Hobbies And Interests
Immediatley Upon Entering the Sea
Oil floats on water so when oil enters the ocean it spreads out on the surface of the ocean. If enough oil is spilled at once, a cohesive oil slick may form. In the case of rough seas, however, slicks are usually broken up. Water currents, waves and wind move the oil until the oil either decomposes or hits a shore line, resulting in disastrous consequences.
Long-Term Outlook
Oil can change while on the sea over the long-term. A small percentage of the oil will sink after getting stuck to small ocean particles. Most of the oil weathers and disintegrates by photolysis and bio-degradation. Photolysis is the process of disintegration by sunlight and bio-degradation is disintegration by microorganisms. The rate at which oil disintegrates depends on levels of oxygen, nutrients and microorganisms as well as the air and water temperature. The rest of the oil will eventually reach shore.
Damage to Wildlife
Oil is damaging to wildlife species and can have serious long-term ecological effects. The immediate effects to wildlife are the potential for contamination of fish stock and the potential for mass mortality due to oil's toxicity. Oil is also extremely destructive when it reaches shore. It can cover birds, preventing them from flying as well as destroy various types of eggs and coastal animals. This destruction can disrupt the food chain and quickly spiral cause colateral damage to other species.
Cleanup and Recovery
Oil cleanup methods will depend on where the oil is located. If the oil is in the ocean, crews will skim the oil from the surface using large boat skimmers. If the oil has reached shore or swamp land, cleanup crews will have a more extensive job on their hands. In some cases, they will need to remove all contaminated wildlife and manually wash off the oil. They will also sometimes need to remove the top layer of contaminated dirt, sand or earth for proper disposal.