Effect of the Hebei Spirit oil spill on intertidal meiofaunal communities in Taean, Korea.
In December 2007, approximately 10,900tons of oil from a crude carrier spread rapidly onto the coast of South Korea. We studied the effects of oil on meiofauna by comparing two contaminated intertidal sites with an uncontaminated site. During 2008-2009, the density of meiofauna fluctuated among the contaminated sites but did not vary by season. Seasonal changes in density were observed at contaminated sites 3years after the oil accident. Meiofauna appeared to be more sensitive to oil pollution stress at the more heavily contaminated site than at the less contaminated site. CLUSTER analysis showed that meiofauna communities in the 3years immediately following the accident significantly differed from those sampled later. A non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis showed that nematode species composition in the first month after the accident significantly differed from those sampled later. Long-term monitoring is needed to assess the effects of oil on the meiofaunal community.
Marine Ecosystem and Biological Research Center, KIOST, Ansan, P.O. Box 29, Seoul 425-600, Republic of Korea; Department of Oceanography, College of Natural Science, Inha University, Incheon 402-751, Republic of Korea.
Teawook
T
Kang
Marine Ecosystem and Biological Research Center, KIOST, Ansan, P.O. Box 29, Seoul 425-600, Republic of Korea.
Je Hyeok
JH
Oh
Department of Oceanography, College of Natural Science, Inha University, Incheon 402-751, Republic of Korea.
Jae-Sang
JS
Hong
Marine Ecosystem and Biological Research Center, KIOST, Ansan, P.O. Box 29, Seoul 425-600, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dskim@kiost.ac.kr.
Dongsung
D
Kim
D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D009348:Nematoda / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012621:Seasons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Hebei Spirit; Intertidal; Meiofauna; Nematodes; Oil spill; Species assemblages