Summary
The impact of crude oil spill on the number of plant species and the above-ground live standing crop biomass (AGLSCB) of a herbaceous plant community was assessed. The spillage had a devastating effect on the herbaceous community and especially on the component herbaceous annuals. At least 80–90% of the species were absent in the affected areas in comparison to nearby unaffected areas, most of these being annuals. Perennial species were generally less affected. The total herbaceous production for a period of 12 months in the polluted areas was 885.1 gm−2 compared with 4860.7 gm−2 for the unaffected areas. The average monthly production in the polluted areas was 73.8 gm−2 compared with 405.0 gm−2 for the unaffected areas.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker, J.M. (1970) The effects of oils on plants.Environ. Pollut. I, 27–44.
Baker, J.M. (1971) Seasonal effects of oil pollution on salt marsh vegetation.Oikos 22, 106–10.
Burk, C.J. (1977) A four year analysis of vegetation following an oil spill in a fresh water marsh.J. Appl. Ecol. 14, 515–22.
Carr, R.H. (1919) Vegetative growth in soils containing crude petroleum.Soil Sci. 8, 67–8.
Harper, J.J. (1939) The effect of natural gas on the growth microorganisms and accumulation of nitrogen and organic matter in the soil.Soil Sci. 48, 461–6.
Kinako, P.D.S. (1981) Short-term effects of oil pollution on species number and productivity of a simple terrestrial ecosystem.Environ. Pollut. 26, 87–91.
Milner, C. and Hughes, R.E. (1968)Methods for the measurement of primary production of grassland. IBP Handbook, No. 6, Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.
Plice, M.J. (1948) Some effects of crude petroleum on soil fertility.Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 133, 413–16.
Schollenberger, C.J. (1930) Effect of leaking natural gas upon the soil.Soil Sci. 29, 260–6.
Sha, V.K. and Ram, J. (1989) Biomass dynamics, species diversity and net primary production in a temperate grassland of central Himalaya, India.Tropical Ecology 30(2), 294–302.
Sundriyal, R.C. and Joshi, A.P. (1990) Effect of grazing on standing crop, productivity and efficiency of energy capture in an Alpine grassland ecosystem at Tungnath (Garhwal Himalaya), India.Tropical Ecology 31(2), 84–97.
Udo, E.J. and Fayemi, A.A.A. (1975) The effect of oil pollution of soil on germination, growth and nutrient uptake of corn.J. Environ. Qual. 4(4), 537–40.
Woodwell, G.M. (1970) Effect of pollution on the structure and physiology of ecosystems.Sciences 168, 429–33.
Young, A.P. (1935) Oil mass theory of petroleum into protoplasm.Am. J. Bot. 22, 1–8.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Dr Debojit Baruah is the senior author of this paper and he is a research scholar at Dibrugarh University. Dr Sarada K. Sarma is a Pofessor in the Botany Department of Guwahati University in Assam.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baruah, D., Sarma, S.K. Impact of crude oil pollution on species number and live standing herbaceous crop biomass. Environmentalist 16, 291–295 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02239655
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02239655