The Effects of Oil in a Swamp

Standing Water

• Oil will pool in standing water and it can remain in place for extended periods of time, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This means that the flora and fauna which inhabit the swamp can all be affected, in varying degrees. Habitat damage from an oil spill can change feeding, mating, nesting and migration habits in many animals. The oil can kill plants as well as animals whose bodies become coated with it. Birds and mammals that try to clean themselves may that ingest the oil and suffer toxic effects.

Ecosystem Damage

• A big oil spill affects not just isolated species of plants and animals. The entire ecosystem of the swamp may be damaged. If the oil negatively affects the population of algae, marsh grasses, other plants and organisms at the bottom of the food chain, other animals that depend on them for food will also suffer. Insects, fish, shellfish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals all suffer from oil deposits in a swamp.

Oil Toxicity

• If crude oil has been exposed to the sun long enough for its more volatile and toxic constituents to evaporate before entering a swamp, the damage may not be as severe. The swamp may recover more quickly, according to Newsweek. However, the heavier fractions of oil can remain for years. Researchers have observed that plants tend to escape damage if the oil does not come into direct contact with them. Survival of their roots is essential for plants like mangroves and marsh grasses.

Long Term Effects

• Oil that seeps into the swamp bottom can persist for years after it disappears from the surface of the water, according to the National Wildlife Federation. This can lower plant and animal populations for an indefinite period of time. This in turn can seriously damage the livelihood of people who depend on a healthy natural environment, from fishermen and shrimpers to those who work in tourism, not to mention an economy that depends on their tax dollars.