in New Jersey her colleagues check the marsh grass and

colleagues check the marsh grass and

colleagues check the marsh grass and look for other small animals a food web

look for other small animals a food web

look for other small animals a food web consists of variety of species that play

consists of variety of species that play

consists of variety of species that play different roles so there’s plants which

different roles so there’s plants which

different roles so there’s plants which are eaten by a variety of insects that

are eaten by a variety of insects that

are eaten by a variety of insects that eat plants call those herbivores and

eat plants call those herbivores and

eat plants call those herbivores and then they’re eaten by other things

then they’re eaten by other things

then they’re eaten by other things predators like spiders with reference to

predators like spiders with reference to

predators like spiders with reference to the oil spill it might be that some

the oil spill it might be that some

the oil spill it might be that some members of this food web are more

members of this food web are more

members of this food web are more vulnerable to oil than others by taking

vulnerable to oil than others by taking

vulnerable to oil than others by taking light readings from under the marsh

light readings from under the marsh

light readings from under the marsh grass taking cores of the roots and

grass taking cores of the roots and

grass taking cores of the roots and Counting snails and other critters the

Counting snails and other critters the

Counting snails and other critters the team can get a health snapshot by

team can get a health snapshot by

team can get a health snapshot by comparing oiled and oiled areas that get

comparing oiled and oiled areas that get

comparing oiled and oiled areas that get an idea the impact in this case we’re

an idea the impact in this case we’re

an idea the impact in this case we’re likely to see that the oil would affect

likely to see that the oil would affect

likely to see that the oil would affect more than just one or two species but

more than just one or two species but

more than just one or two species but might affect you know a large proportion

might affect you know a large proportion

might affect you know a large proportion and so that could perturb the food web

and so that could perturb the food web

and so that could perturb the food web in in novel ways the team sampled five

in in novel ways the team sampled five

in in novel ways the team sampled five heavily oiled sites we added some

heavily oiled sites we added some

heavily oiled sites we added some locations

locations

locations too since their locations were not

too since their locations were not

too since their locations were not heavily oiled the team found a dramatic

heavily oiled the team found a dramatic

heavily oiled the team found a dramatic difference in marshes affected by the

difference in marshes affected by the

difference in marshes affected by the crew in the oiled sites we saw a lot of

crew in the oiled sites we saw a lot of

crew in the oiled sites we saw a lot of dead plant material we saw a lot of mud

dead plant material we saw a lot of mud

dead plant material we saw a lot of mud flats where the plants have died and

flats where the plants have died and

flats where the plants have died and been eroded away we also saw a lot of

been eroded away we also saw a lot of

been eroded away we also saw a lot of oiled crabs and snails and not it didn’t

oiled crabs and snails and not it didn’t

oiled crabs and snails and not it didn’t seem like as many insects and the

seem like as many insects and the

seem like as many insects and the control puts the current year of this

control puts the current year of this

control puts the current year of this study is funded through the National

study is funded through the National

study is funded through the National Science Foundation pennings hopes to

Science Foundation pennings hopes to

Science Foundation pennings hopes to continue his research to monitor any

continue his research to monitor any

continue his research to monitor any long-term impact of the spill and while

long-term impact of the spill and while

long-term impact of the spill and while some scientists say much of the oil has

some scientists say much of the oil has

some scientists say much of the oil has already broken down marshes are prone to

already broken down marshes are prone to

already broken down marshes are prone to long-term contamination the nature of a

long-term contamination the nature of a

long-term contamination the nature of a salt marsh is that the sediments retain

salt marsh is that the sediments retain

salt marsh is that the sediments retain organic matter for a very long time and

organic matter for a very long time and

organic matter for a very long time and decomposition is very slow what that is

decomposition is very slow what that is

decomposition is very slow what that is likely to mean is that the small animals

likely to mean is that the small animals

likely to mean is that the small animals that live in the marsh whether they’re

that live in the marsh whether they’re

that live in the marsh whether they’re fiddler crabs or insects are likely to

fiddler crabs or insects are likely to

fiddler crabs or insects are likely to be exposed to oil for decades to come

be exposed to oil for decades to come

be exposed to oil for decades to come pening says he will focus on tracking

pening says he will focus on tracking

pening says he will focus on tracking this effect to learn more about the

this effect to learn more about the

this effect to learn more about the marsh food web and help understand the

marsh food web and help understand the

marsh food web and help understand the oils impact