THE EFFECT OF THE PRESTIGE OIL SPILL ON THE PHYTOPLANKTON IN THE N-NW SPANISH COAST DURING SPRING

Manuel Varela*1, Antonio Bode1. M Teresa Alvarez-Ossorio1 Ricardo Anadon2, Marcos LLope 2 Luis Valdes 3 Carlos Garcia-Soto 4

1 Instituto Espanol de Oceangrafia. Muelle de Animas s/n. A Corua. Spain

2 Laboratorio de Ecologia. Universidad de Oviedo. Spain

3 Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia. Paseo del Arbeyal s/n. Gijn. Spain

4 Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia, Promontorio de Sa Martn s/n. Santander. Spain

Why Spring ?It is the first important biological event after shipwreckBloom of phytoplankton in the areaSpawning of many species of fishes and shellfish of commercial interestEffects on plankton ---- effects on food web

Source of DataInstituto Espaol de Oceanografia Core Project: Studies on Times Series of Oceanographic DataStarting in 1988 in A CorunaSeveral localities of study in the N-NW Coast of SpainPelacus CruisesCover the area from Portugal to FranceOmexII Satellite Data For the area in front of Rias BajasSatellite chlorophyll IEOGijon Radial

NGSGWBBEBBArea of study

Have effects on phytoplankton been observed after the Prestige oil spill during spring?Effects on biomass (chlorophyll-a)Effects on physiology (primary production)Effects of taxonomic groupsEffects on main phytoplankton species

Effects on biomass (chlorophyll-a)

Effects on biomass (chlorophyll-a)

Effects on primary production

Effects on primary production

Effects on diatoms

Effects on diatoms

Effects on dinoflagellates

Effects on dinoflagellates

Main phytoplankton species

Tabla Fito Corua y Cudillero

Table 1.- Mean (cells/mL) and standard deviation of main phytoplankton groups in a station off A Corua and Cudillero, before

and after de accident during the period of spring bloom (February to May for A Corua; April and May for Cudillero).

n (before): percentage of species appearance for a the total number of samples (49). n (after) the same for 4 samples

Asterisk denotates significant differences ( p 0.5)

A CORUABefore ( 1990-2002)After (2003)

Groups and species%nmeansd%nmeansderror

Dinoflagellates

Heterocapsa niei392.03.9750.90.60.3

Gyrodinium glaucum220.10.2750.40.30.2

Prorocentrum balticum331.35.2504.98.46.4

Scrippsiella trochoidea240.52.1250.10.10.0

Torodinium roubustum330.20.3500.30.30.1

Diatoms

Asterionellopsis glacialis331.74.5250.20.30.2

Chaetoceros affinis242.38.2751.41.40.9

Chaetoceros compressus1612.970.5250.91.51.2

Chaetoceros curvisetus1415.7104.0200.10.20.0

Chaetoceros didymus295.115.8500.91.41.1

Chaetoceros socialis65377.51138.17531.644.033.4

474.314.27516.521.015.4

Detonula pumila4313.326.3200.10.10.0

Guinardia delicatula5113.752.31002.92.0198.6

Guinardia striata140.31.6250.50.92.1

Lauderia borealis205.618.8250.10.20.6

Leptocylindrus danicus *5119.759.975151.6258.50.4

Leptocylindrus minimus120.61.8251.62.77.2

141.54.9500.70.9

Nitzschia longissima511.32.5752.02.20.9

Pseudo-nitzschia pungens5712.728.1756.39.51.5

Pseudonitzschia delicatissima100.62.5500.81.20.7

Skeletonema costatum3913.846.2250.10.10.4

Thalassionema nitzschoides351.23.7751.71.20.0

Thalassiosira fallax220.92.8501.11.6

0.7

Other phytoplankters1.2

Phaeocistis pouchetii333.07.3251.83.1

Solenicola setigera229.446.97510.617.6

CUDILLEROBefore (1995-2002)After (2003)

Groups and species%nmeansd%nmeansd

Dinoflagellates

290.40.9250.10.1

Prorocentrum balticum *140.10.41003.22.6

Scrippsiella trochoidea570.60.8500.20.2

Diatoms

Asterionellopsis glacialis140.20.7500.20.2

141.33.3250.10.1

Cerataulina pelagica210.31.1250.10.2

140.20.65016.516.5

Chaetoceros danicus290.40.9250.10.1

7121.4437.750191.0191.0

5711.626.7500.10.1

Guinardia delicatula5738.3109.2250.10.1

Leptocylindrus danicus7167.0224.810046.143.6

Leptocylindrus minimus70.10.35024.624.6

933.15.310093.293.1

Rhizosolenia setigera360.41.1250.10.1

1423.986.05012.412.4

Tabla Fito Cudillero

Table **** mean and standard deviation of main phytoplankton groups in a station off Cudillero, before

and after the accident, during the period of spring bloom (april and may). n : percentage of species appearance for total number of samples.

