Wetlands act as a critical buffer against many types of disasters, including hurricanes, floods and tsunamis. A harbor of biological diversity and the breeding grounds for a wide variety of life, wetlands are also proving to be the front line in saving the coast from the oil. Despite severe damage, and toxic effects that will linger for decades, the wetlands "have come through so far pretty unscathed" according to Paul Kemp, director of the National Audubon Society's Louisiana Coastal Initiative. This means that so far, wetlands have proved to be an effective buffer and kept the oil out of some of the most ecologically important habitats in the world (i.e., other parts of the wetlands), as well as agricultural and other areas.
This does not mitigate the need to prevent this type of disaster in the future or break our dependence on oil, which has caused irreparable damage and extreme environmental devastation, but is a bit of good news that perhaps parts of the gulf wetlands will remain healthy and intact. Of course, the wetlands remain subject to other threats such as erosion, which canals cut by oil companies dramatically increase. Meanwhile, the wetland areas that have been absorbing the oil are dying, which will further increase erosion and contribute to the destruction of these valuable areas.
This says nothing of the toxic dispersants and oil that are entering the food chain throughout the water column that we will all eat over the coming years, or the myriad other negative effects of the spill. But, it is a much needed bit of hope that perhaps there will be some gulf wetlands left when this is all over.
[nola.com]
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