Crude oil contamination interrupts settlement of coral larvae after direct exposure ends

Marine Ecology Progress Series

Aaron C. Hartmann¹  Stuart A. Sandin¹  Jasper M. de Goeij¹  Mark J. A. Vermeij¹  Kristen L. Marhaver¹  Valérie F. Chamberland¹ 

关键词: Oil spills;    Coral reefs;    Larval settlement;    Carry-over effects;    Latent effects;    Orbicella faveolata;    Agaricia humilis;    Caribbean;   

DOI  :  10.3354/meps11437

学科分类：海洋学与技术

来源: Inter-Research

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACT: Oil spills cause damage to marine wildlife that lasts well past their immediate aftermath. Marine offspring that must settle and metamorphose to reach adulthood may be particularly prone to harm if the legacy of oil exposure interrupts later transitions across life stages. Following an oil spill on Curaçao, we found that oil-contaminated seawater reduced settlement of 2 coral species by 85% and 40% after exposure had ended. The effect of contamination on settlement was more severe than any direct or latent effects on survival. Therefore, oil exposure reduces the ability of corals to transition to their adult life stage, even after they move away from oil contamination. This interruption of the life cycle likely has severe consequences for recruitment success in these foundational and threatened organisms. Latent, sublethal, and behavioral effects on marine organisms—as shown in this study—are not commonly considered during oil-spill impact assessments, increasing the likelihood that harm to marine species goes underestimated or unmeasured.

【 授权许可】

Unknown