Problems for biodiversity analysis in Gulf of Mexico

[Staff]

Problems for biodiversity analysis in Gulf of Mexico
August 5, 5:40 AM
Birmingham Science News ExaminerPaul Hamaker

Problems for biodiversity analysis in Gulf of Mexico - Birmingham science news | Examiner.com
excerpt from above:

"An Overview of Marine Biodiversity in United States Waters" published at the Public Library of Science on August 3 2010 indicates that the impact of the BP oil spill on biodiversity in the Gulf of Mexico may never be accurately accessed.

This analysis was done months prior to the BP oil spill.
The Gulf of Mexico has a greater fund of biodiversity information because of federally mandated programs as a result of offshore drilling the report concludes that manmade threats to biodiversity prior to the oil spill were just as significant and long lasting in effect.

"Another point of consensus among the sections is the inventory of threats to marine biodiversity. Indeed, most threats identified for the U.S. are true for the entire world. Foremost is overexploitation of living resources...

[Staff]

Mass Fish Kill In Fourchon, Louisiana Provides Insight, But Presents More Questions Regarding The Gulf Oil Spill
08/05/2010

http://birding.typepad.com/gulf/2010/08/yesterday-in-port-fourchon-louisiana-i-came-upon-an-amazing-scene-thousands-of-birds-mostly-gulls-were-engaged-in-a-feedi.html
excerpt from above:

Yesterday in Port Fourchon, Louisiana I came upon an amazing scene. Thousands of birds, mostly Gulls, were engaged in a feeding frenzy in a small saltwater bay. At first I couldn't tell what they were eating, but then discovered that they were mostly feeding on American Eels between 6-12 inches in length. It is not a common sight to see Laughing Gulls be able to pluck living fish from the water's surface with such ease and success, so I was a little perplexed. It afforded a great opportunity to observe a large portion of the Fourchon area avifauna, and get an idea as to the level of oiling of the birds present at the feast. Overall, the birds looked pretty good, and just a few out of the 600 plus Laughing Gulls were obviously oiled, and the same went for the Snowy Egrets and other birds present.

When I was driving away i noticed some creamy white things floating in the water, which, while wheeling down the highway looked mostly like frothy foam. I pulled over in the breakdown lane, and through the binoculars could see that they were actually the white bellies of thousands of dead fish floating everywhere, which started to explain the success of the Gulls. The fish were dying, and it was making it easier for the birds to catch them, but why were they dying...