Oil Spill Research at Center for Coastal Plant Research (CPR)

In response to the unprecedented amount of oil released into the Gulf of Mexico marine waters during 2010, we initiated two research projects to investigate the impacts and recovery of coastal marsh habitats in Mississippi. 

1. NGI (Northern Gulf Institute) funded sampling in fall 2010 of oil concentrations in sediments, plants, and marsh obligate animals.

2. NSF (National Science Foundation) Rapid grant funded sampling of plant recover post-oiling through spring of 2012.

This research began in fall 2010, after funds were made available, and continued through to the spring of 2012. It was difficult to obtain information on the precise locations of oil-impacted marsh habitats because of the general lack of communication by the responsible agencies to personnel that were NOT involved in the oil spill response and clean-up activities. As a team of research scientists, it was important for us to remain independent of these efforts to avoid the potential for any conflicts of interest.

Salt marsh habitats in Mississippi were not affected over large areas by oil, but some locations experienced heavy oiling impacts at the local scale. Recovery of the oiled marsh plants was found to be rapid, and modeling of the photosynthesis responses suggests complete recovery of this important process by 140 days post-oiling at the heavily impacted site.