GoMRI eNews · Sep 4, 2018 · ← All issues
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Keeping you current on emerging Gulf science and the people investigating the effects of oil spills on the environment and public health.

September 4, 2018                                                                    GoMRI eNews

Stories

Study Finds Hurricane Isaac Prolonged Oil Spill Impacts on Some Marsh Insects and Spiders

Researchers collected and analyzed terrestrial arthropods from Louisiana marshes to determine the combined effects from Deepwater Horizon and Hurricane Isaac on saltmarsh ecosystems. The initial oiling from the spill (2010) followed by the oil’s redistribution during Hurricane Isaac (2012) negatively affected some arthropod groups three-four years after the spill.

Smithsonian Rolls Out New Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Webpage

The Smithsonian’s Ocean Portal recently redesigned their website, and it now includes a page dedicated to the Deepwater Horizon incident.

Grad Student O’Brien Analyzes Sediment Movement to Help Predict Oil Transport

Oil spill material that enters the water column may adhere to resuspended seafloor sediments and be transported to other areas. Stephan O’Brien is investigating how physical factors, such as wind and waves, affect the suspension and subsequent transport of sediments in the Mississippi Sound and Bight.

Study Assesses a New Class of Safer, More Effective Dispersants

Researchers analyzed an enhanced formulation of a gel-like surfactant encased in a compact buoyant pod for oil spill remediation.

From the Archives

Study Finds Oil Exposure Reduces Cardiac Function and Survival in Red Drum Larvae

Posted on August 29, 2017
Researchers conducted laboratory experiments to assess the lethal and sublethal impacts of weathered and non-weathered crude oil exposure on red drum larvae. The scientists observed a 70% reduction in cardiac output in oil-exposed larvae, even at low oil concentrations.

Rapid Response Study Characterizes Behaviors of Accidental Short-Term Oil Blowouts

Posted on August 26, 2016
An interdisciplinary scientific team conducted a rapid response sampling campaign in the immediate aftermath of the 2013 Hercules 265 blowout to determine if sediment and fish were polluted above established baseline levels.

Study Quantifies Photooxidation and Biodegradation of Surface Oil

Posted on September 3, 2015
Scientists from the University of Texas at Austin assessed photooxidation and biodegradation rates on different hydrocarbon groups.

Publications
 
Study Finds Sunlight Reduced Dispersant’s Effectiveness During Deepwater Horizon
Photochemical oxidation of oil reduced the effectiveness of aerial dispersants applied in response to the Deepwater Horizon spill. Ward, C.P.; Armstrong, C.J.; Conmy, R.N.; French-McCay, D.P.; Reddy, C.M. Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 2018, 5 (5), pp 226–231

Study Shows that Benthic Foraminifera in Gulf Sediment Recorded the Dirty Blizzard
Tracing the incorporation of carbon into benthic foraminiferal calcite following the Deepwater Horizon event. Schwing, P.T.; Chanton, J.P.; Romero, I.C.; Hollander, D.J.; Goddard, E.A.; Brooks, G.R.; Larson, R.A. Environmental Pollution, Volume 237, June 2018, Pages 424-429

Data
1988-2013 southeastern Louisiana: Land versus water based on Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) -- data link

Dataset for: Examining the effect of reoccurring disturbances on population persistence with application to marine mammals -- data link

Dataset for: Advection of Karenia brevis from the Florida panhandle towards Mississippi coastal waters -- data link

Announcements
Now Accepting Abstract Submissions for the 2019 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference
The call for abstracts is open and will close on September 24, 2018. Priority will be given to abstracts that promote fundamental Gulf ecosystem science and link scientific results to ecosystem resilience, oil spill response, or restoration and management. You do not need to be registered for the conference to submit an abstract. Click here for abstract submission information.

Now Open! Registration for 2019 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference
There are several changes of note from registrations of past years:
  • The fee structure has changed this year to include a one-day workshop fee for those only attending a workshop ($75). The full conference registration fee covers all workshops and all conference activities ($500 for early registration on or before Nov 30, 2018; $250 for students). Register for the conference here. 
  • Attendees who stay at the Hyatt Regency (the conference venue) will receive a $100 discount on registration ($50 discount for students). When registering for the conference, you need to enter your hotel confirmation number to receive the discount. Make a reservation at the Hyatt Regency here. Reservations must be made at the Hyatt Regency to qualify for the discount. Although Hyatt House is connected to the Hyatt Regency, the parent company treats them as separate businesses and reservations made at Hyatt House are not included in the conference room block. 
Workshop Series on Public Health, Social Disruptions, Economic Impacts from Oil Spills 
A series of regional workshops by the Gulf Research Program (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine), the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, and various Sea Grant partners will address the overlapping impacts oil spills can have on nearby communities. Potential locations for the workshops include Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, and Virginia. Check back on the Sea Grant Oil Spill Outreach team's website for dates, times, locations.

Project Activities
CARMMHA Blog Describes Capture of Dolphins for Health Assessments
The second field update for the consortium’s work in Barataria Bay discusses how the researchers identify and safely capture dolphins using nets and a team of highly skilled veterinarians to monitor, evaluate, and collect data and samples from the animal.
 
CARTHE Participates in Vizcaya Trash Talk Event
Consortium members attending the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens’ event shared Bay Drift data and kicked off the third year of the Bay Drift project with a drift card decorating activity. Photos from the event are available here.
 
CSOMIO Participates in “Girls Can Do Anything” Camp
Over two dozen campers from the Oasis Center for Women & Girls traveled to the Florida State University Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS) to learn about weather and climate. Consortium members participated in the event, which aimed to encourage girls to pursue careers in science and math.
 
CWC Wraps Up 2018 K-12 Summer Programming
The consortium’s Art & Science, LUMCON Estuarine Awareness and Discovery (LEAD), and Field Marine Science (FMS) camps attracted students from eight US states and overseas to learn about the coastal environment. In addition, the team’s “From H-2-O” workshop provided teachers with the training and resources to bring water quality testing into their classrooms. Photos available here.
 
History Channel’s “In Search Of…” Reboot Features DEEPEND Research
The show’s host Zachary Quinto visited consortium Principal Investigator Tracey Sutton’s oceanic ecology lab at Nova Southeastern University. The episode (“Monsters of the Deep”) discusses the strange creatures living in the ocean depths that might lend themselves to tales of legendary sea monsters. The episode is available for online streaming here through your television provider.
 
ECOGIG Researchers Begin Next Phase of DEEP SEARCH Project
Researchers recently departed on a two-week expedition to the mid- and south Atlantic coast with the DEEP SEARCH project, a five-year multi-agency research study of deep-sea coral, canyon, and gas seep ecosystems in the Atlantic Ocean.