Aspects of fouling on offshore oil platforms in  Louisiana shelf in the relations to environmental impact

Abstract

From Summary and Conclusions: “1. High standing stock and density of fouling on submerged oil platform structures offer feeding grounds for grazing fishes. Therefore, the oil platforms play a comparable ecological role with artificial reefs. 2. The Spring Flood in 1973 induced invasion of shore fouling species into nearshore an offshore platforms and significantly enhanced the total standing stock of fouling community. 3. Comparison of climax community of fouling growth in the same EXXON platforms today as opposed to twenty years ago revealed faunal changes in association with environmental (meteorological) events of ecological consequence. This points out the dynamic nature of the ecosystem. 4. Trends in both horizontal (distance form shore) and vertical (depth-related) variations in biomass an density distribution of fouling community are see. 5. The fouling on Louisiana oil platforms differs from known offshore fouling from the Florida coast, primarily due to hydrological reasons.”