Before (1995-2002)After (2003)

Groups and speciesnmeansdnmeansd

Dinoflagellates

290.40.900.00.0

140.10.41003.22.6

570.60.8500.20.2

Diatoms

140.20.7500.20.2

141.33.300.00.0

Cerataulina pelagica210.31.100.00.0

140.20.65016.516.5

290.40.900.00.0

7121.4437.750191.0191.0

5711.626.7500.10.1

5738.3109.200.00.0

7167.0224.810046.143.6

70.10.35024.624.6

933.15.310093.293.1

360.41.100.00.0

1423.986.05012.412.4

Tabla Fito Pelacus

Table 2.- Main phytoplankton species ranked by order of relative abundance during period 2000-2002 before the accident and for year 2003,

after the accident from Pelacus Cruises. SG: Southern Galicia; NG: Northern Galicia; WBB: Western Bay of Biscay;

EBB: Eastern Bay of Biscay.

BeforeAfter

Zone/Year2000200120022003

SGLeptocylindrus danicusSkeletonema costatumAsterionellopsis glacialisCeratium furca

Detonula pumilaThalassiosira rotulaDetonula pumila

Guinardia delicatulaCeratium furcaChaetoceros decipiens

Detonula pumila

NGChaetoceros socialisBacteriastrum delicatulumThalassiosira rotulaGuinardia delicatula

Skeletonema costatumDetonula pumilaDetonula pumila

Guinardia delicatulaDetonula pumilaThalassionema nitzschioidesChaetoceros curvisetus

Guinardia flaccidaChaetoceros curvisetusChaetoceros decipiens

Thalassionema nitzschioides

WBBGuinardia delicatulaGuinardia flaccidaDetonula pumila

Detonula pumilaDetonula pumilaAsterionellopsis glacialisProboscia alata

Cerataulina pelagicaCeratium furcaCeratium furca

Cerataulina pelagicaDetonula pumila

Thalassionema nitzschioides

EBBGuinardia delicatulaCerataulina pelagicaDetonula pumila

Detonula pumilaCeratium furcaProboscia alata

Ceratium furcaLeptocylindrus danicus

Leptocylindrus danicusCerataulina pelagicaDetonula pumila

Tabla Zoo Todos radiales

before and after Prestige oil spill. Asterisk denotates statistical signifficant differences p0.5

COASTAL STATIONSVigoCoruaCudillero

BeforeAfterBeforeAfterBeforeAfter

Acartia clausi1572 1365695 1202630 22484054 1555

Calanus helgolandicus143 111125 19261 159253 10

Centropages chierchiae73 10012 1535 87127 27

Paracalanus parvus193 144641 75 *341 307111 42

Temora longicornis236 185206 102366 461133 3852 8714 23

SHELF STATIONSVigoCoruaCudilleroSantander

BeforeAfterBeforeAfterBeforeAfterBeforeAfter

Acartia clausi2363 5159290 32724 635390 131250 244451 262

Calanus helgolandicus2086 5868136 3025 2410 8117 17187 126

Centropages chierchiae53 7118 1962 8332 14

Paracalanus parvus478 1113161 78458 443127 35

Temora longicornis158 19311 1587 10219 137 104 7

Tabla Fito Corua y Cudille (2)

Table 1.- Mean and standard deviation of main phytoplankton groups in a station off A Corua and Cudillero, before

and after de accident during the period of spring bloom february to may).

n (before): percentage of species appearance for a the total number of samples (49). n (after) the same for 4 samples

A CORUABefore ( 1990-2002)After (2003)

