The Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine and Terrestrial...

Buy custom Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine and Terrestrial Ecosystems essay In this paper am going to examine the factors contributing to oil spills, and their effects on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. This addition of phytoplankton leads to depletion of oxygen levels in water, making it hard for survival of animal and plant population in the water. These oil spills do not only affect the marine system but also the chronic urban contamination and the economic loss. The oil spill has total effect on marine life despite the distance from the oil spill. The closer the oil spill is to the shoreline, the more damage it causes. The effects are also felt toward the offshore and the coastal environment. Oil spill is an accidental or†¦show more content†¦The intoxication damages the kidney and lowers the ability to produce red blood cells in polar bears. Whales are rarely affected by oil spills as they are always on migration. Baleen whales are the only whales affected as oil stick to the whales when they are filtering their feed. They take a large amount of water in order to select their catch. A dolphin is a smooth-skinned and hairless mammal. Therefore, there is less possibility of oil sticking to their skins. In this case, the dolphins are affected by the inhalation of oil vapor. The inhalation damages the dolphins’ airways and lungs. The other minor effect is the dolphins’ eyesight and unending stress. Manatees and dugong are found in areas with warm waters; also depend on a layer of blubber for insulation. Their effect by oil spills is similar to that of the dolphins. Oil spills damages the turtle airways when they surface on top of water contaminated by oil slick. Their feed is affected also affected by oil spills and thus poisons the turtles. The areas that the turtles nest in the beaches are sandy. Oil contamination on the nesting sites leads to contamination of the eggs inhibiting proper development. Fish, one of the largest populations in the marine life ingest oil through their gills. This ingestion often leads to enlargement of the liver and reproduction capacity. In the Gulf of Mexico, there is an alarming rate at which the fish are dying due to theShow MoreRelatedHuman Health Risks And Socio Economic Problems Associated With Petroleum Exploration And Production Activities Essay1315 Words   |  6 Pages2.2.4 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, HUMAN HEALTH RISKS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES Petroleum E P Activities are characterized by all forms of environmental impacts at different levels of its operations ranging from exploration, development and production, transportation and distribution, marketing, decommissioning and rehabilitation. 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