HELGOJ.~qDER MEERESUNTERSUCHUNGEN Helgol~inder Meeresunters. 33, 182-191 (1980)
Effects of the " A m o c o Cadiz" oil spill on an e e l g r a s s
c o m m u n i t y at Roscoff (France) with s p e c i a l r e f e r e n c e to
the m o b i l e benthic fauna
C. den Hartog & R. P. W. M. Jacobs
Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Catholic University; Toernooiveld, 6525 t~D Nijmegen, The Netherlands
ABSTRACT: In October 1977 an investigation w a s initiated of the qualitative a n d quantitative composition of the fauna of the eelgrass (Zostera marina) b e d s at Roscoff. Samples w e r e t a k e n in 2 seagrass b e d s at different tidal levels in order to follow numerical c h a n g e s in the course of the year. In March 1978 the area of study w a s struck b y the oil slick of the tanker "Amoco Cadiz". For this reason s a m p l i n g has b e e n c o n t i n u e d at the same frequency. The t a b u l a t e d results show d e a f l y that the oil slick h a d a profound but selective influence on the various animal groups; some of t h e m d i s a p p e a r e d w h i l e others w e r e a p p a r e n t l y unaffected. Rapid recovery of some species has t a k e n place, but r e - e s t a b l i s h m e n t of other species, particularly the filter f e e d e r s has not b e e n observed. The very diverse a m p h i p o d fauna has d i s a p p e a r e d , a n d has b e e n r e p l a c e d by a population of Pherusa fucicola a n d Garnmarus locusta; the latter was a b s e n t in the year before the oil disaster took place.
I N T R O D U C T I O N
Since the beginning of 1976 an ecological study of structural and functional aspects
of the eelgrass communities in the surroundings of Roscoff (France) has been in progress.
F r o m February 1976 to February 1977 the productivity, the biomass fluctuations, and the
growth pattern of the dominant species, Zostera marina L, have been studied (Jacobs,
1979). Furthermore the epiphytic algae, including the diatoms, on Zostera were
examined with special emphasis on their colonization patterns, and their dependence on
the rhythm of leaf production and leaf shedding of the host plant. A quantitative study of
the macrofauna w a s started in M a y 1977.
Unfortunately, in M a r c h 1978, this ecological p r o g r a m m e was drastically disturbed
by the stranding of the tanker " A m o c o Cadiz" which released its cargo of 216 000 tons of
crude oil and 4000 tons of bunker fuel and thereby polluted a considerable stretch of the
coastline of northern Brittany.
O n 20 M a r c h the oil slick reached the surroundings of Roscoff and c.overed our study
area. As w e were in the position to m a k e a comparison with the original situation, w e
decided to continue the sampling programme, although with a changed objective, viz.
the effect of the oil spill on the Zostera community.
This paper deals with the preliminary results of this study, with respect to the mobile
invertebrates. T h e benthic infauna results are discussed by Jacobs (1980).
Effects of oil spill 183
STUDY AREA
Eelgrass b e d s are a p r o m i n e n t f e a t u r e i n the coastal a r e a of Roscoff. T h e y cover 12.Y k m 2 of w h i c h almost 80 % is s i t u a t e d a b o v e the m e a n low w a t e r m a r k at s p r i n g tide (MLWS). T h e u p p e r l i m i t of the e e l g r a s s b e d s c o i n c i d e s more or less w i t h the m e a n low w a t e r m a r k at n e a p tide (MLWN}. t n the s u b l i t t o r a l
Zostera marina
