589
(Chap. 12), and thus, these conditions can be assessed for future blowouts to predict if such events will occur and how significant a pathway they will represent
under future blowout scenarios. Work on such prediction capabilities continues,
including incorporation of MOSSFA modules into the government’s oil spill
response models.
An important consequence of the DWH spill has been the considerable investment documenting and evaluating biodiversity in the deepest parts of ocean basins
including the GoM. Such research provides more context regarding impacts of deep
spills and emphasizes the importance of using non-model species (e.g., those existing beyond coastal and estuarine or freshwater areas) in projecting likely toxicological outcomes and, importantly, in assessing trade-offs in oil spill response.
Biota in the epi- and meso- and bentho-pelagic realms are not disconnected as
research on diel vertical migrations of fishes, squids, marine mammals, and other
species document (Fisher et al. 2016; Sutton et al. 2020; Chaps. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,
and 26). Also, deep coral communities are unique and sensitive and occur in deep
regions of the GoM and elsewhere where oil and gas drilling is being directed
(Cordes et al. 2008; Fisher et al. 2016). Thus, decision-making regarding the inherent “value” of various components of marine biodiversity in relation to oil spill
response measures has become evermore complicated, reflecting the connected
nature of ecosystems.
In addition to the collection of biodiversity baselines described above, as a consequence of the DWH and Ixtoc 1 spills, there are now contaminant baselines for
sediments, waters, invertebrates, and fishes not only in the regions of these spills but
more broadly for coastal areas, and deep waters of the GoM (Deepwater Horizon
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees 2016; Schwing et al. 2020; Chanton
et al. 2020; Brooks et al. 2020; Pulster et al. 2020; Patterson III et al. 2020; Peebles
and Hollander 2020; Romero et al. 2018). Chronological data from calibrated sediment cores document both invertebrate infaunal records pre- and post-spill and
quantification of oil contaminant history, for areas where bioturbation or physical
processes do not complicate successive layering. For non-benthic forms, few data
were available prior to large spills (as noted above), but time series in fishes, in
particular, now document declines in contamination for most species since DWH
and the spatial patterns of PAH contamination (e.g., Murawski et al. 2014). Baselines
for microbial community dynamics have also been complied (e.g., Kostka et al.
2020) and are useful for understanding and predicting biodegradation potential in
the advent of future spills. With all of these data, they provide broad-scale context
for the background contamination levels and are thus important in the event of
future large-scale spills. Importantly, there are no commitments to long-term monitoring of oil and other contaminants anywhere in the Gulf, so as time progresses, the
current baselines from DWH and Ixtoc 1-related research will become less useful
for assessing future spill effects. In assessing the impacts of specific spills, the fact
that facility-specific baselines are not required further complicates spill effects
assessment.
34 Summary of Progress on Major Research Issues: Deep-Sea Oil Spills
(Chap. 12), and thus, these conditions can be assessed for future blowouts to predict if such events will occur and how significant a pathway they will represent
under future blowout scenarios. Work on such prediction capabilities continues,
including incorporation of MOSSFA modules into the government’s oil spill
response models.
An important consequence of the DWH spill has been the considerable investment documenting and evaluating biodiversity in the deepest parts of ocean basins
including the GoM. Such research provides more context regarding impacts of deep
spills and emphasizes the importance of using non-model species (e.g., those existing beyond coastal and estuarine or freshwater areas) in projecting likely toxicological outcomes and, importantly, in assessing trade-offs in oil spill response.
Biota in the epi- and meso- and bentho-pelagic realms are not disconnected as
research on diel vertical migrations of fishes, squids, marine mammals, and other
species document (Fisher et al. 2016; Sutton et al. 2020; Chaps. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,
and 26). Also, deep coral communities are unique and sensitive and occur in deep
regions of the GoM and elsewhere where oil and gas drilling is being directed
(Cordes et al. 2008; Fisher et al. 2016). Thus, decision-making regarding the inherent “value” of various components of marine biodiversity in relation to oil spill
response measures has become evermore complicated, reflecting the connected
nature of ecosystems.
In addition to the collection of biodiversity baselines described above, as a consequence of the DWH and Ixtoc 1 spills, there are now contaminant baselines for
sediments, waters, invertebrates, and fishes not only in the regions of these spills but
more broadly for coastal areas, and deep waters of the GoM (Deepwater Horizon
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees 2016; Schwing et al. 2020; Chanton
et al. 2020; Brooks et al. 2020; Pulster et al. 2020; Patterson III et al. 2020; Peebles
and Hollander 2020; Romero et al. 2018). Chronological data from calibrated sediment cores document both invertebrate infaunal records pre- and post-spill and
quantification of oil contaminant history, for areas where bioturbation or physical
processes do not complicate successive layering. For non-benthic forms, few data
were available prior to large spills (as noted above), but time series in fishes, in
particular, now document declines in contamination for most species since DWH
and the spatial patterns of PAH contamination (e.g., Murawski et al. 2014). Baselines
for microbial community dynamics have also been complied (e.g., Kostka et al.
2020) and are useful for understanding and predicting biodegradation potential in
the advent of future spills. With all of these data, they provide broad-scale context
for the background contamination levels and are thus important in the event of
future large-scale spills. Importantly, there are no commitments to long-term monitoring of oil and other contaminants anywhere in the Gulf, so as time progresses, the
current baselines from DWH and Ixtoc 1-related research will become less useful
for assessing future spill effects. In assessing the impacts of specific spills, the fact
that facility-specific baselines are not required further complicates spill effects
assessment.
34 Summary of Progress on Major Research Issues: Deep-Sea Oil Spills