Marine Biology Commons^™

Macrobenthic Communities In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico Hypoxic Zone: Testing The Pearson-Rosenberg Model, Shivakumar Shivarudrappa

Dissertations

The Pearson and Rosenberg (P-R) conceptual model of macrobenthic succession was used to assess the impact of hypoxia (dissolved oxygen [DO] ≤ 2 mg/L) on the macrobenthic community on the continental shelf of northern Gulf of Mexico for the first time. The model uses a stress-response relationship between environmental parameters and the macrobenthic community to determine the ecological condition of the benthic habitat. The ecological significance of dissolved oxygen in a benthic habitat is well understood. In addition, the annual recurrence of bottom-water hypoxia on the Louisiana/Texas shelf during summer months is well documented.

The P-R model illustrates the decreasing …

Surface And Subsurface Application Of Chemical Dispersants And Associated Ecosystem Impacts, Adam V. Radpour

Master's Projects and Capstones

Chemical dispersants are applied to spilled oil in marine environments when other, less controversial, methods are not adequate for the incident. They are considered to be a response method as opposed to a direct cleanup method, with the intended goals of reducing risk of exposure to sensitive shorelines, reducing environmental injury to surface-dwelling sea birds and marine mammals, and facilitating the biodegradation of spilled oil into the water column.

For this research, both surface and subsurface application of dispersants were evaluated in terms of oil characteristics and volume, and oceanic and atmospheric conditions. More data exists to support the effectiveness …

Effects Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill On Deep Sea Fishes, Arianne Ella Leary

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWH) released about 4.4 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), making it one of the largest oil spills in U.S. history. Additionally, the depth of the spill (i.e., 1500 meters) created a unique research opportunity because most oil spills occur at the surface and affect coastal rather than deepwater habitats. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the most toxic components of oil, and are often the focus of oil exposure studies. PAHs are quickly metabolized by vertebrates; therefore, indicators of biological responses to PAH exposure (PAH “biomarkers”) such as the levels …