d e s c e n d s to ca. 4 m b e l o w MLWS (Jacobs, 1979}.T h e history of t h e e e l g r a s s b e d s of the Roscoff area is r e a s o n a b l y w e l l k n o w n ; t h e y w e r e m a p p e d b y Pruvot (1897), J o u b i n {1909}, a n d later b y Blois et al. {1961} a n d J a c o b s {1979); a d e t a i l e d report w a s p r e s e n t e d b y De B e a u c h a m p (1914). More d e t a i l e d observa- tions o n the
Zostera
b e d s c a n b e f o u n d scattered i n the e x t e n s i v e l i t e r a t u r e o n t h e Roscoff a r e a .T h e s t u d y of the f a u n a of the eelgrass c o m m u n i t y w a s c o n c e n t r a t e d i n two h o m o g e n e o u s beds, o n e s i t u a t e d just b e l o w t h e l e v e l of MLWN, a n d the other approxi- m a t e l y 0.5 m lower. T h e former w a s c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y r e l a t i v e l y m a n y
Zostera
shoots (700-800 p e r m 2) w h i c h w e r e n o t l o n g e r t h a n 30 cm. T h e r h i z o m e m a t w a s ca. 9 cm thick, a n d t h e r e w a s n o m a t of l o o s e - l y i n g algae. This b e d b e c a m e e x p o s e d d u r i n g almost e v e r y low w a t e r period.T h e l o w e r eelgrass b e d w a s c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y fewer b u t l o n g e r shoots (500-600 p e r m2; u p to 50 cm long) T h e r h i z o m e m a t w a s ca. 6 c m thick. This b e d w a s s i t u a t e d i n a n e n o r m o u s t i d a l pool t h a t r e t a i n e d a few c e n t i m e t r e s of w a t e r d u r i n g e a c h low w a t e r period. B e t w e e n the shoots a m a t of e n t a n g l e d , l o o s e - l y i n g a l g a e w a s present~ it c o n s i s t e d m a i n l y of
Coralllna officinalis L., Cladostephus spongiosus
(Huds.) C. Ag. a n dSphacelaria
species.I n this p a p e r o n l y t h e r e s u l t s o b t a i n e d from t h e l o w littoral e e l g r a s s b e d w i l l b e discussed. I n the other b e d the n a t u r a l process of s a n d i n g - u p , c a u s i n g a d e c r e a s e i n s p e c i e s a n d i n d i v i d u a l s , i n t e r f e r e d w i t h the effect of the oil pollution, a n d the d a t a could b e e a s i l y m i s i n t e r p r e t e d .
M E T H O D S
A l t h o u g h the s t u d y of the f a u n a of the e e l g r a s s b e d w a s b e g u n i n M a y 1977, t h e first m o n t h s w e r e d e v o t e d to i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of species, i m p r o v i n g t h e s a m p l i n g t e c h n i q u e , a n d s e l e c t i n g the most r e p r e s e n t a t i v e sites. T h e data o b t a i n e d i n the p e r i o d M a y - S e p - t e m b e r 1977 h a v e n o t b e e n u s e d i n t h e p r e s e n t analysis.
From O c t o b e r 1977 u n t i l April 1979 a b o t t o m s a m p l e of 20 X 20 c m 2 w a s t a k e n m o n t h l y i n t h e h i g h a n d i n t h e l o w littoral e e l g r a s s beds. T h e s e s a m p l e s w e r e s i e v e d (1- m m m e s h size) a n d all i n d i v i d u a l s w e r e collected, p r e s e r v e d a n d i d e n t i f i e d . T h e s a m p l e size c h o s e n w a s i n fact a compromise. For the s m a l l e r species it w a s more t h a n sufficient, for some l a r g e r s p e c i e s p r o b a b l y too small. A l a r g e r s a m p l e size, however, w o u l d h a v e i n c r e a s e d the w o r k to such a d e g r e e that its e x e c u t i o n w o u l d h a v e b e e n i m p o s s i b l e w i t h i n a r e a s o n a b l e time.
F~
a~Table
1.
