W&M ScholarWorks Reports 1981 Experimental colonization of crude oil contaminated sediments by benthos on the Middle Atlantic continental shelf Donald Boesch Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eugene Burreson Virginia Institute of Marine Science et al Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports Part of the Marine Biology Commons Recommended Citation Boesch, D., Burreson, E., & et al. (1981) Experimental colonization of crude oil contaminated sediments by benthos on the Middle Atlantic continental shelf. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/2413 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Reports by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SEP 2 O 1982 l EXPERIMENT AL COLONIZ CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS BY BENTHOS ON THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC CONTINENTAL SHELF ... - DONALD F. BOESCH Chief Scientist EUGENE M. BURRESON Program Manager Conducted Under Contract No. AA551-CT8-32 With the Bureau of Land Management United States Department of Interior VIRGINIA INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCE SCHOOL OF MARINE SCIENCE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062 William J. Hargis, Jr., Director ,0272 •101 REP~~T DOCUMENTATION 1-l~REPORT NO. 3. Recipient's Accession No. PAGE . 12. •------- ----~-------- - . 7--------------..... 4. Tlllo ,nd Subtitle 5. Report Date ~xperimental Colonization of Crude Oil Contaminated Sediments April t----"---------------1981 by Benthos on the Middle Atlantic Continental Shelf 6. 1----~--------------------· -----------------·- 7. Auttlor($) D. F. Boesch, E. M. Burreson, L. C. Schaffner, H. I. Ka tor, 8. Performing Orsanlzatlon Rept. No. C.L. Smith, D.M. Alongi, M.A. Bowen, P.O. deFur 9. P,i-formlng Organization Name and Address 10. Project/Task/Work Unit No. College of William and Mary ----------------1 Virginia Institute of Marine Science 11. Co1"1tract(C) or Grant(G) No. School of Marine Science (C) AA551-CT8-32 GlQuceater Point, Virginia 23062 CG) 12. Spo"'sorlng Organization Name and Address 13. Type of Report & Period Covered Branch of Environmental Studies (733) Final Report Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of Interior _. _,_ - ___________ __ . __ 18th & C Streets, NW 14. t-------==~--";__Washington, D.C.____________________________ 20240 .J_ -------------------1 1$. ~upplc,mentary Notes ------------------ -------------- -----··-·-•···------ --- -- ~ ---~--- ·-~-----·--·--~---.. · US •. Ab~tract (Limit: 200 words) In August 1979 six arrays of defaunated sediment were deployed at each of three sites in the Middle Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. Three arrays at each site had -Prqdhoe Bay crude oil mixed with the sediment. Because of technical difficulties r~covery was limited to one control and one oiled array from two sites--one near the shelf break and one in a mid-shelf swale--after 10 months in situ. Moderate to severe sediment e~osion occurred in boxes recovered from the mid-shelf. Chemical analyses indicated that between 50 and 90 percent of the added oil remained in the $ediments after 10 months and also that the oil was qualitatively similar to th~ added oil. R~latively more oil was retained in the muddy sands near the ~he~f break than in the mid-shelf fine sands. Generally, there was no demonstrable effect of Prudhoe Bay crude oil contamination on colonization by either macrobenthos or me!obenthos, although at the shelf break certain species were less successful colonizers of oiled boxes. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that less frequently disturbed finer grained habitats are more susceptible and sensitive to oil contamination. 17. Document Analysis a. Descriptors Etperimental Studies Grain Size O~ter Continental Shelf Species Abundance Recolonization Connnunity Response Gias Chromatography Petroleum Degrading Bacteria b. ldentlflers/Ope11-Ended Terms ·Biological Oceanography Meiobenthos ~hemical Oceanography Microbiology Oil :Pollution Hydrocarbon Chemistry Macrobenthos Sedimentology c, COSATI Field/Group i9r· Avallablllty ~atement 19. Security Class (This Report) 21. No. of Po1es Unclassified approx. 231 Release Unlimited 20. Security Class (This Page) 22. Price Unclassified '(Sea ANSI-Z39.18) See Instructions on Reverse OPTIONAL FOAt.1 272 (4-77) (Formerly Nl'IS--35) Department of Commerce EXPERIMENTAL COLONIZATION OF CRUDE OIL CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS BY BENTHOS ON THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC CONTINENTAL SHELF conducted by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science under Contract No. AA551-CT8-32 with the Bureau of Land Management United States Department of Interior Donald F. Boesch Chief Scientist Eugene M. Burreson Program Manager Virginia Institute of Marine Science School of Marine Science College of William and Mary Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062 William J. Hargis, Jr., Director - (' '? "j:J I .:.):,YU~ {'. 