Groups and speciesnmeansderrornmeansderror

Dinoflagellates

Heterocapsa niei392.03.90.8750.90.60.3

Gyrodinium glaucum220.10.20.0750.40.30.2

Prorocentrum balticum331.35.21.0504.98.46.4

Scrippsiella trochoidea240.52.10.400.00.00.0

Torodinium roubustum330.20.30.0500.30.30.1

Diatoms

Asterionellopsis glacialis331.74.50.7250.20.30.2

Chaetoceros affinis242.38.21.6751.41.40.9

Chaetoceros compressus1612.970.513.8250.91.51.2

Chaetoceros curvisetus1415.7104.020.400.00.00.0

Chaetoceros didymus295.115.81.2500.91.41.1

Chaetoceros socialis65377.51138.1218.17531.644.033.4

474.314.22.87516.521.015.4

Detonula pumila4313.326.34.700.00.00.0

Guinardia delicatula5113.752.310.21002.92.0198.6

Guinardia striata140.31.60.3250.50.92.1

Lauderia borealis205.618.83.600.00.00.6

Leptocylindrus danicus5119.759.911.675151.6258.50.4

Leptocylindrus minimus120.61.80.4251.62.77.2

141.54.91.0500.70.9

Nitzschia longissima511.32.50.5752.02.20.9

Pseudo-nitzschia pungens5712.728.15.4756.39.51.5

Pseudonitzschia delicatissima100.62.50.5500.81.20.7

Skeletonema costatum3913.846.25.300.00.00.4

Thalassionema nitzschoides351.23.70.7751.71.20.0

Thalassiosira fallax220.92.80.6501.11.6

0.7

Other phytoplankters1.2

Phaeocistis pouchetii333.07.31.4251.83.1

Solenicola setigera229.446.99.27510.617.6

CUDILLEROBefore (1995-2002)After (2003)

Groups and speciesnmeansdnmeansd

Dinoflagellates

290.40.900.00.0

Prorocentrum balticum140.10.41003.22.6

Scrippsiella trochoidea570.60.8500.20.2

Diatoms

Asterionellopsis glacialis140.20.7500.20.2

141.33.300.00.0

Cerataulina pelagica210.31.100.00.0

140.20.65016.516.5

Chaetoceros danicus290.40.900.00.0

7121.4437.750191.0191.0

5711.626.7500.10.1

Guinardia delicatula5738.3109.200.00.0

Leptocylindrus danicus7167.0224.810046.143.6

Leptocylindrus minimus70.10.35024.624.6

933.15.310093.293.1

Rhizosolenia setigera360.41.100.00.0

1423.986.05012.412.4

Tabla Fito Pelacus (2)

Table 2.- Main phytoplankton species ranked by order of relative abundance during period 2000-2002 before the accident and for year 2003,

after the accident from Pelacus Cruises. SG: Southern Galicia; NG: Northern Galicia; WBB: Western Bay of Biscay;

EBB: Eastern Bay of Biscay.

BeforeAfter

Zone/Year2000200120022003

SGLeptocylindrus danicusSkeletonema costatumAsterionellopsis glacialisCeratium furca

Detonula pumilaThalassiosira rotulaDetonula pumila

Guinardia delicatulaCeratium furcaChaetoceros decipiensPlanktoniella sol

Detonula pumila

NGChaetoceros socialisBacteriastrum delicatulumThalassiosira rotulaGuinardia delicatula

Skeletonema costatumDetonula pumilaDetonula pumila

Guinardia delicatulaDetonula pumilaPlanktoniella solCeratium furca

Guinardia flaccidaThalassionema nitzschioidesChaetoceros curvisetus

Chaetoceros curvisetusChaetoceros decipiens

Planktoniella sol

Thalassionema nitzschioides

WBBGuinardia delicatulaGuinardia flaccidaDetonula pumila

Detonula pumilaDetonula pumilaAsterionellopsis glacialisProboscia alata

Cerataulina pelagicaThalassionema frauenfeldiiCeratium furca

Ceratium furcaDetonula pumila

Cerataulina pelagica

Thalassionema nitzschioides

Planktoniella sol

EBBGuinardia delicatulaCerataulina pelagicaDetonula pumila

Detonula pumilaCeratium furcaProboscia alata

Ceratium furcaLeptocylindrus danicus

Leptocylindrus danicusCerataulina pelagicaDetonula pumila

Guinardia flaccida

Effects on biomass during Pelacus CruisesBf: 1999-2002Af: 2003

Effects on primary production OMEX II Box Area

Radial Gijon. Instituto Espaol de Oceanografia

Final RemarksNo effects on phytoplankton at several levelsDifferences are the result of natural variabiliy of ecosystem

Why effects have not been observed?

Low solubility of Prestige fuelLow concetrations in waterLow concentations in planktonLow aromatic contentHigh density--sinkingPristane/Phytane ratio no Prestige

Plankton mechanisms remove oil from surface watersZooplankton: grazing on oil particlesFecal pellets sinking to bottomDiatoms: adsorption on silica wall eventual sinking to bottom

Detritus and clay particles: adsorptionAggregates and eventual sinking

A Coruna Zooplankton: oil in the gut content

CONCLUSIONSNo effects have been observed on phytoplankton during spring blooms for biomass, production and community structureWe can not ascertain whether or not oil has affected phytoplanktonLarge variability caused by meso and large-scale processes masks any effectEffects reduced or short-lived. No effect on spring bloom

AcknowledgementsTechnical assistanceTeodoro Patrocinio IbarrolaJorge Lorenzo SalamancaLeticia Viesca Lombardia

Crew of R/VIEO (Lura, Rioja, Navaz)IFREMER (Thalassa)

ProjectsCICYT Aes: Reconocimiento Oceanografico en la poca de floracin primaveral en Galicia y CantbricoIEO: Studies on Time Series of Oceanographic DataEU: Pelasses and Sardyn