Long-term ecosystem repsonse to the Exxon Valdez oil spill
The ecosystem response to the 1989 spill of oil from the Exxon Valdez into Prince William Sound, Alaska, shows that current practices for assessing ecological risks of oil in the oceans and, by extension, other toxic sources should be changed. Previously, it was assumed that impacts to populations derive almost exclusively from acute mortality. However, in the Alaskan coastal ecosystem, unexpected persistence of toxic subsurface oil and chronic exposures, even at sublethal levels, have continued to affect wildlife. Delayed population reductions and cascades of indirect effects postponed recovery. Development of ecosystem-based toxicology is required to understand and ultimately predict chronic, delayed, and indirect long-term risks and impacts.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Title | Long-term ecosystem repsonse to the Exxon Valdez oil spill |
| DOI | 10.1126/science.1084282 |
| Authors | C. H. Peterson, S.D. Rice, J.W. Short, Daniel Esler, James L. Bodkin, Brenda E. Ballachey, D.B. Irons |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Science |
| Index ID | 70007016 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Alaska Biological Science Center |
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James L Bodkin
Research Wildlife Biologist Emeritus
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James L Bodkin
Research Wildlife Biologist EmeritusEmailPhone