Effects of the 1991 oil spill on the supratidal fringe

Wolfgang Schneider & Ragnar Kinzelbach

A b s t r a c t: The upper littoral fringe is the section of the intertidal that was most severely affected by the 1991 oil spill; it is covered by a continuous layer of tar and oiled sediments. Regular visits at 10 permanent transect lines and other localities within the study area revealed that the strandline lost most of its characteristic biota; in spring 1993 there was still no sign of recovery, except on the steep exposed beaches of Abu Ali Island. The strandline communities of non-oiled control sites were studied and major ecological successions and their key/indicator species identified for future monitoring. Recovery of oiled strandlines can only be expected after habitat restoration by artificial cleaning.

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