U.S. Department of the Interior |
November 2001 |
Mississippi/Alabama Pinnacle Trend Ecosystem Monitoring, Final Synthesis Report
The Minerals Management Service (MMS), Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, announces
the availability of a new study report, Mississippi/Alabama Pinnacle Trend
Ecosystem Monitoring, Final Synthesis Report.
This final synthesis report summarizes a four-year program to characterize and
monitor carbonate mounds on the Mississippi/Alabama Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS). The overall program goal was to characterize and monitor biological
communities and environmental conditions at carbonate mounds along the
Mississippi/Alabama OCS. Specific objectives included the description and
monitoring of seasonal and interannual changes in community structure and
zonation, relating these to changes in environmental conditions (i.e., dissolved
oxygen, turbidity, temperature, salinity, etc.). Additionally, this project
characterizes the geological, chemical, and physical environment of the mounds
as an aid in understanding their origin, evolution, present-day dynamics, and
long-term fate. On the basis of previous studies and new geophysical
reconnaissance, nine sites in the Mississippi/Alabama “Pinnacle Trend” area were
selected for monitoring. Hard-bottom community structure dynamics were monitored
because the potential sensitivity of these communities to OCS oil and gas
industry activities is of interest to the MMS. Geological and oceanographic
processes were studied to help understand environmental factors that control or
influence hard-bottom communities. These environmental factors included
substrate characteristics such as relief, microtopography, sedimentology, and
contaminant levels; near-bottom current patterns; and the presence, extent, and
dynamics of nepheloid layers. In addition, two “companion studies” provided
information on epibiont recruitment and the distribution and orientation of sea
fans in relation to currents and microtopography.
For more information about this study or the Environmental Studies Program in
general, contact the Environmental Sciences Section (MS 5430), 1201 Elmwood Park
Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394, telephone (504) 736-2752.
You can obtain copies of the report from the Minerals Management Service, Gulf
of Mexico OCS Region, at a charge of $20.00 by referencing OCS Study MMS
2001-080. You will be able to obtain this report also from the National
Technical Information Service in the near future. Here are the addresses. You
may also inspect copies at selected Federal Depository Libraries.
Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region Public Information Office (MS 5034) 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 Telephone requests may be placed at (504) 736-2519 or 1-800-200-GULF or FAX: (504) 736-2620
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U.S. Department of Commerce National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia 22161 (703) 487-4650 or FAX: (703) 321-8547 Rush Orders: 1-800-336-4700 |
MMS is the federal agency in the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages the nation's oil, natural gas and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf in federal offshore waters. The agency also collects, accounts for and disburses mineral revenues from federal and Indian leases. These collections totaled nearly $8 billion last year and more than $110 billion since the agency was created in 1982. Annually, nearly $1 billion from those revenues go into the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the acquisition and development of state and federal park and recreation lands.
-MMS-GOM-
MMS's Website Address: http://www.mms.gov
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