Vanessa Parks compiles and analyzes data on Gulf Coast communities that explores how the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affected mental and physical health and how social factors contributed to post-disaster health outcomes.
Scientists developed and validated a high-resolution mass spectrometry method to fill data gaps in existing methods that detect the surfactant DOSS, a significant Corexit component, in sediments near the Deepwater Horizon spill site.
The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is pleased to announce that a new state-of-the-art scientific research vessel has been named in honor of Research Board member William “Bill” T. Hogarth. The R/V W.T Hogarth will support the research of over two dozen institutions and agencies across Florida and will be used for refined bottom mapping, metal tracing, surveying, collecting samples, and more.
The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is pleased to announce a new Sea Grant informational brochure just in time for the summer boating season. The one-page guide gives boaters information on how to prepare for, respond to, and report an accidental oil or fuel spill on their vessels.
Scientists analyzed the carbon composition in Seaside Sparrow tissues to learn if oil from the 2010 spill was incorporated into the terrestrial food web. The researchers found reduced radiocarbon and stable carbon concentration levels in the feathers of birds captured at oiled sites compared with birds from non-oiled sites, which is consistent with a fossil oil source.
Sakib Mahmud tests combinations of passive acoustic monitoring equipment to find the best method to detect and measure marine mammal populations affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. His findings will help improve our understanding of long-term environmental impacts of the spill on deep-diving marine mammals and aid in improving oil spill regulations, monitoring, and mitigation efforts.
Recently, researchers and outreach staff from Consortia funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) participated in a variety of events to share science related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Here’s a picture tour that shows teams helping the public learn more about Gulf of Mexico research.
Marine oil snow is the largest commuter of carbon to the seafloor and occurs when oil and marine particles aggregate and sink through the water column. Previous studies show that oil and dispersant significantly increased marine microorganisms’ production of exopolymeric substances (EPS), an extremely sticky goo that holds marine snow together. Maya Morales-McDevitt conducts mesocosm experiments investigating how certain naturally occurring nutrients influence EPS production and oil degradation.
The Smithsonian recently published an article about research, funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI), that investigates oil spill impacts on different life stages of mahi mahi. Highlights include what is involved in conducting this cutting-edge research, what is being discovered about mahi mahi that is not oil-spill related, and the multiple scientific perspectives that help develop a comprehensive understanding of these important fish.
Spring 2017 – Note from the Research Board Chair – JUNE 8, 2017 (From Spring 2017 Newsletter) Dr. Rita Colwell, University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University April 20, 2017 marked the seventh anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Over the seven years since the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) was launched, extensive…