CASE STUDY-EXXON VALDEZ (24th march 1989) Flashcards
1
Q
when did it happen?
A
24th march 1989
start of migratory season for birds
2
Q
how many oil barrels?
A
near 250,000
3
Q
how much oil was recovered?
A
<5%
4
Q
covered how many metres of coastline?
A
1700km
5
Q
how many dead birds?
A
35,000
6
Q
how many birds were killed in the gulf of Alaska (percentage)?
A
90%
7
Q
how has the damage been erased?
A
biodegration was used to clean up beaches using 104,000 lbs of nitrogen fertiliser- but slow process due to temperature
8
Q
how many years may it take to recover?
A
20-70 years
9
Q
why was it so damaging to the ecosystem?
A
- oil can remain in the ecosystem for over 20 years
- great impact on slow growing species and poor tundra vegetation
- affects food chains as loss of biodiversity
