Well, then. Allow me to retort...

There have been quite a few interesting theories about what's behind the oilcano, many of them involving some sort of sinister plot on the part of environmentalists and socialists to destroy the American way of life by deliberately sabotaging the Deep Horizon rig in order to turn the tide of public opinion against "big oil." Honestly, those don't really even deserve a response.

What does deserve a response however, is the comments I have received along the lines of "you worry too much," or "this damage is going to be light." One person even said that since oil is a product of the earth, there is actually no need for concern at all. I'll keep that in mind as I make my lunch. Care to join me in a nightshade salad? I make mine with extra arsenic dressing. Hey, it's all natural, so it can't be harmful.

Okay, all smartassitude aside. As I am fond of saying, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, they are not entitled to their own facts. Insisting that the fire will not burn you as you put your hand in the fire will not keep it from being burned. That's not a matter of opinion, it's just a fact. The damage caused by an oil spill on an ecosystem is well documented, well researched and proven. It doesn't matter that you don't like the answer, the answer is still the same.

Petroleum products (crude, refined, weathered or fresh) released into an environment cause massive, long term damage to quite literally everything it comes in contact with. There is a great deal empirical data and research to prove this fact. Obviously I cannot go into the extensive detail of every single study, so I'll hit the highlights. I invite you to do your own research if you are so inclined.  

Effects of Oil on Wildlife
To an oiled animal, there are myriad short and long term damages incurred. The precise mechanism of injury and/or fatality varies by species. I will break it down from the smallest to largest of animals in the trophic level in hopes that you might be able to understand why this is  a big deal, and we should all be worried.  Anyone thinking this is a short term problem that will not directly affect them is quite simply ignorant. Here's why. 


Zooplankton/phytoplankton:
In the case of zooplankton, death. Why should we care about a bunch of tiny critters we can't even see? How about the fact (notice how I slip that pesky F word in there) that zooplankton is a major food source of many of the other animals of the sea either directly and indirectly. A loss of this food source will result in mass starvation, spreading all throughout the food web and going all the way to the tippy top of the apex predator (including human beings). Phytoplankton has been shown to increase photosynthesis rate and algal blooms (#13 of dictionary.com definition, found here) result. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) can cause problems ranging from pushing other species out due to sheer biomass to forming a toxic soup of ick. (that's the scientific terminology, of course). When animals eat contaminated algae or other organisms affected by this algae, the toxin builds up in their tissues and is passed on to the next animal that eats them. In addition, HAB molecules are very stable and are not broken down when cooked or preserved. Additionally, many toxins have a cumulative effect, ensuring the largest doses go into the system of the apex predator (again, that includes us). Who's for grouper tonight? Source

Fishes:
Some fish avoid oil, while others are attracted to it and may actually feed upon it. Depending on where a spill is located in relation to nesting grounds, fish eggs and fish fry (fish babies, not church socials) can be wiped out in a single spill. Once again, the animals (including humans) feeding upon them have lost another food source.Adult fishes suffer any combination of effects, from loss of fertility to death by asphyxiation.

Now we move on to those heartbreaking images that many now associate with oil spills. The charismatic megafauna.


Birds:
Individual: 

• Hypothermia. The bird loses there ability to retain heat and will freeze to death even on a hot summer day. This is the number one cause of mortality.
• Predation: Because it cannot fly and becomes obsessed with preening, it is easy prey for predators
• Starvation/dehydration: Due to obsessive preening, the bird stops foraging/hunting for food and simply starves to death. Additionally the metabolism is increased in an attempt to keep the body warm, so the rate of starvation/dehydration is increased.
• Drowning due to loss of buoyancy of oil coated feathers.
• Internal damage: While preening, birds accidentally ingest oil. This causes ulceration of the digestive system. While not immediately fatal, an untreated bird can bleed to death internally, starve, or a combination of the two. However, most birds have already died of hypothermia before they get to this point.

Reproductive: 
1/10th of one drop of oil destroys a developing embryo.  Thus, an entire nest will be wiped out if an oiled parent should return to the nest. Considering that hurricane season begins in 2 days, what if one good storm goes through the LA area and pushes oil over the nesting areas? The instant loss of an entire generation of a species, some of which are endangered to begin with. The same is true for sea turtle eggs. Though considering they are currently swimming directly through the spill itself in order to lay their eggs, and are known to ingest oil, I'd say that's the least of their worries.

Marine Mammals:
While the immediate effects of oiling are not as severe or commonly fatal, this can lead one to a false sense of security that the animal is  unaffected. However, mammals are indeed affected. Short term effects include:

• Pneumonia from inspiration of oil as they surface through the slick to breathe
• Blindness due to eye infections
• Ulcers due to ingestion of contaminated prey
• Starvation as their prey dies off due to the effects of the oil
• Drowning due to flippers sticking to the body (Pinnipeds, aka seals, sea lions...obviously not an issue in the Gulf of Mexico, but worth mentioning)
• Starvation: Dugongs suffer inflammation and infection of the sensitive areas around their mouths and noses, resulting in reduced feeding. This could be an indicator of the effects of oil on the  manatee.
  

Reproductive:

• Abandonment: Pups and parents recognize one another by scent. Therefore Oiled pups and parents cannot find each other. Parent abandon their young, which then starve to death or are victims of predation. Again, not much of an issue in this region, but still worth mentioning.
• Loss of reproductive viability (infertility) due to the ingestion of contaminated prey causing subsequent hormonal imbalances. Because the animals we are talking about here (whales, dolphins etc) have a slower reproductive rate and are long lived, these effects are often not discovered until years later. Case in point: Two orca (Orcinus orca, commonly called killer whales) pods living around Prince William Sound (where the Valdez spill happened) have been followed by scientists ever since the event. One of the pods has lost every single female, thus ensuring the demise of the entire group. The other pod has lost 40% of its members. Whether or not this is due to the spill is debated. Industry employed scientist do not believe it is a result of the spill, whereas most independent scientists do believe it is at least one factor. 

If this isn't enough to convince you that the damage of this catastrophe is going to be significant, I offer the following example. The Exxon Valdez spill is the most studied industrial accident of its kind. Despite Exxon's insistence they completed the cleanup of the area, over twenty years later National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) chemists have reported oil in Prince William Sound. Sampling showed everything from weathered (broken down due to exposure to environmental factors) to fresh (not yet broken down by the elements) oil present. Rate of decay was determined to be 4 %. In other words, oil residue will persist in Prince William Sound for at least a century and every plant or animal that comes in contact with it will suffer the same problems above throughout that time. Let me repeat that. The ecosystem of Prince William Sound will continue to be affected and damaged by the Exxon Valdez oil spill for at least a century to come.  Additionally, studies have shown that wildlife populations from fish to orca have not recovered in that area. Exxon scientists insist that this is unrelated to the oil spill. Most independent researchers disagree. Most likely it is a combination of several factors, but one cannot discount the ongoing presence of oil as at least one factor.

Though Prince William Sound is beautiful and important as a fishery, compare that with the Gulf of Mexico which is about as close to the birthplace of the food web itself on this planet and maybe then you'll get an idea of why I am increasingly concerned. Regardless of your or my opinion on the matter, the fact remains that we will be dealing with this catastrophe for decades to come. Why do I say decades? For the simple fact (not opinion...fact) that Prince William Sound is still full of oil after an oil giant declared the area clean and we chose to believe them. So please spare me your "you worry too much, everything will be fine" talks. I sincerely hope one day you'll be able to look at me and say "I told you so." But don't hold your breath, because I sure won't.