Researchers Quigg et al. have published a study in Marine Pollution Bulletin summarizing their research on phytoplankton in the Gulf of Mexico, and how these communities were affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The study sought to bring together new insights into the influence of oil and dispersant on phytoplankton, and to make recommendations to curtail negative impacts from future events.
Quigg et al. used the FlowCam to collect size and morphological data on a variety of species, including the HAB species Karenia brevis (pictured above), in order to compare statistics over time.
A. Quigg, M. Parons, S. Bargu, K. Ozhan, K.L. Daly, S. Chakraborty, M. Kamalanathan, D. Erdner, S. Cosgrove, E. Buskey. “Marine phytoplankton responses to oil and dispersant exposures: Knowledge gained since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.” Marine Pollution Bulletin, March 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112074.