Assessing Effects of Petroleum Oil Pollution on Estuarine Rock Platform Invertebrate Communities. The effects of oil spills on our native intertidal organisms are virtually unknown. For some years before and since a major oil spill in Sydney, 1999, we have conducted impact and recovery studies on rock platform species assemblages of Port Jackson. Results show impacts at both community and individual species levels. This project aims to answer important questions arising from this work and wou ....Assessing Effects of Petroleum Oil Pollution on Estuarine Rock Platform Invertebrate Communities. The effects of oil spills on our native intertidal organisms are virtually unknown. For some years before and since a major oil spill in Sydney, 1999, we have conducted impact and recovery studies on rock platform species assemblages of Port Jackson. Results show impacts at both community and individual species levels. This project aims to answer important questions arising from this work and would allow: (1) to establish a cause and effect relationship between oil exposure and Australian invertebrate species responses(2) generate quantitative chronic and acute oil impact data on invertebrate species at a range of oil exposures and best practice amelioration, (3) generation of the first toxicological data of the impact of oil pollutants on Australian estuarine invertebrates, (4)investigation of possible early-warning biomarkers of oil exposure, and (5) rapid assessment monitoring procedures for future environmental management of our estuarine systems.Read moreRead less