Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Books and Book Chapters
Oil Refinery Impacts on Coral Reef Communities in Aruba, N.A.
Book Title
Proceedings of the Colloquium on Global Aspects of Coral Reefs: Health, Hazards, and History
ORCID ID
0000-0001-8053-2389
Document Type
Book Chapter
ISBN
0932981798
Publication Date
1993
Editors
Robert N. Ginsburg
Description
[Chapter Abstract]
From 1925 to 1985, Lago Oil and Transport Co. operated a transshipping terminal and refinery on the southeastern coast of Aruba, N.A. This facility has affected the nearshore marine ecosystem through both oil contamination at the harbor and tanker berths, and from disturbance related to shipping, dredging and construction. The impact of this facility on nearby coral reef communities was studied from January 1987 to August 1989. This included an analysis of reef community structure comparing sites adjacent to the refinery with those upstream and downstream, the modern and historical growth of the predominant coral species, and recruitment of new corals. Both upstream and downstream control sites were in good health and exhibited high diversity. In contrast, reefs adjacent to the refinery exhibited low density and diversity of live corals and abundant dead coral rubble. Additionally, periods of construction in the inner harbor and on surrounding spoil islands and high refinery activity corresponded well with periods of reduced coral growth near the refinery. Although the relative importance of oil contamination, sedimentation and other anthropogenic effects is uncertain, our observations suggest that sedimentation and other physical stress resulted in substantial reductions in environmental quality at the disturbed sites. Coral recruitment at the highly impacted sites showed hope for recovery if these environments are protected from renewed perturbation.
Publisher
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami
City
Miami
First Page
139
Last Page
145
Disciplines
Life Sciences | Marine Biology
NSUWorks Citation
Eakin, C. Mark; Joshua S. Feingold; and Peter Glynn. (1993). Oil Refinery Impacts on Coral Reef Communities in Aruba, N.A.. In Robert N. Ginsburg (Eds.), Proceedings of the Colloquium on Global Aspects of Coral Reefs: Health, Hazards, and History .