Sponsor
Support was provided by the National Science Foundation, Research Coordination Networks in Biological Sciences (NSF-RCN, grant numbers IOB 0607921 and DBI 0741928).
Published In
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-1-2012
Subjects
BP Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Oil Spill, Environmental protection, Coastal ecology -- Government policy
Abstract
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill threatened many coastal ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico during the spring and summer of 2010. Mitigation strategies included the construction of barrier sand berms, the restriction or blocking of inlets, and the diversion of freshwater from rivers to the coastal marshes and into the ocean, in order to flush away the oil, on the premise that these measures could reduce the quantity of oil reaching sensitive coastal environments such as wetlands or estuaries. These projects result in changes to the ecosystems that they were intended to protect. Long-term effects include alterations of the hydrological and ecological characteristics of estuaries, changes in sediment transport along the coastal barrier islands, the loss of sand resources, and adverse impacts to benthic and pelagic organisms. Although there are no easy solutions for minimizing the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon disaster on coastal ecosystems, we recommend that federal, state, and local agencies return to the strategic use of long-term restoration plans for this region.
DOI
10.1890/100151
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/8645
Citation Details
Artificial modifications of the coast in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: quick solutions or long-term liabilities? M Luisa Martínez, Rusty A Feagin, Kevin M Yeager, John Day, Robert Costanza, et al. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2012 10:1, 44-49. doi: 10.1890/100151
Description
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