3 I I This report has been reviewed by the Bureau of Land Management and approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Bureau of Land Management or the Virginia Institute of Marine Science nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. ·(le< ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study could not have been completed without the assistance of the following people. Marcia Bowen was responsible for most details of cruise logistics as well as for assuring that all samples were properly taken at sea. She also assumed responsibility for benthos sample analyses after Dr. Boesch's departure. Ms. Bowen performed all these duties with patience and competence. Linda Schaffner assumed responsibility for analyzing and discussing the macrobenthos data after the departure of Dr. Boesch and Ms. Bowen. She provided an insightful, well-written chapter, on time, amidst myriad other responsibilities. Dan Alongi provided equally professional assistance with meiobenthos data. The following people assisted at sea: Dan Alongi, Andy Applegate, Rod Bertelsen, Joe Boyer, Gary Gaston, Bill MacIntyre, Cindy Miekley, Karl Nilsen, Linda Schaffner, Cliff Ryer, and Don Weston. This report was typed by the VIMS Report Center and special thanks are due Ruth Edwards, Annette Stubbs, and especially Cheryl Ripley for typing and report organization expertise. E. M. Burreson SUMMARY TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY by Eugene M. Burreson CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION by Donald F. Boesch CHAPTER 2. FIELD METHODS AND PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTATION by Eugene M. Burreson and Marcia A. Bowen CHAPTER 3. SEDIMENT TEXTURE AND ORGANIC CARBON by Linda C. Schaffner and Donald F. Boesch CHAPTER 4. CHANGES IN PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS IN EXPERIMENTALLY OILED SEDIMENTS by Craig L. Smith and Paul O. deFur CHAPTER 5. MICROBIAL RESPONSES by Howard I. Kator CHAPTER 6. MACROBENTHOS COLONIZATION by Linda C. Schaffner, Donald F. Boesch and Marcia A. Bowen CHAPTER 7. MEIOBENTHOS COLONIZATION by Daniel M. Alongi and Donald F. Boesch CHAPTER 8. SYNTHESIS AND CONCLUSIONS by Donald F. Boesch and Eugene M. Burreson APPENDIX A. PHASE I FINAL REPORT - DEVELOPMENT AND FINAL DESIGN OF THE SURFACE ACTIVATED DEPLOYMENT AND RECOVERY SYSTEM APPENDIX B. RECOLONIZATION BOX OBSERVATIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHS APPENDIX C. CHARACTERIZATION OF PRUDHOE BAY CRUDE OIL by C. L. Smith APPENDIX D. MACROBENTHOS AND MEIOBENTHOS RAW DATA (on microfiche) lDetailed Tables of Contents are provided with each chapter. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Eugene M. Burreson EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . • • . • • • • . 1 Basic Program • • . • • . • I Role of Key Participants 2 Geographical Area of Study •••. 2 Other Pertinent Studies in the Same Geographical Area 3 Summary of Cruise Information •.• 3 Surface Activated Deployment and Recovery System (SADRS) •• 4 Experimental Design ~nd Sampling Scheme. 4 Summary of Samples Collected ..••.••••. 5 Sediment Collection and Initial Experimentation ...••• 6 Sediment Preparation 6 Deployment •...•• 6 Laboratory Methods 7 Sediment Grain Size 7 Total Organic Carbon. 7 Hydrocarbons .••• 7 Bacteria. • .•• 8 Meiofauna 8 Macro fauna 8 Data Analysis. 8 Meiofauna 8 Macrofauna 8 SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS. 9 Experimental Techniques ...• . 9 Macrobenthos and Meiobenthos Colonization. 9 Petroleum Hydrocarbon Weathering and Microbial Response. • IO CONCLUSIONS • • • 10 LITERATURE CITED. • 11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Eugene M. Burreson INTRODUCTION Understanding of the potential effects of petroleum exploration and production activities on living resources of the outer continental shelf needs to be improved to allow more competent decision-making. Because of the affinity of hydrocarbons for particulate surfaces, concentrations in bottom sediments may be much higher than in the surrounding water column following an oil spill or chronic emission, and frequently the only demonstrable effects of oil pollution are found in sediment-inhabiting benthos. However, the difficulty of maintaining outer shelf infauna! organisms or environmental conditions precludes realistic laboratory experimentation on fate and effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on outer shelf benthos. In situ field experiments provide a solution to these problems-;-although they also have significant limitations. The studies described in this report are an attempt to enhance understanding of the fate and effect of petroleum hydrocarbon constituents of crude oil in the benthic environment of the Middle Atlantic outer continental shelf under relatively realistic environmental