This study has indicated a rapid recovery of the phytal system. 

 The oil spill occurred at the beginning of a season of low activity in 

 the phytal zone. The low temperature and ice cover from January to 

 March minimize plant and animal metabolism and growth. Many individuals 

 usually die during winter due to senescence. During these 3-4 months of 

 low activity, before the spring growth started, parts of the remaining 

 oil in the littoral were probably washed out and the toxic fractions 

 diluted. Thus the oil spill did not affect the fauna and flora of this 

 system as much as if the spill had occurred in the beginning of the 

 growth season, in April to June. 



7.3.4 References 



Bengtsson, L. and H. Berggren. 1972. The bottom fauna in an oil-contaminated 

 lake, AMBIO 1: 141-144. 



Dybern, B.I., H. Ackefors and R. Elmgren. (eds.). 1976. Recommendations on 

 Methods for Marine Biological Studies in the Baltic sea. Baltic 

 Marine Biologists Publ. 1:1-98. 



Ganning B. and U. Billing. 1974. Effects on community metabolism of oil and 

 chemically dispersed oil on Baltic Bladder Wrack ( Fucus vesiculosus ) . 

 In: Beyon, L.R. & E.B. Cowell (eds.). Ecological aspects of the toxicity 

 testing of oils and dispersants. Applied Science Publishers, Ltd., 

 London. 53-61. 



Haage, P. 1975. Quantitative Investigations of the Baltic Fucus Belt 



Macrofauna. 2. Quantitative Seasonal Fluctuations, Contrib. Asko Lab. 

 Univ. Stockholm. 9:1-88. 



Haage, P. 1976. Quantitative Investigations of the Baltic Fucus Belt 

 Macrofauna. 3. Seasonal Variation in Biomass, Reproduction and 

 Population Dynamics of the Dominant Taxa , Contrib. Asko Lab. Univ. 

 Stockholm. 10:1-84. 



Jansson, A.M. 1974. Community Structure, Modelling and Simulation of 



the Cladophora Ecosystem in the Baltic Sea. Contrib. Asko Lab. Univ. 

 Stockholm. 5:1-130. 



Jansson, A.M. and N. Kautsky. 1977. Quantitative Survey of Hard Bottom 

 Communities in a Baltic Archipelago. In Keegen, B.F., P. O'Ceidigh 

 and P.J.S. Boaden (eds.), Biology of Benthic Organisms, Pergamon 

 Press, New York. 359-366. 



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