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by Lisa McDevvitt, for //Oil Politics//, spring 2011
 * Oil Spill Cruise Finds Field of Dead Coral **

Schrope, Mark. "Oil Spill Cruise Finds Field of Dead Coral : Nature News." //Nature Publishing Group : Science Journals, Jobs, and Information//. 5 Nov. 2010. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. .
 * 1. Full Citation:**

Mark Schrope is a freelance writer who has written for a number of sources, including National Geographic, the New York Times, Deiscovery.com and Popular Mechanics. He is currently writing a book about the BP oil spill, title //The Blowout Experiment// and has written hundreds of articles on the subject, as well as kept a blog about the spill.
 * 2.** ** . Where does the author work, what else has s/he written about, and what are her/his credentials? **

The main focus of the article is to describe the destruction of coral reefs as a result of the BP oil spill, and to convey the devastating effects that this will have on the entire marine ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico. Teams of researchers used deep sea cameras to view the dead and dying coral from aboard the research vessel Ronald H. Brown. As a result, the surrounding animals, which rely on the coral for food and shelter, are also dying. Though more research is needed to confirm that the oil and dispersants are the exact cause, there is far too much circumstantial evidence to think otherwise.
 * 3.** ** What is the main topic or argument of the text? **

The article first describes the researchers’ “Lophelia II” expedition, and their use of //Jason//, a remote-controlled underwater camera with a control room mounted on the deck of the research vessel. It also briefly describes the credentials of the scientists on board, which included a team from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. The article then goes on to present the gorey imagery of the dead corals, which had been covered in brown sludge and stripped down to skeletons. To strengthen the argument, the author includes the reactions of some of the researchers, one of whom described the sight at “nauseating.” Finally, the article goes on to argue that although more research is needed to conclude that the damage was definitely caused by the spill, there is far too much circumstantial evidence to ignore. The author closes with a brief mention of the team’s plans for further research.
 * 4.** ** Describe at least three ways that the main topic or argument is fleshed out. **

//“…//// the team first saw damaged hard coral, and then a large field of gorgonian soft corals, or sea fans, nearly all of which appeared heavily damaged. Some were covered in brown material; others were losing their tissue or stripped to their hard skeletons. The brittle sea stars that commonly intertwine these soft corals, which are normally seen waving their arms, were discoloured and immobile.” // // “The site was in the path of the deep-water plume of diffuse oil that scientists discovered in May, and lay below heavy surface oil during the spill. // // “ // // “...given the novelty of the find, its location and its timing, the team believes there is a strong circumstantial case that the spill caused the damage.” //
 * 5.** ** What three quotes capture the critical import of the text? **

The effects of the spill on the coral is incredibly important to the overall health of the gulf marine ecosystem as a whole because so many other organisms rely on the reefs for food and shelter. Coral is a rich resource in marine environments, and if it is being damaged by the oil and the dispersants, the long-term effects on the ecosystem will be devastating.
 * 6. **** Explain how the argument and evidence in the text supports your research focus. **

This particular group of researchers has been working in the gulf for several years, after being commissioned by NOAA to study the coral in the area. This could be useful to Adriana in her research regarding the science of deep-water drilling. It raises the question of whether BP knew of the potential harm that oil could do to coral at the time they began drilling. Also, the article references the use of chemical dispersants, which brings up the question of whether any research had been done prior to the cleanup attempt, regarding wthether the chemicals could be harmful to coral. This could be useful for Torrin in his research about the science behind the decision to use Corexit.
 * 7. **** List details or references from the text that will be useful to other members of your research group **

I viewed this slide show with images of dead coral: http://www.nature.com/news/2010/012345/full/news.2010.589/slideshow/1.html?identifier=1
 * 8. What links did you follow to learn more? **