Oil Spills Wreak Havoc on the Bottom of the Ocean, Even a Decade Later

Key points

• A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports that a deepwater ecosystem across the northern Gulf of Mexico collapsed after the 2011 Deepwater Horizon spill, with recovery still uncertain. Populations of octopus, krill, squid and shrimp fell by 60 to 85 percent within three and a half years, and few signs of recovery have appeared since.
• Researchers said other causes such as temperature and oxygen were ruled out, pointing to the blowout as the most likely explanation.
• Scientists also noted toxic effects on marine life, and one study found sharp declines in deep-diving whales.