Table 7. General response of mangrove ecosystems to 

 severe oil spills (from Lewis 1980b) 



Stage 



Observed impact 



Acute 



to 15 days 



15 to 30 days 



Deaths of birds, turtles, fishes, and 

 invertebrates 



Defoliation and death of small mangroves, 

 loss of aerial root community 



Chronic 



30 days to 1 year 



1 year to 5 years 



1 year to 1 years ( ? ) 



10 to 50 years (?) 



Defoliation and death of medium-sized 

 mangroves (1-3 m), tissue damage to 

 aerial roots 



Death of large mangroves (greater than 

 3 m), loss of oiled aerial roots, and 

 regrowth of new roots (often deformed) 



Recol oni zati on of oil-damaged areas by 

 new seedlings 



Reduction in litter fall, reduced re- 

 production, and reduced survival of 

 seedl 1 ngs 



Death or reduced growth of young trees 

 colonizing spill site (?) 



Increased insect damage (?) 



Complete recovery 



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