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Activity Number:
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453
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Type:
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Contributed
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Date/Time:
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Wednesday, August 6, 2008 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
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Sponsor:
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Section on Statistics and the Environment
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| Abstract - #302023 |
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Title:
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Challenges and Solutions for Assessing the Long-Term (1989-2007) Effects of a Marine Oil Terminal in Alaska on the Marine Sediment Environment
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Author(s):
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Arny L. Blanchard*+
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Companies:
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University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Address:
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P.O. Box 757220, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-7720,
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Keywords:
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Marine Ecology ; Spatio-temporal Modeling ; Environmental Monitoring ; Port Valdez ; Alaska
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Abstract:
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Long-term monitoring (19 years) of marine sediment-dwelling invertebrates documents small effects from exposure to hydrocarbons from discharges at the marine oil terminal in Port Valdez, Alaska. Challenges for this project include detecting small, persistent effects on invertebrates from hydrocarbons and communicating statistical results to non-scientists. Associations between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) concentrations and biotic variables demonstrated by spatio-temporal modeling were useful in demonstrating faunal variations at low PAH concentrations. Trends observed in PAH concentrations and the percent sensitive species conformed well to expectations of faunal changes and risk as guided by field-based sediment quality guidelines. The spatio-temporal models effectively communicate ecologically relevant trends and the risk for environmental disturbance.
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