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The impact of the “Erika” oil spill on pelagic and coastal marine mammals: Combining demographic, ecological, trace metals and biomarker evidences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 October 2004

Vincent Ridoux ,
Lionel Lafontaine ,
Paco Bustamante ,
Florence Caurant ,
Willy Dabin ,
Cécile Delcroix ,
Sami Hassani ,
Laureline Meynier ,
Vasco Pereira da Silva  and
Sylvie Simonin
...Show all authors
Vincent Ridoux
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biologie et Environnement marins, F.R.E. 2727, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France Centre de Recherche sur les Mammifères marins, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France
Lionel Lafontaine
Affiliation:
Réseau S.O.S. Loutres / GMB, Maison de la Rivière, 29450 Sizun, France
Paco Bustamante
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biologie et Environnement marins, F.R.E. 2727, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France
Florence Caurant
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biologie et Environnement marins, F.R.E. 2727, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France
Willy Dabin
Affiliation:
Centre de Recherche sur les Mammifères marins, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France
Cécile Delcroix
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biologie et Environnement marins, F.R.E. 2727, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France Centre de Recherche sur les Mammifères marins, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France
Sami Hassani
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Études des Mammifères Marins, Océanopolis, BP 411, 29275 Brest Cedex, France
Laureline Meynier
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biologie et Environnement marins, F.R.E. 2727, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France Centre de Recherche sur les Mammifères marins, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France
Vasco Pereira da Silva
Affiliation:
Centre Français des Porphyrines, INSERM U 409, CHU L. Mourier, 92701 Colombe, France
Sylvie Simonin
Affiliation:
Centre Français des Porphyrines, INSERM U 409, CHU L. Mourier, 92701 Colombe, France
Michel Robert
Affiliation:
Centre Commun d'Analyses, Université de La Rochelle, Perspective de l'Océan, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France
Jérôme Spitz
Affiliation:
Centre de Recherche sur les Mammifères marins, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France
Olivier Van Canneyt
Affiliation:
Centre de Recherche sur les Mammifères marins, Université de La Rochelle, Avenue du Lazaret, 17071 La Rochelle Cedex 09, France
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Abstract

Oil spills can have direct effects on organisms (mortality or morbidity), indirect effects (through alteration of lower trophic levels) or be associated to exposure to trace elements contained in oil (markers). An effect of the “Erika” oil spill was investigated by spatio-temporally comparing mortality, population structures, diets and concentrations of vanadium, nickel and porphyrines in small delphinids, seals and otters from the French Atlantic coasts. These species might differ in their vulnerability to oil. Changes in mortality and its demographic structures were within previously observed ranges. The diet of the common dolphin showed an extended period of high inter-individual variability in the year 2000. Vanadium concentrations in delphinids were chronically high, but did not increase significantly after the oil spill. Porphyrins concentrations in seals and otters were low suggesting a limited exposure to contaminants, but the ratio between proto- and copro-porphyrins in otter spraints from oiled vs. unoiled sites varied significantly. No measurable effect of the “Erika” oil spill was found in dolphins and seals.

Keywords

Oil spillDelphinus delphisHalichoerus grypusLutra lutraMortalityVanadiumPorphyrinsBay of Biscay
Type
Research Article
Information
Aquatic Living Resources , Volume 17 , Issue 3: The "Erika" Oil Spill: Environmental Contamination and Effects in the Bay of Biscay , July 2004 , pp. 379 - 387
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD, 2004

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