General
data
of
the
fauna
in
the
low
littoral
Zostera
marina
bed
at
Roscoff
(numbers
per
400
cm
2)
Parameters
1977
1978
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
1979
J
F
M
A
Number
of
individuals
N
540
899
577
Number
of
species
S
48
46
47
Diversity
index
H'
2.49
2.58
2.47
Evenness
J
0.64
0.67
0.64
566
1162
802
393
101
222
115
133
194
214
444
395
255
439
529
686
49
73
70
39
26
37
22
30
30
28
26
33
31
51
56
44
2.66
2.71
2.62
2.28
2.64
2.55
2.46
2.85
2.45
2.37
1.86
1.98
2.36
2.79
2.67
2.01
0.68
0.63
0.62
0.62
0.81
0.71
0.80
0.84
0.72
0.71
0.57
0.56
0.69
0.71
0.66
0.53
Table 3. Amphipoda in the low littoral Zostera bed at Roscoff, before and after the oil spill of the "Amoco Cadiz" (numbers per 400 cm 2) Species 1977 1978 1979 O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A Pherusa fucicola Leach 9 4 1 64 58 3 1 5 2 9 25 19 30 10 Stenothoe monoculoides (Montagu) 1 1 9 11 1 6 2 Harpinia pectinata O. Sars 3 1 1 13 7 2 1 Melita obtusata Montagu 3 3 1 1 Dexamine rhea Boeck 6 1 1 13 2 2 1 Ampefisca spinipes Boeck 1 2 1 Harpinia crenulata Boeck 1 5 11 2 Apherusa bispinosa (Bate) 2 Nototropis guttatus (A. Costa) 1 1 4 ~lasmopus rapax A. Costa 1 1 Dexamine spinosa (Montagu) 1 Aora typica Kr6yer 1 1 1 1 Lembos websteri Bate 3 5 6 3 26 9 Microprotopus longimanus Chevreux 2 3 Eurystheus maculatus (Johnston) 1 1 4 Amphithoe vaillanti Lucas 1 1 1 Amphithoe rubricata (Montagu) 4 1 Pleonexes gammaroides Bate 1 Sunamphithoe pelagica ,(Milne-Edwards) 1 1 1 Jassa falcata (Montagu) 1 1 1 1 2 Erichthonius brasiliensis (Dana) 2 Podocerus variegatus Leach 1 5 Coremapus versiculatus Norman 5 1 1 Phtisica marina Slabber 1 1 CapreHa sp. 2 5 Lysianassidae sp. 2 3 1 3 1 Gammarus locusta (L.) 8 13 1 3 Leucothoe spinicarpa (Abildgaard) 1 Leucothoe incisa D. Robertson 1 2 Apherusa jurinei (Milne-Edwards) 2 Number of individuals 25 28 16 16 160 120 5 3 8 5 2 10 39 31 37 12 Number of species 10 8 9 11 21 20 2 3 1 1 1 2 3 6 5 2
Table 4. Cumacea, Tanaidacea, Isopoda and Echinodermata in the low littoral Zostera bed at Roscoff, before and after the oil spill of the "Amoco Cadiz" (numbers per 400 cm 2) Species 1977 1978 1979 O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A
Cumacea Iphinoe
tenella G. O. Sars 10 11 7 30 21 1 13 8 11 7 Cumella pygmaea G. O. Sars 1 Bodotria scorpioides (Montagu) 1 - 2
Tanaidacea Apseudeslatreillei(Milne-Edwards)
203 190 100 51 353 278 56 6 10 6 5 42 68 238 214 91 113 117 337 Apseudes telpa (Montagu) 28 69 20 27 57 3 5 2 1 9 Leptochelia dubie Kr6yer 1 2 6 1 1
Isopoda Parenthure
costana Bate et Westwood 2 1 1 2 1 Dynamene bidentete (Adams) 1 1 1 Janira meculosa Leach 1 1 6 1 1 Idotea pelegica Leach 1 1 Astecille longicornis (Sowerby) 1 Munne minute Hansen 2 Idotea chelipes (Pallas) 1
Echinodermata Amphipholissquemate(Delle
Chiaje) 72 210 190 120 178 134 164 20 12 7 19 37 27 20 43 41 47 82 85 Asterina gibbose (Pennant) 1 Ophiure albide Forbes 1
188 C. d e n H a r t o g & R. P. W. M. J a c o b s
RESULTS
T h e e e l g r a s s itself r e m a i n e d a l m o s t u n a f f e c t e d b y t h e oil spill. A l t h o u g h d u r i n g t h e first w e e k s after t h e s p i l l m a n y p l a n t s h a d b l a c k " b u r n t " l e a v e s , t h e s e w e r e s h e d a c c o r d i n g to the p a t t e r n n o r m a l for t h e s p e c i e s . A p a r t from this s h o r t - t e r m effect no o t h e r d a m a g e w a s o b s e r v e d . T h e g e n e r a l s t r u c t u r e of t h e e e l g r a s s b e d s w a s not h a r m e d at all. C h a n g e s o b s e r v e d i n t h e f a u n a , therefore, c a n n o t b e a s c r i b e d to d a m a g e to t h e frame p l a n t of the c o m m u n i t y .
