GoMRI eNews · Oct 20, 2015 · ← All issues
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Keeping you current on emerging Gulf science and the people investigating the effects of oil spills on the environment and public health.

October 20, 2015                                                                    GoMRI eNews

Stories

Why Grad Student Martinec Digs the Seafloor

Ceil Martinec picks microscopic creatures out of mud collected from deep in the Gulf of Mexico. She is looking for possible lingering effects of the 2010 oil spill on sediment-dwelling animals and making some exciting discoveries along the way.

Studies Identify Oil Spill Effects in Deep Sea Fish

Two studies show that some demersal fishes living in waters likely contaminated by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill exhibited elevated hydrocarbon concentrations and experienced shifts in diet and trophic level.

Study Suggests Biodegradation Strongly Influences Oil Spill Transport Predictions

Scientists simulated twenty subsurface spill scenarios, using data reflective of the Deepwater Horizon spill, and found large differences in transport predictions when model parameters included bacterial consumption (biodegradation) of oil droplets.

Grad Student Deb Adhikary Sees How Burrowing Shrimp Help Microbes Deal with Oil

Nihar Deb Adhikary uses his veterinary training and microbiology research to better understand the connections between oil fate, microbial degradation, and sediment-dwelling organisms such as shrimp and clams.

From the Archives

Mesocosm Experiments Look at Oil Spills from the Bottom Up

Posted on October 16, 2014
Scientists have simulated a variety of deep-sea oil spill conditions in miniature via a pair of mesocosms, an approach that bridges traditional laboratory and in situ observations.

“Bob the Drifter” Shares Ocean Transport Science in Fun, Innovative Video

Posted on October 25, 2013
Science that is understandable is science that is used.

Publications
Study Suggests a Molecular Fingerprint for Tracking Dispersed Oil 
Biodegradation of crude oil and the influence of dispersant in deep sea water from the Gulf of Mexico: Insights from ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry. Seidel, S.; Kleindienst, S.; Dittmar, T.; Joye, S.B.; Medeiros, P.M. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2015.05.012
 
 
Study Examines Petroleum-Derived Carbon in Coastal Fish and Invertebrates
Tracing the intrusion of fossil carbon into coastal Louisiana macrofauna using natural 14C and 13C abundances. Wilson, R. M.; Cherrier, J.; Sarkodee-Adoo, J.; Bosman, S.; Mickle, A.; Chanton, J.P. Deep Sea Research Part II:  Topical Studies in Oceanography, doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2015.05.014.

Announcements
Updates 2016 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference
  • Early Registration Closes Nov 15, 2015. Register now and save $100.
 
Scientists will share their work to answer questions about seafood testing, how fish and animals break down oil and contaminants, and how scientists monitor seafood safety. The seminar will be held on Nov 18, 2015, from 9AM - 3PM at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Campus in Long Beach, MS. Click here to register. Click here to listen online.

Project Activities
CARTHE Unveil First of New Biodegradable, Cost-Effective Drifters
Two years of design have resulted in the consortium’s newest drifter model: a light-weight, low-cost, and eco-friendly surface drifter. Researchers Cedric Guigand and Guillaume Novelli show off the first production-grade drifter in this photo.
 
Meet C-IMAGE’s “Icy” Student of the Month
September’s featured student is Nuttapol “Ice” Noirungsee, a Ph.D. student at Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg, who studies the biodegradation of methane and methane-oil mixtures. Check out the article to find out more about him, his research, and the theories behind his nickname!
 
CRGC Connects with Coastal Community Leaders
Members met with fishermen and stakeholders from Bayou la Batre, a coastal Alabama community that is also a large regional seafood producer. They discussed how the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has impacted the seafood industry, local economy, and the local workforce.
 
CONCORDE Conducts Sonar Equipment Testing
Dr. Ian Church and graduate students Lauren Quas and Maxwell Williamson conducted a test survey late last month to evaluate data collection procedures, equipment settings, and processing steps for CONCORDE’s upcoming cruise aboard Point Sur. You can view their findings here!
 
Get to Know CWC Biologist Suzanne Fredericq
Fredericq is a University of Louisiana at Lafayette biology professor whose GoMRI research examines pre- and post-spill macroalgae genetics to better understand rubble/rhodolith habitats in the Gulf of Mexico’s deep outer shelf banks. Read her Scientist Spotlight to learn more about her!
 
ADDOMEx Photo Depicts Mesocosm Aggregate
The aggregate is one of several aggregations researchers observed in oil- and dispersant-treated mesocosms at the consortium’s most recent experimentation meeting.
 
DEEPEND Releases Photos and Report for First Cruise
The survey was part of an effort to compile a quantitative, taxonomically comprehensive assessment of deep-pelagic assemblages near the Deepwater Horizon spill site, including the spill’s long-term impacts. Check out the cruise report, cruise track, and photo gallery to learn more about this research!
 
ECOGIG Sponsors Documentary Screenings
The consortium backed two showings of Racing Extinction, which follows artists and activists as they expose the issues of endangered species and mass extinction. The screenings were followed by a question-and-answer session with researcher Samantha Joye and film producer Olivia Ahnemann.