Publications

Tang, DL; Sun, J; Zhou, L; Wang, SF; Singh, RP; Pan, G (2019). Ecological response of phytoplankton to the oil spills in the oceans. GEOMATICS NATURAL HAZARDS & RISK, 10(1), 853-872.

Abstract
Oil spills in oceans have substantial influence on marine ecosystems. This study investigates 21 oil spills in the world. Analyzing Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiomerer (MODIS) data after Penglai oil spills on 4 June 2011, found a bloom with peak value of Chl-a (13.66 mg m(-3)) spread over an area of 800 km(2) during 18-25 June 2011, and a pronounced increase in the monthly Chl-a concentration (6.40 mg m(-3)) on June 2012 in the Bohai Sea. Out of the 21 oil spills, 14 blooms were observed, while 11 blooms associated with oil spills in the time interval of 3-10 months. In total, about 75% blooms occurred during June-August. Among all 14 blooms, 72% appeared when temperature was warm (20-30 degrees C), 7% appeared when temperature was low (10-20 degrees C), and the remaining 21% occurred when temperature was lower than 10 degrees C. This research concludes that the odds of a phytoplankton bloom after an oil spillage are higher at the time of higher temperature (>20 degrees C). The short-term impact of the oil spills on ecosystem could mainly depend on the quantity and composition of oil, while the long-term impact of the oil spills on ecosystem could be related to biodegradation of microorganisms.

DOI:
10.1080/19475705.2018.1549110

ISSN:
1947-5705