Examination of Marine Benthic Samples Collected Near Palmer Station, Antarctica After An Oil Spill From The Grounding OfThe Bahia Paraiso

该项目支持海洋底栖生物样本的分析 在南极洲的亚瑟港附近收集的， 阿根廷号搁浅导致的石油泄漏 补给船巴伊亚帕拉伊索。 该船于1月28日搁浅， 1989年，估计泄漏了17万加仑的柴油， 航空燃料污染了多达15个海岸线 离事故现场几英里远 虽然体积小，但 泄漏是重要的，因为受影响的地区包括网站 广泛用于基础科学研究， 是由丰富而多产的海洋生物组成 植物群和动物群，其中可能包括非常 对不寻常的人为干扰敏感。 实验设计包括对可能发生的溢油的测试 对潮间带和潮下带的这些不同成分的影响 社区. 此外，还非常重视 基本研究方法，以提供详细的描述， 这些社区的结构和组成， 自然环境因素的作用（例如，沉积物深度 类型、有机投入、环境稳定性） 空间分布格局和长期变异性（ 这些组件具有历史数据库）。 这些研究将提供一个经验性的评估， 巴伊亚帕拉伊索溢油对 亚瑟港地区 此外，这些研究的数据 将是极其重要的，为一个更 全面了解自然结构和动力学 亚瑟港底栖生态系统的基础，以及 与其他海洋生态系统的比较 世界 最后，这些分析将提供基线数据， 支持长期、自然和 人类引起的重要生物成分的变化， 多样性和生产力。

This project supports the analysis of marine benthic samples collected in the vicinity of Arthur Harbor, Antarctica, following an oil spill that resulted from the grounding of the Argentine supply ship Bahia Paraiso. The vessel grounded on January 28, 1989, and spilled an estimated 170,000 gallons of diesel and aviation fuel, which contaminated shorelines located up to 15 miles from the site of the accident. Although small in size, this spill is of significance because the affected areas include sites that are used extensively for fundamental scientific research and are composed of highly rich and productive assemblages of marine flora and fauna, which might include components that are very sensitive to unusual anthropogenic disturbances. The experimental design includes tests for possible oil-spill effects on these various components of the intertidal and subtidal communities. In addition, a great deal of importance is placed on basic research approaches to provide detailed descriptions of the structure and composition of these communities and to determine the role of natural environmental factors (e.g., depth, sediment type, organic input, environmental stability) in controlling patterns of spatial distribution and long-term variability (for those components having an historical data base). These studies will provide an empirical assessment of possible effects of the Bahia Paraiso oil spill on benthic components of the Arthur Harbor region. In addition, data from these studies will be extremely important in providing a basis for a more comprehensive understanding of the natural structure and dynamics of the Arthur Harbor benthic ecosystem, as well as a basis for comparison of the benthos with other marine ecosystems of the world. Finally, these analyses will provide baseline data to support continued studies of long-term, natural and man-induced variation in important living components of this diverse and productive region.