Project Information

Title: Oil Exposure Biomarkers and Population Trends of PWS Marine Vertebrates 040774

Project Year and Number: 2004: 040774

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: None

Principal Investigator (PI): Brenda Ballachey (DOI )

Managing Agency: USGS

Assisting Personnel: Jim Bodkin, David Irons

Research Location: Prince William Sound

Restoration Category: Research

Injured Resources Addressed: Black Oystercatchers, Harlequin Ducks, Pigeon Guillemot, Sea Otters

Abstract: Some of the strongest evidence of continuing effects of lingering oil from the Exxon Valdez oil spill comes from long term monitoring of vertebrate populations and their exposure to hydrocarbons. Population recovery of sea otters remained incomplete as of 2002, and individual sea otters continue to exhibit elevated levels of the Cytochrome P450 1A biomarker in areas where lingering oil deposits are most prominent. Surveys of population size and individual P450 measures of sea otters and marine birds will provide continuing information on population trend and individual exposure to lingering oil.


Proposal: View (1,118 KB)

Reports:
Annual Report FY04: View (27 KB)
Final Report: Not available. For current status, please contact us.

Publications from this Project: None Available