ENVIRONMENTAL OIL SENSITIVITY OF THE GERMAN NORTH SEA COAST

Abstract

ABSTRACT A contiguous region of tidal flats about 448 km (280 miles) long and up to 21 km (13 miles) wide extends along the North Sea coasts of the Federal Republic of Germany, The Netherlands, and Denmark. This region is called the Wadden Sea. It is of enormous value as a cleansing site for the North Sea water, as a nursery for young fishes, and as a feeding grounds for nearly all Palearctic species of wading birds and waterfowl. The proximity of important shipping routes and ports is a permanent threat, especially to the German part of the region, which became a national park in 1986. The results of several field surveys, conducted from 1976 through 1986, revealed the necessity of an ecologically based sensitivity map for oil spill contingency planning. To evaluate properly the great variety of possible conditions resulting from the interrelationships of biotic and abiotic parameters, a system was developed to encompass such features, including the persistence of oil in the sediment, and the vulnerability and regenerative capability of a large proportion of the biota. Species of halophytes, mammals, fishes, birds, macrofauna, meiofauna, and microphytobenthos were evaluated to determine their physiological and ecological sensitivities to oil contamination. The evaluation was made considering autecological and synecological parameters. To test the applicability of the technique, a map was made of the littoral zone between the Weser and Elbe Rivers. The results were accepted by the West German organization for the control of oil spills at sea (ÖSK). Mapping will be continued under the direction of the Geesthacht Research Center until 1992. Eventually the project will cover the entire German part of the Wadden Sea through the financial support of the GKSS, the Umweltbundesamt (UBA), the ÖSK, and the national park authorities. A data processing system is being established by the GKSS so that the results can be used not only for oil spill control but also for the analysis of the ecosystem and to help the national park bureaus fulfill their obligations.