Skip to main content
Top

2018 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

13. Oil-Related Mangrove Loss East of Bonny River, Nigeria

Author : Erich R. Gundlach

Published in: Threats to Mangrove Forests

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

This study documents the largest cumulative loss of mangroves due to oil-related activities, including 4415 ha due directly to oil spillage (operational and illegal activities) and 105 ha due to pipeline corridors. Additionally, 217 illegal refinery sites are found which destroyed 116 ha of high ground habitat adjacent to mangroves. Source information utilized includes satellite imagery (1999–2016), aerial videography and photographs (2000, 2010, 2015), and field surveys (1983, 2013, 2015). Mangrove losses began in 2008/2009 due to four spills (three caused by corrosion, one from illegal activity) that caused ~2000 ha of damage. Two of these spills are part of a legal settlement with the resident Bodo community involving a mangrove loss of ~1000 ha. Illegal tapping of the major north-to-south oil-transport pipelines along with a concurrently large increase in illegal refineries became evident in the eastern part of the study area in 2010 and 2011, causing an additional ~1000 ha loss. In 2010, illegal activities also increased in the north causing >300 ha of mangrove loss. After 2013, mangrove losses are small as military operations substantially decreased but did not stop illegal activities. Field studies in 2015, designed to provide guidance to cleanup operations and mangrove restoration, found large areas with very high concentrations of surface and subsurface oil that will inhibit mangrove recovery. Indications are that natural recovery will take much longer than 30 years and, in some areas, may never occur without intervention due to substrate changes that now inhibit seed settlement and growth.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 102.000 Bücher
  • über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
  • Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe




 

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Literature
go back to reference Allen JRL (1965) Coastal geomorphology of eastern Nigeria: beach-ridge barrier islands and vegetated tidal flats. Geol Mijnb 44(1):1–21 Allen JRL (1965) Coastal geomorphology of eastern Nigeria: beach-ridge barrier islands and vegetated tidal flats. Geol Mijnb 44(1):1–21
go back to reference Baker JM (1983) Environmental study of shell-operated areas; mangrove ecosystems. Technical Summary Report FSC/OPRU/32/83 to SPDC, Nigeria. 62p Baker JM (1983) Environmental study of shell-operated areas; mangrove ecosystems. Technical Summary Report FSC/OPRU/32/83 to SPDC, Nigeria. 62p
go back to reference Folorunsho R, Awosika L (2014) Morphological characteristics of the Bonny and Cross River (Calabar) Estuaries in Nigeria. In: The land/ocean interactions in the coastal zone of West and Central Africa. Part of the series: Estuaries of the World. Springer Publishing, pp 87–96. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06388-1_8 Folorunsho R, Awosika L (2014) Morphological characteristics of the Bonny and Cross River (Calabar) Estuaries in Nigeria. In: The land/ocean interactions in the coastal zone of West and Central Africa. Part of the series: Estuaries of the World. Springer Publishing, pp 87–96. doi:https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​978-3-319-06388-1_​8
go back to reference George ADI, Abowei JFN, Daka ER (2009) Benthic macro invertebrate fauna and physical-chemical parameters in Okpoka Creek sediments, Niger Delta, Nigeria. Int J Anim Vet Adv 1(2):59–65 George ADI, Abowei JFN, Daka ER (2009) Benthic macro invertebrate fauna and physical-chemical parameters in Okpoka Creek sediments, Niger Delta, Nigeria. Int J Anim Vet Adv 1(2):59–65
go back to reference Little DI, Holtzman K, Gundlach ER, Galperin Y (2018) Sediment hydrocarbons in former mangrove areas, southern Ogoniland, eastern Niger Delta, Nigeria. In: Makowski C, Finkl CW (eds) Coastal Research Library (CRL): threats to mangrove forests: hazards, vulnerability, and management. Springer, Cham, pp 323–342 Little DI, Holtzman K, Gundlach ER, Galperin Y (2018) Sediment hydrocarbons in former mangrove areas, southern Ogoniland, eastern Niger Delta, Nigeria. In: Makowski C, Finkl CW (eds) Coastal Research Library (CRL): threats to mangrove forests: hazards, vulnerability, and management. Springer, Cham, pp 323–342
go back to reference Renegar A, Schuler P, Turner N, Dodge R, Riegl B, Knap A, Bera G, Jezequel R, Benggio B (2017) TROPICS field study (Panama), 32-year site visit: observations and conclusions for near shore dispersant use NEBA and tradeoffs. Proc int oil spill conf 2017(1):3030–3050. https://doi.org/10.7901/2169-3358-2017.1.3030 Renegar A, Schuler P, Turner N, Dodge R, Riegl B, Knap A, Bera G, Jezequel R, Benggio B (2017) TROPICS field study (Panama), 32-year site visit: observations and conclusions for near shore dispersant use NEBA and tradeoffs. Proc int oil spill conf 2017(1):3030–3050. https://​doi.​org/​10.​7901/​2169-3358-2017.​1.​3030
Metadata
Title
Oil-Related Mangrove Loss East of Bonny River, Nigeria
Author
Erich R. Gundlach
Copyright Year
2018
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73016-5_13