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Crude oil contamination interrupts settlement of coral larvae after direct exposure ends

2015; Inter-Research; Volume: 536; Linguagem: Inglês

10.3354/meps11437

1616-1599

AC Hartmann, Stuart A. Sandin, VF Chamberland, Kristen L. Marhaver, JM de Goeij, Mark J. A. Vermeij,

Oil Spill Detection and Mitigation

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 536:163-173 (2015) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11437 Crude oil contamination interrupts settlement of coral larvae after direct exposure ends Aaron C. Hartmann1,*, Stuart A. Sandin1, Valérie F. Chamberland2,3, Kristen L. Marhaver2,4, Jasper M. de Goeij5, Mark J. A. Vermeij2,3 1Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA 2Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity (CARMABI) Foundation, Piscaderabaai z/n, Willemstad, Curaçao 3Aquatic Microbiology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands 4University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA 5Aquatic Environmental Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands *Corresponding author: aaron.hartmann@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Oil spills cause damage to marine wildlife that lasts well past their immediate aftermath. Marine offspring that must settle and metamorphose to reach adulthood may be particularly prone to harm if the legacy of oil exposure interrupts later transitions across life stages. Following an oil spill on Curaçao, we found that oil-contaminated seawater reduced settlement of 2 coral species by 85% and 40% after exposure had ended. The effect of contamination on settlement was more severe than any direct or latent effects on survival. Therefore, oil exposure reduces the ability of corals to transition to their adult life stage, even after they move away from oil contamination. This interruption of the life cycle likely has severe consequences for recruitment success in these foundational and threatened organisms. Latent, sublethal, and behavioral effects on marine organisms—as shown in this study—are not commonly considered during oil-spill impact assessments, increasing the likelihood that harm to marine species goes underestimated or unmeasured. KEY WORDS: Oil spills · Coral reefs · Larval settlement · Carry-over effects · Latent effects · Orbicella faveolata · Agaricia humilis · Caribbean Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Hartmann AC, Sandin SA, Chamberland VF, Marhaver KL, de Goeij JM, Vermeij MJA (2015) Crude oil contamination interrupts settlement of coral larvae after direct exposure ends. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 536:163-173. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11437 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 536. Online publication date: September 29, 2015 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2015 Inter-Research.