MICROBIAL RESPONSES AFTER TWO EXPERIMENTAL OIL SPILLS IN AN EASTERN COASTAL PLAIN ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEM

摘要: ABSTRACT Three large transite-sided enclosures, constructed in a tidal salt marsh southeastern Virginia, were utilized to evaluate the effects of crude oil spillage on selected microbial populations. Unweathered Louisiana was spilled one enclosure, artificially weathered South another, and third served as control. Each enclosure so allow unhampered exchange with flow creek side. Heterotrophic bacteria fungi, chitinolytic, cellulytic petroleum-degrading bacterial populations from creek, sediments intertidal, mid- back-marsh zones enumerated at intervals following spills. Dominant heterotrophic isolates for taxonomic grouping. Within several days spills, levels rose by orders magnitude relative control enclosure. This differential has been maintained approxim...