In T a b l e 1 t h e total n u m b e r s of s p e c i e s a n d i n d i v i d u a l s c o l l e c t e d m o n t h l y are p r e s e n t e d . It is o b v i o u s t h a t b o t h d e c r e a s e d after t h e oil spill, a d e c r e a s e w h i c h b e c a m e e v e n m o r e a p p a r e n t in M a y 1978. H o w e v e r , in the c o u r s e of 1978 t h e n u m b e r s of i n d i v i d u a l s i n c r e a s e d a g a i n , a l t h o u g h in s p r i n g 1979 t h e h i g h m a x i m a of t h e p r e c e d i n g s p r i n g w e r e not r e a c h e d . T h e n u m b e r of s p e c i e s r e m a i n e d c o n s i d e r a b l y l o w e r t h a n b e f o r e t h e oil spill.
T h e S h a n n o n - W i e n e r i n d e x v a l u e s for d i v e r s i t y
(H)
a n d e v e n n e s s(J]
w e r e c a l c u -l a t e d m o n t h l y . In t h e p e r i o d b e f o r e t h e oil s p i l l t h e s e w e r e r e a s o n a b l y constant, H r a n g i n g from 2.5 to 2.7 a n d J v a r y i n g b e t w e e n 0.62 a n d 0.68, i n d i c a t i n g a s t a b l e w e l l - b a l a n c e d c o m m u n i t y . A f t e r t h e oil s p i l l t h e f l u c t u a t i o n s of H w e r e b e t w e e n 2.0 a n d 2.8 a n d t h o s e of J b e t w e e n 0.53 a n d 0.84, i n d i c a t i n g a d i s t u r b e d b a l a n c e .
In T a b l e s 2 - 4 t h e d a t a of s o m e g r o u p s of m o b i l e a n i m a l s a r e p r e s e n t e d . D a t a on fish a n d d e c a p o d c r u s t a c e a n s h a v e not b e e n c o n s i d e r e d b e c a u s e t h e s a m p l i n g t e c h n i q u e w a s not a d e q u a t e for t h e s e groups.
G a s t r o p o d a
T h e G a s t r o p o d a w e r e l i t t l e a f f e c t e d b y t h e oil s p i l l ( T a b l e 2). M o s t of t h e m a r e b o u n d to t h e bottom; s o m e of t h e m c r a w l on t h e e e l g r a s s l e a v e s , b u t w h e n t h e t i d a l c u r r e n t s b e c o m e too s t r o n g t h e y u s u a l l y d r o p to t h e bottom, w h e r e t h e y r e m a i n u n t i l t h e n e x t l o w w a t e r p e r i o d .
F r o m T a b l e 2 it is o b v i o u s t h a t a l m o s t a l l s p e c i e s f o u n d b e f o r e t h e oil s p i l l w e r e f o u n d also l a t e r . T h e g r e a t e s t r i c h n e s s i n s p e c i e s w a s f o u n d in F e b r u a r y 1978 a n d in
M a r c h 1979. T h e m o s t n u m e r o u s s p e c i e s w a s
Cingula semicostata,
w i t h t h e h i g h e s tn u m b e r of i n d i v i d u a l s in w i n t e r .
In g e n e r a l the n u m b e r of i n d i v i d u a l s a n d of s p e c i e s i n the w i n t e r of 1978 a n d 1979 a p p e a r e d to b e of t h e s a m e m a g n i t u d e . In 1978 t h e n u m b e r of s p e c i m e n s h a d a l r e a d y d r o p p e d c o n s i d e r a b l y b e f o r e the oil s p i l l t o o k p l a c e . S o m e s p e c i e s w e r e not f o u n d after t h e oil p o l l u t i o n t o o k p l a c e , a n d o t h e r s w e r e n o t s e e n after the s u m m e r of 1978. T h e s e species, h o w e v e r , w e r e not c o m m o n in e e l g r a s s ~ e d s , a n d t h e i r a b s e n c e is p r o b a b l y m e r e l y a c c i d e n t a l .
