Marine Science Faculty Publications
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-2016
Keywords
Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Gulf of Mexico, Marine oil snow, MOSSFA, Bacteria, Plankton
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ancene.2016.01.006
Abstract
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was the largest in US history, unprecedented for the depth and volume of oil released, the amount of dispersants applied, and the unexpected, protracted sedimentation of oil-associated marine snow (MOS) to the seafloor. Marine snow formation, incorporation of oil, and subsequent gravitational settling to the seafloor (i.e., MOSSFA: Marine Oil Snow Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation) was a significant pathway for the distribution and fate of oil, accounting for as much as 14% of the total oil released. Long residence times of oil on the seafloor will result in prolonged exposure by benthic organisms and economically important fish. Bioaccumulation of hydrocarbons into the food web also has been documented. Major surface processes governing the MOSSFA event included an elevated and extended Mississippi River discharge, which enhanced phytoplankton production and suspended particle concentrations, zooplankton grazing, and enhanced microbial mucus formation. Previous reports indicated that MOS sedimentation also occurred during the Tsesis and Ixtoc-I oil spills; thus, MOSSFA events may occur during future oil spills, particularly since 85% of global deep-water oil exploration sites are adjacent to deltaic systems. We provide a conceptual framework of MOSSFA processes and identify data gaps to help guide current research and to improve our ability to predict MOSSFA events under different environmental conditions. Baseline time-series data and model development are urgently needed for all levels of ecosystems in regions of hydrocarbon extraction to prepare for and respond to future oil spills and to understand the impacts of oil spills on the environment.
Rights Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Anthropocene, v. 13, p. 18-33
Scholar Commons Citation
Daly, Kendra L.; Passow, Uta; Chanton, Jeffrey; and Hollander, David, "Assessing the Impacts of Oil-associated Marine Snow Formation and Sedimentation during and after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill" (2016). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 251.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/251
Comments
Data used in this articles are available for download.
Shadowed Image Particle Profiling Evaluation Recorder (SIPPER) Plankton Abundance Data from Northern Gulf of Mexico, 2012
SIPPER plankton and marine snow abundance and distribution data for the northeastern Gulf of Mexico: June 2012 – August 2014