Did Gulf Spill Boost “Dead Zone”? | National Geographic

when the BP oil spill in the Gulf of

when the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico began in April

Mexico began in April

Mexico began in April naturally-occurring microbes began their

naturally-occurring microbes began their

naturally-occurring microbes began their work gobbling up some of the oil when

work gobbling up some of the oil when

work gobbling up some of the oil when the microbes died oxygen in the water is

the microbes died oxygen in the water is

the microbes died oxygen in the water is used up as they decompose scientists

used up as they decompose scientists

used up as they decompose scientists have been concerned that if this

have been concerned that if this

have been concerned that if this occurred in mass quantities as a serious

occurred in mass quantities as a serious

occurred in mass quantities as a serious consequence of the oil spill it could

consequence of the oil spill it could

consequence of the oil spill it could create hypoxic or dead zones of low

create hypoxic or dead zones of low

create hypoxic or dead zones of low oxygen in the water well what happens

oxygen in the water well what happens

oxygen in the water well what happens when you have no oxygen on the bottom

when you have no oxygen on the bottom

when you have no oxygen on the bottom first of all it kills all the critters

first of all it kills all the critters

first of all it kills all the critters that can’t swim away the worms and crabs

that can’t swim away the worms and crabs

that can’t swim away the worms and crabs in the sediment but it makes this

in the sediment but it makes this

in the sediment but it makes this habitat unavailable it’s like a false

habitat unavailable it’s like a false

habitat unavailable it’s like a false bottom and so they can’t swim down to

bottom and so they can’t swim down to

bottom and so they can’t swim down to the bottom to avoid predators they can’t

the bottom to avoid predators they can’t

the bottom to avoid predators they can’t get in the cooler water so they’re up in

get in the cooler water so they’re up in

get in the cooler water so they’re up in the surface waters where it’s lighter so

the surface waters where it’s lighter so

the surface waters where it’s lighter so they’re more susceptible to predators

they’re more susceptible to predators

they’re more susceptible to predators but it’s also warmer so their

but it’s also warmer so their

but it’s also warmer so their metabolisms is higher and they require

metabolisms is higher and they require

metabolisms is higher and they require more foods Mike Roman and his colleagues

more foods Mike Roman and his colleagues

more foods Mike Roman and his colleagues at the University of Maryland’s horn

at the University of Maryland’s horn

at the University of Maryland’s horn point laboratory study the dead zone in

point laboratory study the dead zone in

point laboratory study the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico that has occurred

the Gulf of Mexico that has occurred

the Gulf of Mexico that has occurred every summer for over 20 years and

every summer for over 20 years and

every summer for over 20 years and extends along the coast from the mouth

extends along the coast from the mouth

extends along the coast from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Texas this