A m p h i p o d a
Effects of oil spill 189
t h e s u m m e r of 1978 a m p h i p o d s w e r e p r a c t i c a l l y a b s e n t , b u t i n the a u t u m n
Pherusa
[ucicola,
the s p e c i e s most a b u n d a n t before the oil spill, r e a p p e a r e d , f o l l o w e d b yGammarus locusta,
a u b i q u i s t formerly n o t o b s e r v e d i n this a m p h i p o d c o m m u n i t y ; a few i n d i v i d u a l s of a few other species w e r e found, b u t a recovery h a d n o t t a k e n p l a c e b y April 1979.C u m a c e a
This g r o u p w a s i n fact r e p r e s e n t e d b y o n e f r e q u e n t species
Iphinoe tenella
(Table 4). In t h e p e r i o d N o v e m b e r 1 9 7 7 - M a r c h 1978 it w a s fairly a b u n d a n t ; after the oil spill only 1 s p e c i m e n w a s f o u n d i n A p r i l a n d since t h e n it w a s a b s e n t for 8 months. I n t h e w i n t e r of 1979 it r e a p p e a r e d i n n u m b e r s c o m p a r a b l e to those before t h e oil spill.T a n a i d a c e a
Before the oil spill 3 species of T a n a i d a c e a w e r e present.
Apseudes latreillei,
w h i c h w a s b y far the c o m m o n e s t , s h o w e d a g r e a t d e c r e a s e i n n u m b e r s after the oil spill b u t r e c o v e r e d c o m p l e t e l y i n the f o l l o w i n g a u t u m n . T h e s e c o n d species,A. talpa,
h a d d e c r e a s e d i n n u m b e r s before the oil spill; i n w i n t e r of 1979 a few i n d i v i d u a l s w e r e present. T h e d e c r e a s e i n n u m b e r s of t h e s e two species i n s p r i n g is a n a t u r a l p h e n o m e - non, a l t h o u g h the d e c r e a s e i n 1978 w a s more p r o n o u n c e d d u e to the oil pollution. T h e rarest species,Leptochelia dubia,
w a s f o u n d o n l y once after t h e oil spill.I s o p o d a
T h e n u m b e r of Isopoda i n the
Zostera
b e d w a s u s u a l l y v e r y low w i t h a slight i n c r e a s e i n w i n t e r . This g r o u p w a s also affected b y the oil slick.Paranthura costana,
w h i c h w a s f o u n d also o n s e v e r a l occasions i n s p r i n g a n d s u m m e r 1977, w a s s e e n o n l y once after the oil disaster. For 8 m o n t h s n o t a s i n g l e isopod was s e e n ; i n the f o l l o w i n g w i n t e r o n l y 4 s p e c i m e n s , r e p r e s e n t i n g 4 species, w e r e collected. A l t h o u g h this g r o u p w a s n o t c o m m o n , t h e oil p o l l u t i o n c a u s e d a n o b s e r v a b l e r e d u c t i o n i n the n u m b e r s of species a n d i n d i v i d u a l s .
E c h i n o d e r m a t a
Amphipholis squamata
a p p e a r e d to b e c o m m o n i n t h e e e l g r a s s bed. R e m a r k a b l y , it d i d n o t d e c r e a s e directly after the oil spill, b u t a m o n t h later. T h e n u m b e r s r e m a i n e d low b u t i n c r e a s e d g r a d u a l l y t o w a r d s t h e e n d of the o b s e r v a t i o n period; the m a x i m a o b s e r v e d i n the w i n t e r 1977-1978 w e r e not reached.DISCUSSION
190 C. d e n H a r t o g & R, P. W. M. J a c o b s
b e f o r e t h e oil spill. S o m e i n f l u e n c e of t h e oil spill on t h e I s o p o d a c o u l d b e d e t e c t e d , but as this g r o u p w a s n e v e r n u m e r o u s in t h e e e l g r a s s b e d u n d e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n , t h e result is not c o n v i n c i n g . T h e effect of t h e oil spill on t h e A m p h i p o d a , h o w e v e r , w a s s p e c t a c u l a r .
