Oil Spill Effects on Environment and Wildlife

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Types of Oil

• Oils can be grouped into types of oil

• The five types of oil:– Very Light Oils– Light Oils– Medium Oils – Heavy Oils– Very Heavy Oils

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Types of Oil con’t

• Many types of oil spills effect the environment differently

• Not all oil spills are in the oceans and seas

• Oil spills can spill on land and reach rivers, lakes, and wetlands

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Physical Aspects of Spilled Oil

• The rate that oil spreads determines its effects on the environment

• Slicks• Abilities of Oil Spills Include:– Surface Tension– Specific Gravity– Viscosity

Spilled Oil’s Fate

• Natural actions occuring in aquatic environments reduce severity of spill

• Actions Include:– Weathering – Evaporation– Oxidation– Biodegradation– Emulsification

Movement of Potential Oil Spills

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Freshwater vs. Saltwater

• Natural actions occur differently in freshwater than in saltwater and vice versa

• Freshwater impacts are more severe• Oil can also interact with sediments at the

bottom of freshwater environments

Effects on Wildlife

• Each oil spill has a different effect on wildlife and the environment depending on certain factors

• Spills effect not only humans, but also:– fish,– birds,– other mammals, – invertebrates,– as well as their habitat

Invertebrates and Fish Effected

• Invertebrates can be directly effected • The toxic effects of oil on invertebrates can be

acute as in lethal and chronic as in sub-lethal• Bottom dwellers can be particularly effected• Fish can directly uptake the toxic sludge via

their gills

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Birds and Mammals Effected

• Unfortunately, birds and marine mammals will not necessarily avoid oil spills

• Harm can come in many forms:– Physical Contact – Toxic Contamination– Destruction of Food and Habitat– Reproductive Problems

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Habitats Effected

• Most toxic substances are limited to the spill zone

• Harm to the habitat usually harms 1+ species in a food chain

• Oil spills as well as cleanup operations can harm habitats

• Oil has the potential to stay in the environment for long periods of time

Types of Habitats

• Types of habitats that can be effected by oil spills:– Coral Reefs– Exposed Sand, Gravel, Cobble Beaches– Sheltered Beaches– Tidal Flats– Salt Marshes– Mangrove Forests– Marshes and Swamps– Standing Bodies of Water– River Habitats

Food Chain

• Oil spills effect the food chain, which eventually reaches humans

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Responsibility?

• “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the federal agency responsible for many of the nation’s fish and wildlife resources. Having this responsibility has established the agency as one of the primary trustees for fish, wildlife, and habitat at oil spills.”– U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Articlehttp://www.fws.gov