Oil-Eating Bacteria Could Be a Solution to Spill Cleanups | National Geographic

the species we study is called smooth

the species we study is called smooth cordgrass and it’s the foundational

cordgrass and it’s the foundational

cordgrass and it’s the foundational species along the coast of the northern

species along the coast of the northern

species along the coast of the northern Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic

Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic

Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast this species is incredibly

coast this species is incredibly

coast this species is incredibly important for building land and keeping

important for building land and keeping

important for building land and keeping land from falling into the sea

we went out to several sites that

we went out to several sites that received heavy oiling after the spill we

received heavy oiling after the spill we

received heavy oiling after the spill we found that the bacterial community

found that the bacterial community

found that the bacterial community inside the tissues of plants shifted to

inside the tissues of plants shifted to

inside the tissues of plants shifted to incorporate more bacteria that are

incorporate more bacteria that are

incorporate more bacteria that are important for breaking down oil this is

important for breaking down oil this is

important for breaking down oil this is also really important because our

also really important because our

also really important because our collaborators have found that there’s

collaborators have found that there’s

collaborators have found that there’s also oil inside of the plant tissues

also oil inside of the plant tissues

also oil inside of the plant tissues that still needs to be broken down so

that still needs to be broken down so

that still needs to be broken down so it’s possible that these bacterial

it’s possible that these bacterial

it’s possible that these bacterial shifts are going to be important for

shifts are going to be important for

shifts are going to be important for continuing to clean up the oil spill

continuing to clean up the oil spill

continuing to clean up the oil spill inside of the plant this is Bay Jimmy it

inside of the plant this is Bay Jimmy it

inside of the plant this is Bay Jimmy it was one of the worst impacted areas

was one of the worst impacted areas

was one of the worst impacted areas after the Deepwater Horizon spill and we

after the Deepwater Horizon spill and we

after the Deepwater Horizon spill and we used the shoreline to test different

used the shoreline to test different

used the shoreline to test different strategies for remediating the oil for

strategies for remediating the oil for

strategies for remediating the oil for removing it from the surface and after

removing it from the surface and after

removing it from the surface and after remediation I went in and planted

remediation I went in and planted

remediation I went in and planted spartina along the shoreline in

spartina along the shoreline in

spartina along the shoreline in different plots to compare what rates of

different plots to compare what rates of

different plots to compare what rates of erosion were like using different

erosion were like using different

erosion were like using different planted varieties versus leaving them

planted varieties versus leaving them

planted varieties versus leaving them unplanted after remediation this stake

unplanted after remediation this stake

unplanted after remediation this stake right here is the back of a plot that we

right here is the back of a plot that we

right here is the back of a plot that we set up in 2011 where we are comparing

set up in 2011 where we are comparing

set up in 2011 where we are comparing planting versus not planting and the

planting versus not planting and the

planting versus not planting and the plot extended 15 feet towards the water

plot extended 15 feet towards the water

plot extended 15 feet towards the water and then in front of the plot was an

and then in front of the plot was an

and then in front of the plot was an additional 15 feet and all that’s gone

additional 15 feet and all that’s gone

additional 15 feet and all that’s gone now so since 2011 we have 30 feet of

now so since 2011 we have 30 feet of

now so since 2011 we have 30 feet of erosion up until the stake respective

erosion up until the stake respective

erosion up until the stake respective spartina alterniflora is it’s a very

spartina alterniflora is it’s a very

spartina alterniflora is it’s a very powerful ecosystem engineer which means

powerful ecosystem engineer which means

powerful ecosystem engineer which means that it physically impacts this entire

that it physically impacts this entire

that it physically impacts this entire ecosystem so just the presence of the

ecosystem so just the presence of the

ecosystem so just the presence of the marsh here is dependent on the ability

marsh here is dependent on the ability

marsh here is dependent on the ability of spartina to hold the substrate in

of spartina to hold the substrate in

of spartina to hold the substrate in place

place

place well the elegance of focusing on Sparta

well the elegance of focusing on Sparta

well the elegance of focusing on Sparta China is that whether we’re here in the

China is that whether we’re here in the

China is that whether we’re here in the Gulf or on the Atlantic or on the

Gulf or on the Atlantic or on the

Gulf or on the Atlantic or on the Pacific they’re spart tuna everywhere

Pacific they’re spart tuna everywhere

Pacific they’re spart tuna everywhere some sports have been artificially

some sports have been artificially

some sports have been artificially introduced and have proven to be

introduced and have proven to be

introduced and have proven to be problematic but the NATO spartina and

problematic but the NATO spartina and

problematic but the NATO spartina and other congeners and related species that

other congeners and related species that

other congeners and related species that sort of a similar function that

sort of a similar function that

sort of a similar function that effectively engineer coastlines can

effectively engineer coastlines can

effectively engineer coastlines can serve similar purpose

serve similar purpose

serve similar purpose so now we’re taking a closer look at

so now we’re taking a closer look at

so now we’re taking a closer look at these bacterial communities living

these bacterial communities living

these bacterial communities living symbiotically inside of root tissue to

symbiotically inside of root tissue to

symbiotically inside of root tissue to see if we can identify which bacteria

see if we can identify which bacteria

see if we can identify which bacteria are the best at biodegrading oil inside

are the best at biodegrading oil inside

are the best at biodegrading oil inside of plant tissue and what we’d like to do

of plant tissue and what we’d like to do

of plant tissue and what we’d like to do is identify the best bacteria that we

is identify the best bacteria that we

is identify the best bacteria that we can use to inoculate plants in the

can use to inoculate plants in the

can use to inoculate plants in the future that are going to be used for

future that are going to be used for

future that are going to be used for restoration purposes so instead of just

restoration purposes so instead of just

restoration purposes so instead of just putting a plant out there we’re going to

putting a plant out there we’re going to

putting a plant out there we’re going to put out a plant bacterial combination

put out a plant bacterial combination

put out a plant bacterial combination and that combination of organisms is

and that combination of organisms is

and that combination of organisms is going to help clean up oil faster