The Hazam Et All Paper

Question 1

What was the research question?

Answer 1

To what extent did the deepwater horizon spill overlap with predicted spawning habitat of Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico, and what are the implications of that?

Question 2

Hypothesis

Answer 2

• there is overlap with the spawning areas of Atlantic bluefin tuna
• could pose a risk to multiple life stages of the tuna

Question 3

How did they set up this study?

Answer 3

• tracked the tuna over the course of 17 years in the Gulf of Mexico
• predicted adult habitat and spawning likilood based on enviromental variables
• compared their predictions with satellite derived oil converage

Question 4

Some limitations?

Answer 4

Oil below the surface was not included in the analysis
Direct physiological affect on the tuna where not measured, spawning behavior was inferred from movement patterns

Question 5

Follow up question?

Answer 5

Did the oil spill affect the number of bluefin tuna born in 2010?

Question 6

Info the paper gives about Atlantic bluefin tuna

Answer 6

Highly migratory, spawn in warm subtropical waters
Bluefin eggs and larvae are especially vulnerable to toxic effects from crude oil

Question 7

Main findings

Answer 7

• during the peak of the spill, about 5% of the spawning habitat was covered by oil
• coincided with spawning season
• spawning behaviors was concentrated in specific zones with warm water, low sea surface height, and near full moons
  The cummalitve risk was significant