Effects of chronic oil pollution on a Caribbean coral reef

Sublethal effects of oil pollution on coral reefs may not become manifest except over very long periods of time. Uniform reefs with an Acropora palmata belt (2 m depth) and a Montastrea annularis community (4 m depth) were originally present along the coast near an oil refinery that has been in operation for more than 60 years in Aruba. Quantitative surveys of reef structure, coral cover, and numbers of juvenile corals along 15 km of the coast showed these reef characteristics to vary significantly in relation to the location of the refinery and the very persistent local current direction. The spatial structure of the reef has deteriorated, living coral cover is low, and less juveniles are present in front and downcurrent of the refinery. Some coral species, such as A. palmata and M. annularis, show a large gap in their distribution along the coast but a species such as Diploria strigosa is relatively abundant in the polluted area. The results of chronic oil pollution (such as spills, clean-ups, etc.) are, after 60 years, clearly discernible over a distance of 10 to 15 km along the reef.     

基于粗糙集的低阻油层灰色评价

在进行低阻油层识别的过程中,影响判别的测井参数众多,存在大量的冗余信息,从而影响判别的精度和速度.而常规的识别方法又不能有效地识别低阻油层,为此,本文提出了将粗糙集(RS)理论与灰色系统理论相结合的方法进行信息优化,并应用于低阻油层的识别.在剖析粗糙集理论和灰色关联方法的基础上,提出了基于粗糙集的低阻油层灰色识别过程.首先选取反映该类油层特征的识别参数,然后采用粗集理论的属性重要性方法,对这些判别参数进行约简,剔除冗余信息,再将约简后的参数作为低阻油层的最终评价标准,输入灰色系统,最后利用灰色关联法对低阻油层进行识别.通过对某油田18口有测试资料的井进行了实证研究.研究结果表明:粗集理论的属性重要性方法可以有效地约简判别参数,将约简后的参数作为灰色系统的初始值对研究区低阻油层进行识别,通过降维大大提高了判别的运算速度,处理了原来被解释为水层和油水层而实际上是低阻油层的井段,与测试结果相比,识别的准确率达到97%.     

Compensation for oil pollution damage caused by oil spills from ships and the international oil pollution compensation fund

Liability and compensation for pollution damage caused by oil spills from laden tankers is governed by two international conventions: the 1969 Civil Liability Convention and the 1971 Fund Convention. The Civil Liability Convention established a system of strict liability for tanker owners and introduced compulsory liability insurance. The Fund Convention created a system of supplementary compensation administered by an intergovernmental organization, the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPC Fund), which at present has 56 member states (August 1993). The IOPC Fund pays compensation to victims of oil pollution in member states when the compensation from the shipowner and his insurer is insufficient. Over the years (up to August 1993), the IOPC Fund has been involved in 66 incidents and has paid US$92 million to victims. Only three of these incidents have been taken to court, whereas in all other cases claims have been settled out of court. The IOPC Fund has developed a policy on the admissibility of claims covering clean-up costs, measures to prevent pollution, damage to property and economic loss suffered by fishermen, hotel-owners and others who depend directly for their livelihood on sea-related activities.     

Effects of chronic oil pollution from refinery effluent on sediment microflora in a Danish coastal area

Kalundborg Fjord is a Danish marine area which has been heavily oil polluted by refinery effluent, leading to accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the surface sediments. A study of the occurrence in the sediment of heterotrophic bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi has been carried out, and the physiological composition of the microbial community has been recorded. Though the abundance of oil-degrading microorganisms was significant, a correlation between the number of these and the oil content of the sediment could not be demonstrated.     

Macoma balthica: An indicator of oil pollution

The intertidal bivalve mollusc Macoma balthica shows potential as an indicator of oil pollution. In experiments designed to simulate stranding of an oil slick on a mudflat, a significant increase in mortality of this species was found to accompany increasing concentration of petroleum in sediment and increasing duration of exposure.     

Concentrations of Scottish seabirds vulnerable to oil pollution

The diving birds most vulnerable to oil pollution normally appear to concentrate in areas of tidal mixing indicated by the development of cooler surface water temperatures offshore. This is not always a reliable guide to their location because they move about with the weather, however, and a survey needs to be made at the time of each incident. The most hazardous situation occurs when sustained onshore winds drift first the birds and then the oil against the coast.     

The effect of oil pollution in Bantry Bay

The biological damage caused by the large oil spill in Bantry Bay and the clean-up measures adopted to deal with it (already reported in the Marine Pollution Bulletin) has been followed up in the months following the oil spill. This report refers to damage to algae and lichens.