Potential environmental impacts of oil spills in Greenland - An

1,14

MB

assessment of information status and research needs

122

stron

4867

ID

National Environmental Research Institute

2002

rok

Contents

Forord 7

Sammenfatning 9

Kortlægning af status og behov for forsknings og videnopbygning i forbindelse med miljøeffekter af

oliespild i Grønland 9

Indledning 9

Vandmiljøet 10

Landmiljøet 11

Siulequt 13

Eqikkarnera 15

Aallaqqaasiut 15

Imaani avatangiisit 17

Nunami avatangiisit 18

Extended summary and recommendations 19

Introduction 19

Marine and freshwater environment 20

Fate, degradation and impact on microbial communities 20

Vegetation 22

Invertebrates 22

Fish 23

Birds 25

Marine mammals 26

Terrestrial environment 26

Fate, degradation and impact on soil microbial populations 26

Vegetation 27

1 Introduction 29

2 Fate and degradation of oil 31

2.1 Introduction 31

2.2 Physical factors 32

2.3 Biological factors 35

2.4 Important knowledge gaps 40

2.5 Existing relevant research groups 41

2.6 Conclusions and recommendations 41

2.7 References 44

3 Effect on microbial populations 49

3.1 Introduction 49

3.2 Impact on aquatic and shoreline microbial populations in general 49

3.3 Impact on terrestrial microbial populations 51

3.4 References 54

4 Impact on vegetation 57

4.1 Effects in coastal and marine ecosystems 57

4.2 Effects in freshwater ecosystem 58

4.3 Impact on vegetation in the terrestrial environment 58

4.4 References 61

5 Impact on invertebrates 65

5.1 Introduction 65

5.2 Oil spills in marine habitats 65

5.3 Oil spills in terrestrial and freshwater habitats 72

5.4 Discussion and recommendations 72

5.5 References 73

6 Impacts of oil spill on fish 79

6.1 Introduction 79

6.2 Oil toxicity to fish, eggs and larvae 79

6.3 Fish mortality during an oil spill in the open sea 70

6.4 Impacts in coastal environments 81

6.5 Impact of oil spill induced egg and larvae mortality on fish stocks 83

6.6 Sea-food tainting and health concern 85

6.7 Closing of fishing areas 85

6.8 Research groups and knowledge centres 85

6.9 Assessment of knowledge gaps in relation to Greenland 85

6.10 References 88

7 The impact of oil spills on bird populations 93

7.1 The effect of oil on seabirds 93

7.2 Predicting of population impacts of oil spills with simulation models 98

7.3 Prediction of population effects, mitigation and management 100

7.4 Assessment of knowledge gaps in relation to Greenland 102

7.5 Knowledge centres and research groups 106

7.6 Conclusion and recommendation 106

7.7 References 107

8 Impacts on mammals 113

8.1 Introduction 113

8.2 Impacts on marine mammals in Greenland 113

8.3 Knowledge gaps 114

8.4 Research groups and knowledge centres 115

8.5 Conclusions and recommendations 115

8.6 Impact on terrestrial mammals 115

8.7 References 116