Journal of Oceanography and Marine Research
Open Access
ISSN: 2572-3103
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2572-3103
+44 1300 500008
Department of Biology, University of Louisiana, Lafayette LA 70506-3602, USA
Research
Structure of the Mesophotic Macroalgal Communities from Offshore Hard Banks in Louisiana before and after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Author(s): Dagoberto E Venera-Pontón*, William E Schmidt and Suzanne Fredericq
The mesophotic macroalgal communities offshore Louisiana, NW Gulf of Mexico are exceptionally biodiverse on hard banks located at 50-100 m depth. Despite their vulnerability to oil spills, little is known about the seasonal and spatial dynamics of these algal communities after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH). This study addresses this deficiency by compiling data on macroalgal abundances from 14 research cruises that sampled two offshore banks near the vicinity of the DWH Macondo oil well blowout. Statistical analyses revealed a strong seasonal structure in which environmental changes were followed by community changes after a month. This delayed response was linked to in situ temperatures, coinciding with various studies worldwide reporting temperature as the main predictor of seasonal structure in macroalgal communities. Additionally, this study provides evidence.. View More»