Effects of a crude oil spill on water quality and macrobenthos of a southeast Texas stream

✍ Scribed by Richard C. Harrel

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 388 KB
• Volume: 124
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1573-5141
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00015238

✦ Synopsis

On December 6, 198 1 an oil spill of 160 barrels (25 440 liters) occurred in a small southeast Texas stream. Water quality changes, other than the presence of oil, were not evident until six months later when water temperature increased and stream flow ceased. This resulted in decreased dissolved oxygen and increased carbon dioxide concentrations. Responses of the benthic macroinvertebrate community included an increase in density of oligochaetes, decrease in numbers and taxa of chironomids, with eventual complete elimination, and low community diversity (d). Decrease in oil concentration resulted in reversal of these responses. No clean water taxa were collected and complete recovery had not occurred 26 months after the spill when the study was terminated.