Restoration of oiled mussel beds in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Natural loss of hydrocarbons was often low from mussel ( Mytilus trossulus) beds (which were typically not cleaned after the Exxon Valdez oil spill), thus this habitat remained a long-term source of oil. Consequently, experimental restoration of nine contaminated beds was attempted in 1994; mussels...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine environmental research 2004-06, Vol.57 (5), p.359-376
Main Authors: Carls, Mark G, Harris, Patricia M, Rice, S.D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidents
Alaska
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Bivalvia
Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife
Environmental degradation: ecosystems survey and restoration
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Pollution - prevention & control
Exxon Valdez
Fuel Oils - poisoning
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Geologic Sediments - chemistry
Hydrocarbons - metabolism
Hydrocarbons - pharmacokinetics
Hydrocarbons - poisoning
Marine
Monitoring
Mussels
Mytilus trossulus
Oil spills
Petroleum hydrocarbons
Population Dynamics
Prince William Sound
Restoration
Ships
Tissue Distribution
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Summary:Natural loss of hydrocarbons was often low from mussel ( Mytilus trossulus) beds (which were typically not cleaned after the Exxon Valdez oil spill), thus this habitat remained a long-term source of oil. Consequently, experimental restoration of nine contaminated beds was attempted in 1994; mussels were removed, contaminated surface sediment was replaced (33 metric tons), and original mussels were returned. Hydrocarbon concentrations and mussel populations were monitored for 5 years thereafter. Post-restoration mussel population fluctuations were indistinguishable from regional changes. Increased short-term oil loss was apparent, but long-term (5 year) improvement was equivocal and difficult to distinguish from natural losses. By 1999, oil concentrations in mussels were typically at baseline levels in restored and oiled reference beds; concentrations in replaced sediment were elevated in one third of restored beds, indicating recontamination from underlying or surrounding sediment. Our results suggest mussel relocation is feasible but suggest oil might more effectively be removed from sediment mechanically or chemically than manually.
ISSN:0141-1136
1879-0291
DOI:10.1016/j.marenvres.2003.11.002