T h e s i t u a t i o n of t h e e e l g r a s s b e d s b e l o w the l e v e l of m e a n l o w w a t e r n e a p t i d e i m p l i e d that t h e contact b e t w e e n t h e oil slick a n d t h e e e l g r a s s l a s t e d o n l y for at m o s t 6 hours a day. D u r i n g this t i m e t h e f l a t - l y i n g e e l g r a s s l e a v e s f o r m e d a buffer b e t w e e n the oil s l i c k a n d t h e bottom. D u e to t h e firm r h i z o m e mat, m i x i n g of oil a n d s e d i m e n t w a s not p o s s i b l e in t h e e e l g r a s s bed. In fact o n l y t h e d i s s o l v e d fraction of the oil c o u l d p e n e t r a t e u n d e r t h e e e l g r a s s a n d in t h e i n t e r s t i t i a l ' w a t e r . This m a y e x p l a i n the fact that just t h e filter f e e d e r s s u c h as m o s t A m p h i p o d a a n d s o m e f a m i l i e s of P o l y c h a e t a (Jacobs, 1980) w e r e struck, w h i l e o t h e r g r o u p s of o r g a n i s m s r e m a i n e d r e l a t i v e l y u n a f f e c t e d .
T h e buffer effect of t h e e e l g r a s s also b e c o m e s e v i d e n t w h e n the n u m b e r s of oil v i c t i m s are c o m p a r e d w i t h those from o p e n b e a c h e s a n d s h e l t e r e d a r e a s w h e r e t h e r e w a s no c o v e r of e e l g r a s s , a n d w h e r e t h e b o t t o m a n d the oil c a m e into direct c o n t a c t (Hyland, 1978).
A s i m i l a r f u n c t i o n m a y h a v e b e e n f u l f i l l e d by t h e P u c a c e a e in t h e i n t e r t i d a l belt; h o w e v e r , d u e to t h e i r h i g h e r p o s i t i o n on the shore, t h e i r contact w i t h the oil w o u l d h a v e b e e n of l o n g e r duration, a n d t h e d e g r e e of p r o t e c t i o n of t h e o r g a n i s m s u n d e r the P u c a c e a e c o v e r m a y h a v e d e p e n d e d on t h e t h i c k n e s of that cover.
Prom t h e results o b t a i n e d it is a p p a r e n t that t h e effect of the oil spill on v a r i o u s a n i m a l g r o u p s w a s only a t e m p o r a r y d i s t u r b a n c e w h i c h c o u l d b e o v e r c o m e by the h i g h r e p r o d u c t i v e p o t e n t i a l of t h e survivors. In t h e c a s e of t h e A m p h i p o d a it c a n n o t b e p r e d i c t e d w h e t h e r t h e effect of t h e oil spill w i l l b e t e m p o r a r y or p e r m a n e n t b e c a u s e t h e y n u r s e t h e i r b r e e d and, t h e r e f o r e , h a v e a l o w r e p r o d u c t i v e p o t e n t i a l . T h e " A m o c o C a d i z " d i s a s t e r has a t t r a c t e d m u c h a t t e n t i o n b e c a u s e of the e n o r m o u s scale of t h e oil p o l l u t i o n it caused. Less s p e c t a c u l a r oil spills m a y c a u s e l o c a l l y s i m i l a r d a m a g e . T h e d a t a o b t a i n e d g i v e an i m p r e s s i o n of t h e i n f l u e n c e of an oil spill on a
Zostera
c o m m u n i t y in t h e e a r l y spring, just after t h e w i n t e r p e a k of a n u m b e r of littoral o r g a n i s m s , a n d b e f o r e t h e start of t h e r a p i d d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e e e l g r a s s . It is not c e r t a i n w h e t h e r t h e effect on the f a u n a w o u l d h a v e b e e n s i m i l a r h a d a spill o c c u r r e d in the s u m m e r .Acknowledgements.
We would like to thank J. Stassen, W. Huisman, W. Buys, L. Pierson, N. Manders and T. de Jong, who provided practical assistance throughout this study. A great part of the practical work was carried out at the Station Biologique at Roscoff and we thank the director, Prof. Dr. J. Bergerard, and his staff for their hospitality. The identification of the representatives of the various crustacean groups has been checked by Dr. J. Dieleman. - The first part of this investigation (until April 1978) was made possible by financial support from the Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (ZWO) and the second part was financed by the Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij.LITERATURE CITED
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