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Microbial Community Response to an Oil Spill

Topic
  • Microbiology
  • Bacteria
  • Environmental Science
  • Human Population & Impacts
  • Science Practices
  • Graph Interpretation
Resource Type
  • Activities
  • Data Points
Level
High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Favorited By
10 Users
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Description

This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study that monitored the microbial community before, during, and after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon drilling unit exploded, releasing up to 70,000 barrels of oil and natural gas per day into the Gulf of Mexico until June 4. Oil and natural gas are primarily composed of hydrocarbons, which stimulate the growth of naturally occuring bacteria. These bacteria degrade the hydrocarbons into smaller molecules, which, in turn, feed other microbe communities. The figure shows the different bacterial taxa that were enriched by the oil spill over time. The green dashed line indicates when the oil leak was partially reduced, and the blue line indicates when the leak was completely stopped.

The “Educator Materials” document includes a captioned figure, background information, graph interpretation, and discussion questions. The “Student Handout” includes a captioned figure and background information.

Student Learning Targets
  • Analyze and interpret data from a scientific figure. 
  • Describe how an environmental change can affect the structure of an ecological community over time.
Details
Estimated Time
Within one 50-minute class period.
Key Terms

biodegradation, community structure, hydrocarbon, marine biology, oceanography, plume, pollution, succession, timeline

Primary Literature

Dubinsky, Eric A., Mark E. Conrad, Romy Chakraborty, Markus Bill, Sharon E. Borglin, James T. Hollibaugh, Olivia U. Mason, et al. “Succession of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.” Environmental Science and Technology 47, 19 (2013): 10860–10867. https://doi.org/10.1021/es401676y.

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level

The documents for this resource meet accessibility standards in accordance with the final rule for Section 508 of the National Rehabilitation Act.
Version History
Date Published 08.16.17
Date Updated 08.16.17
Curriculum Connections
NGSS (2013)

HS-LS2-2, HS-EES3-6; SEP2, SEP4, SEP5

AP Biology (2019)

ENE-4.B, ENE-4.C; SP1, SP4

IB Biology (2016)

4.1, B.1

AP Environmental Science (2013)

II.D, VI.A

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

4.4

Common Core (2010)

ELA.RST.9-12.7
Math.S-ID.3, Math.S-IC.1; MP2, MP5

Vision and Change (2009)

CC5; DP2, DP3

Materials
Educator Materials (PDF) 1 MB
Student Handout (PDF) 1 MB

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