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A drift experiment to assess the influence of wind on recovery of oiled seabirds on St. Paul Island, Alaska
Flint, P.L.; Fowler, A.C. (1998). A drift experiment to assess the influence of wind on recovery of oiled seabirds on St. Paul Island, Alaska. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 36(2): 165-166
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more
Peer reviewed article  
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Keywords
    Aquatic organisms > Marine organisms > Aquatic birds > Marine birds
    Stranding
    Marine/Coastal
Authors  Top 
  • Flint, P.L.
  • Fowler, A.C.
Abstract
    We used wooden blocks to estimate the proportion of oiled seabird carcasses that were likely to be recovered on beaches of St Paul Island, Alaska following a near-shore oil spill. We released a total of 302 blocks 6 km north of the island in 1997 at the site of a 17 II 1996 oil spill. We used a paired design and released half the blocks when the winds were onshore and released the second half when the winds were offshore. We systematically searched beaches after the second release to recover blocks. We recovered 93 of 152 (61%) blocks released when winds were onshore but only 1 of 150 (0.7%) blocks released when winds were offshore. Given that winds following the 1996 spill were offshore, we conclude that most birds killed at sea following the 1996 spill were likely not recovered on beaches.
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