of the Mississippi River to Texas this

of the Mississippi River to Texas this dead zone is caused by fertilizers and

dead zone is caused by fertilizers and

dead zone is caused by fertilizers and other chemicals being washed into the

other chemicals being washed into the

other chemicals being washed into the river they have data going back to their

river they have data going back to their

river they have data going back to their first study in 2003 this year they

first study in 2003 this year they

first study in 2003 this year they looked for any changes due to the spill

looked for any changes due to the spill

looked for any changes due to the spill we measured these plants and plankton

we measured these plants and plankton

we measured these plants and plankton and fish and the distributions looked

and fish and the distributions looked

and fish and the distributions looked about the same as they would have in

about the same as they would have in

about the same as they would have in these other years there there was low

these other years there there was low

these other years there there was low oxygen water in the bottom they avoided

oxygen water in the bottom they avoided

oxygen water in the bottom they avoided it the area wasn’t particularly large

it the area wasn’t particularly large

it the area wasn’t particularly large compared to what was predicted we had

compared to what was predicted we had

compared to what was predicted we had sensors that that would detected oil we

sensors that that would detected oil we

sensors that that would detected oil we didn’t see any oil Roman and his

didn’t see any oil Roman and his

didn’t see any oil Roman and his colleagues use an array of sensitive

colleagues use an array of sensitive

colleagues use an array of sensitive devices to measure oxygen levels

devices to measure oxygen levels

devices to measure oxygen levels salinity temperature and population

salinity temperature and population

salinity temperature and population density of flora and fauna many of the

density of flora and fauna many of the

density of flora and fauna many of the measurements come from a device called a

measurements come from a device called a

measurements come from a device called a scan fish towed behind a vessel one

scan fish towed behind a vessel one

scan fish towed behind a vessel one device the scientists added to the scan

device the scientists added to the scan

device the scientists added to the scan fish can count ZOA plankton a key

fish can count ZOA plankton a key

fish can count ZOA plankton a key indicator of sea health as is eel

indicator of sea health as is eel

indicator of sea health as is eel plankton acala just I’m biased but I

plankton acala just I’m biased but I

plankton acala just I’m biased but I also feel like it’s a integral part of

also feel like it’s a integral part of

also feel like it’s a integral part of the food web it’s directly between the

the food web it’s directly between the

the food web it’s directly between the primary producers like the algae that

primary producers like the algae that

primary producers like the algae that use the Sun for energy and the fish

use the Sun for energy and the fish

use the Sun for energy and the fish which are commercially and ecologically

which are commercially and ecologically

which are commercially and ecologically important for various reasons so this

important for various reasons so this

important for various reasons so this Oh plankton sort of mediate the flow of

Oh plankton sort of mediate the flow of

Oh plankton sort of mediate the flow of energy and the flow of materials from

energy and the flow of materials from

energy and the flow of materials from the primary producers up to the larger

the primary producers up to the larger

the primary producers up to the larger animals peterson says early data doesn’t

animals peterson says early data doesn’t

animals peterson says early data doesn’t indicate any dramatic change due to the

indicate any dramatic change due to the

indicate any dramatic change due to the oil at a first glance you know it was a

oil at a first glance you know it was a

oil at a first glance you know it was a lot of happy healthy copepods out there

lot of happy healthy copepods out there

lot of happy healthy copepods out there roman pearson and their fellow

roman pearson and their fellow

roman pearson and their fellow researchers still have a lot of data to

researchers still have a lot of data to

researchers still have a lot of data to analyze to determine if the oil affected

analyze to determine if the oil affected

analyze to determine if the oil affected the hypoxic zone they’ve been studying

the hypoxic zone they’ve been studying

the hypoxic zone they’ve been studying for years however their study can’t

for years however their study can’t

for years however their study can’t answer questions about the rest of the

answer questions about the rest of the

answer questions about the rest of the Gulf we were fortunate to have this five

Gulf we were fortunate to have this five

Gulf we were fortunate to have this five years of baseline data it’s too bad they

years of baseline data it’s too bad they

years of baseline data it’s too bad they didn’t have the five years of baseline

didn’t have the five years of baseline

didn’t have the five years of baseline data where a lot of the oil when if

data where a lot of the oil when if

data where a lot of the oil when if you’re going to have all this

you’re going to have all this

you’re going to have all this exploration for oil in the Gulf we

exploration for oil in the Gulf we

exploration for oil in the Gulf we should have a monitoring program in

should have a monitoring program in

should have a monitoring program in place Roman thinks it’s unlikely there

place Roman thinks it’s unlikely there

place Roman thinks it’s unlikely there is a very serious dead zone in another

is a very serious dead zone in another

is a very serious dead zone in another part of the Gulf due to the BP spill

part of the Gulf due to the BP spill

part of the Gulf due to the BP spill because he feels scientists would have

because he feels scientists would have

because he feels scientists would have found it by now he does have concerns

found it by now he does have concerns

found it by now he does have concerns about the effect of the oil spill on the

about the effect of the oil spill on the

about the effect of the oil spill on the food web the thing that I worry about is

food web the thing that I worry about is

food web the thing that I worry about is the little things that eat the bacteria

the little things that eat the bacteria

the little things that eat the bacteria that he get beaten by bigger things get

that he get beaten by bigger things get

that he get beaten by bigger things get eaten by bigger things some of those oil

eaten by bigger things some of those oil

eaten by bigger things some of those oil compounds will be around the food web

compounds will be around the food web

compounds will be around the food web for a while and may affect the

for a while and may affect the

for a while and may affect the reproduction behavior and those are the

reproduction behavior and those are the

reproduction behavior and those are the things that should be studied