The oil spill impact on bacteria

The ecological environment of deep water oil when the eruption of the bottom, no one will be for microbial oil covered shed a tear. The marine oil leakage effect can stimulate human sympathy.

Scientists have compared with petroleum erosion of the coast, found that environmental changes affecting the bacteria, but this is not the final analysis. Soon scientists will be able to get some long-term results, may not only affect the bacteria also affect other organisms.

If is not only affected by bacteria and plankton, wild animal and estuarine organisms also damage the ecosystem will be in jeopardy. A study published in February 28th in the "natural" perspective on. The study found that within a short period of rapid change of microbial The new supersedes the old. will affect the entire ecosystem.

By the research group of Houston University biologist William Wei Jed leadership, the sequence of water near the coast and shore oil samples in microorganism, analyzed the change of oil pollution before and after pollution (including the Grande islands of Mississippi Gulf port and Louisiana).

Through the comparative analysis of DNA database, they found that the bacteria changed. Vibrio cholerae (a cause of diarrhea in microbial) after oil spill quantity.Not only cholera increased, Rickettsia also increased, Rickettsia is a human can cause typhus and spotted fever microorganisms.

In addition, a typical by photosynthetic organisms -- but the number of cyanobacteria decreased rapidly, cyanobacteria are capable of forming small groups of biological kingdom.

The new study may not include all types of microorganisms. Most of the marine microbial effects have not been evaluated. Because, years ago, when the sequencing technology is very expensive, is impossible to obtain DNA data at the time, it is gained by comparing data with recent results, it can be said that the sequencing technology has very important significance to the study of bacterial ecology.

Wijde's team said on any of the ecosystem, the microbial community is very important but also very fragile. The basic essential metabolic activities and their influence on ecosystem.

Not involved in the study of the Columbia University biologist Andy Qiu planktonic wary about the conclusion. He believes that the conclusion can be used as a hypothetical conclusion, also need to support or refute the existing evidence or conclusion more.

Jo's evaluation is a hot debate in the scientific community on the Gulf ecological assessment. Early stage research is also need to collect large amounts of data and information, it may take several years, it is because the data is not sufficient, the oil company BP will restore the environment of the contract to deny, and said the damage was not serious.

In mid February, Georgia State University chemist Joey biogeographic Samantha conducted a study, he believes that 40% of hydrocarbons is released in the oil spill in the process. How the future destiny is still unknown, a large number of methane gas is still floating in the Gulf.

John Kessler and David Valentin believes that these results based on the data of the marine ecosystem is out of date, no value. They think that as early as a month ago, methane has been deep-sea bacteria consumed. Conclusion the controversial normal science, but a few controversial film has revealed some truth, a meeting from the American Academy of Sciences Joey in Washington on broadcast a shot by a diving robot in December last year, the video, the video display Bay bottom covered with oil and invertebrate body cover.

These data showed the ecological exactly how the future is unknown. The impact on human beings at the National Institutes of Health Research Institute in March 1st issued a press briefing is disclosed, said in a statement of health long-term follow-up study of 55 thousand involved in oil clean-up workers, in order to understand the impact of chemicals on human health.

At the same time, the Gulf oil industry and management personnel will continue to strictly limit the Gulf deepwater drilling operation. The BP oil company fund management ecological recovery 200 billion Kenneth Feinberg said the Gulf ecosystem will recover completely in 2012.

Oil company BP is trying to convince people that a point of view, the oil and gas will naturally spread out, the impact on the environment is very small, and ecological system of Mexico Bay and no long-term impact. From the Florida State University marine biologist Ian Macdonald and partner Joey believes that the oil spill killed a lot of animal, ecological effects in the long term only from the existing results can not make a reasonable evaluation of completely real.

Ian Macdonald said, we all want to believe that the first point (the oil company BP view), but we must understand the actual situation objectively, we understand the ecological change what has happened in the end.

Wijde's team believes that the oil spill damage to ecological system is not clear at present, still need long-term observation in order to get the correct answer.