On the Impact of Brazil's Largest Recent Oil Spill on Regional Oceans

In 2019,an oil spill in Brazil,of unknown origin,severely impacted coastal environs with the worst environmental disaster ever recorded in any tropical coastal region globally severely damaging South Pirangi Reef area in the state of Rio Grande do Norte(RN).Here we discuss acute and chronic impacts including chemical contamination and economic consequences all over the world and show some evidence of the oil spill in this biodiverse area.Moreover,the lapse between the moment of the disastei;and the action to manage it,was hampered by a political agenda coinciding with local and global tragedies that redirected public attention.Meanwhile almost 2 years have passed still without the offending party identification or culpability;and poor communities may continue to absorb its deleterious impacts for decades without consideration or compensation.This disaster occurred during the Brazilian government's current issues involving extensive environmental mismanagement,resulting in a slow response from an inept system.It is with urgent necessity to spotlight this tragedy in this unique and sensitive reef habitat experiencing the ongoing damaging effects that include socio-economic losses not yet addressed.

An Overview of Oligocene to Recent Sediments of the Western Pacific Warm Pool(WPWP)(International Ocean Discovery Program-IODP Exp.363)Using Warm and Cool Foraminiferal Species

We use the excellent sediment recovery of International Ocean Discovery Program(IODP)Exp.363,in the Western Pacific Warm Pool(WPWP)to assess down-core variations in the abundance of warm versus cool benthic foraminiferal species through a warm benthic foraminifers(WBF)curve.The total percentage of the“warm”shallower species group(Laticarinina pauperata,Cibicidoides kullenbergi,C.robertsonianus,Cibicidoides sp.,Hoeglundina elegans,and Bulimina aculeata)and of the“cool”species group from deep waters(Pyrgo murrhina,Planulina wuellerstorfi,Uvigerina peregrina,and Globobulimina hoeglundi,Hopkinsina pacifica)at all sites is used to assess paleo temporal and spatial variations in preservation and marine temperature.Our study sites span water depths ranging from 875 m to 3421 m and our results indicate that well-preserved living and fossil foraminifera characterize mudline and core sediments at all water depths attesting the wide environmental tolerance of these species to temperature and pressure.Using magneto-and biostratigraphy datum,these sediments are of Oligocene age.Our low-resolution study showed that with the exception of core 1486B which the linear tendency of warmer species is toward cool sediments in old times,all of them show that older sediments indicate warmer periods than today,which is expected from Miocene to Recent.Our results provide evidence for the preservation potential of deeply buried sediments,which has implications on climate reconstructions based on the population dynamics of calcareous benthic foraminifera.

Foraminifera as Environmental Condition Indicators in Todos os Santos Bay(Bahia,Brazil)

The environmental quality of the marine area close to the Landulpho Alves Oil Refinery situated in Todosos Santos Bay (Bahia, Brazil) was assessed by statistical methods on foraminiferal assemblages, with species tolerant to low continental influence such as Ammonia tepida, Elphidium excavatum, Pseudononion atlanticum and Quinqueloculina spp., and to high organic matter such as Buliminella elegantissima and Bulimina marginata. We have found that Bolivina pulchella, Pseudononion atlanticum, Fursenkoina pontoni, Buliminella elegantissima, Bolivina striatula, Bulimina marginata, Quinqueloculina spp., Ammonia tepida, and Elphidium excavatum are opportunistic and tolerant to high levels of accumulated organic matter, and are associated to stations 6, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, located mainly in the southern, outermost part of the Bay.

Evaluation of Environmental and Ecological Effects Due to the Accident in an Oil Pipe from Petrobras in Guanabara Bay,RJ,Brazil

We aim to evaluate the quality of the Guanabara Bay sediments and the ecological changes due to the PETROBRAS crude oil leak in January 2000. Twenty-six sediment samples collected in July 2000 and in February 2001 were analyzed for pH, dissolved oxygen, and foraminiferal composition. In the northwest and central parts of the bay, low oxygen dissolved values are related to waste discharges with the dominance of Buliminella elegantissima. In winter, near Igua&ccedilu River, the pH of the sediment is low, therefore highly acidic. The acidity is responsible for the foraminiferal low diversity limiting the occurrence of species with fragile tests. On the other hand, thicker tests of Elphidium spp. disappeared last, therefore increasing its relative dominance in winter. In summer, this is a barren zone. The explanation lies in the continuous dissolution of tests that culminated with the total disappearance of these microorganisms one year after the accident.