Antarctic Oil Spill Emergency Response: Microbiology Component

南极半岛支持着大陆上最丰富和最多样化的动植物种群。补给船巴伊亚·帕莱索号搁浅，随后在美国帕尔默站附近发生漏油事件，对该地区造成了重大影响。初步观察显示，石油覆盖了生活在潮间带鹅卵石海滩和潮汐池塘坚硬基质上的大型藻类和无脊椎动物。构成南极食物网基础的许多无脊椎动物已经被捕杀。石油还影响了海豹和鸟类。一些被石油污染的鸟类已经死亡，另一些则表现出饥饿、不良行为和失去绝缘的症状。这项研究项目是对漏油事件附近海洋环境进行综合、时间序列调查的一部分。研究小组将研究石油污染的空间和时间范围及其对海洋动植物的相关影响。该项目将研究碳氢化合物对细菌和浮游植物群落的微生物利用。

The Antarctic Peninsula supports the most abundant and diverse populations of plants and animals on the continent. The grounding of the supply ship Bahia Paraiso and subsequent oil spill near the U.S. Palmer Station significantly impacted the area. Initial observations have revealed that the oil has coated macroalgae and invertebrates living on the hard substrata along intertidal cobble beaches and in tidal pools. Many of the invertebrates, which form the base of the Antarctic food web, have been killed. The oil has also affected seals and birds. Some of the oiled birds have died and others have shown symptoms of starvation, adverse behavior and loss of insulation. This research project is part of an integrated, time-series survey of the marine environment in the vicinity of the oil spill. The research groups will examine the spatial and temporal extent of the oil contamination and the associated effects on marine flora and fauna. This project will examine the microbiological utilization of hydrocarbons on bacteria and phytoplankton communities.