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- Title
Applying Ecological Risk Assessment to Environmental Accidents: Harlequin Ducks and the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.
- Authors
Wiens, John A.
- Abstract
Ecological risk assessment is a systematic way to evaluate the likelihood that an environmental accident has caused significant ecological consequences. I apply this framework retrospectively to evaluate a scenario linking the Exxon Valdez oil spill to population effects on harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) through hydrocarbon contamination of mussels in spill-affected shorelines of Prince William Sound, Alaska. By evaluating the plausibility of each step of this scenario in turn, it becomes apparent that it is highly unlikely the oil spill is having continuing effects on harlequins through this pathway. This case study shows how ecological risk assessment can help clarify potential cause-effect relationships in an emotionally and socially charged situation.
- Subjects
PRINCE William Sound (Alaska); ALASKA; ECOLOGICAL risk assessment; EXXON Valdez Oil Spill, Alaska, 1989; OIL spills &; the environment; HARLEQUIN duck; BIRD populations; HYDROCARBONS; WATER pollution; MUSSELS; EXXON Valdez (Ship)
- Publication
BioScience, 2007, Vol 57, Issue 9, p769
- ISSN
0006-3568
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1641/B570909