The Deepwater Horizon rig explosion on April 20, 2010 affected several habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. However, the impact of the oil spill cannot be fully calculated, and time will reveal how the Gulf reacts to the accident. For the Gulf to recover, the coastal and marine ecosystems have to find balance once again, and the only way to do that is for elements of each ecosystem to help with the repairs.
Coastal ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, coral reefs, oyster beds and other environments, provide shelter for different types of organisms and animals, such as birds and crabs. Seagrass beds located in shallow water provide food for manatees and turtles. Sargassum seas are floating seaweeds that provide nurseries and habitats for hundreds of species. All of these components have inherent abilities to deal with pollutants and wastes and convert them into useful resources, such as food and shelter.
Marine ecosystems include the diverse environments that exist in the three main layers or zones of water. The sunlit epilagic zone is the upper level, where plankton produce oxygen during photosynthesis and nourish many fish, crustaceans, and mammals. In the mesopelagic zone beginning at 50 feet. Below sea level, the coral reef provides refuge for different species of fish. These fish are essential to the rest of the food chain that lives up to about 650 feet. below sea level. Cold seep subsists on chemicals that ooze from the seafloor into the next layer, the bathypelagic zone. Caridean shrimp, mussels and octopuses live by cold seep and mix with other animals capable of surviving in conditions of extreme cold and pressure, with virtually no light.
Toxins from the oil spill have spread through all three layers, altering the microfauna essential to the well-being of the Gulf. Additionally, heavier petroleum compounds can mix with other floating sediments and form tar balls that can float ashore or sink to the ocean floor. Although there have been various attempts to clean up the oil and thus reduce disturbance in the Gulf, many people wonder if these in themselves pose a threat to marine life.
Perhaps the best policy in the Gulf would be to develop security standards for all businesses to follow, as well as create security posts to enforce the standards. Coastal security guards could monitor the different platforms and wells not only physically but also remotely with the use of technology. Professionals hired for these security jobs could work in conjunction with the Coast Guard and develop a security network with a broader range of resources and experience. In a sense, we could complement the ecosystems of the Gulf, creating better living conditions not only for humans but also for all marine life.
