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Lisa McDevitt, for //Oil Politics//, spring 2011
 * Oil Spill’s Scope Threatens Gulf’s Endangered Marine Life **

Schoof, Renee. "Oil Spill's Scope Threatens Gulf's Endangered Marine Life | McClatchy."//McClatchy | Homepage//. 28 May 2010. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. []
 * 1.** **Full Citation:**

2. ** Where does the author work, what else has s/he written about, and what are her/his credentials? ** Renee Schoof is employed by McClatchy newspapers, for whom she reports on the environment, particularly global warming, science, energy and technology. She possesses a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Washington.

The main argument of the article is that the combination of the volume of oil released during the BP spill, the depth of the leak, and the use of chemical dispersants will continue to wreak havoc on marine life in the Gulf of Mexico for years to come. Over 8,300 species will suffer the effects, including several endangered species, like the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle. The spill could potentially undo all the success of past preservation efforts for several endangered species.
 * 3. ** ** What is the main topic or argument of the text? **

4. ** Describe at least three ways that the main topic or argument is fleshed out. ** The argument is presented through three main points: the effects caused by the depth of the spill, those caused by the volume of oil, and those of the chemical dispersants. Because the oil has been spread through the water column, deep below the surface, it can not simply be scooped up like it would be in a typical spill. Therefore, it affects far more species, from bottom dwellers to the birds that fish in the waters. Additionally, because there is //so much// oil, many species are affected. The organisms simply can not survive in such a contaminated environment. The chemical dispersants, as it turns out, may have done more harm than good for wildlife. They have never before been used so far below the surface, and the effects of the increased pressure left the oil thicker and slower to break down. The article then proceeds to describe how these three causes are destroying reefs, anemones, Bluefin tuna and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles (the last two are already facing population decline, and the oil is only making the situation worse). Schoof cites the success of past preservation efforts for the turtles and the tuna, but according to Larry Crowder, professor of marine biology at Duke University, the spill could potentially reverse these successes.

// “As the magnitude of BP's oil spill becomes clearer, scientists fear that the volume of oil, the depth of the leak and the chemical dispersants the company is using will combine to threaten a vast array of undersea life for years.” //
 * 5.** ** What three quotes capture the critical import of the text? **

// “The habitat of colorful tropical fish here is very specific and limited, "and it just so happens some of these habitats are in harm's way," he said. The spill could eliminate some of these fish from the northern Gulf.” //

// “ //// Protection of their nests and the turtle exclusion devices that fishermen use have helped to increase the number of nests from about 800 at a low point in the late 1980s to 7,000 to 8,000 a year now…. I'd say they're a real success story, but the success could be blunted or reversed pretty seriously by an oil spill of this scale," Crowder he said. The real toll won't be known until reduced nesting is discovered, he added.” //

6. ** Explain how the argument and evidence in the text supports your research focus. ** This article argues that the oil spill has negatively impacted organisms, particularly several endangered species in the Gulf of Mexico. This relates to my main research topic of the overall impact of the spill on marine ecosystems. The evidence presented here suggests that both the oil and the chemical dispersant are harmful to marine animals.

7. ** List at least two details or references from the text that will be useful to other members of your research group. ** The article discusses the chemical dispersant, which could be useful to my group members, particularly Torrin as he researches the science behind the decision to use Corexit. Also, the article mentions the volume of oil that was released. It would be interesting for Adriana to expand on this topic in her research on the science behind the drilling itself (i.e. how was so much oil released, and is there any way this could be prevented?).