A comparison of stress indicators at the biological, organismal and community level of organization

In August 1981, a portion of the shoreline of Long Cove, Searsport, Maine, was exposed to a test spill of 250 gal of Murban crude oil. Following the spill, replicate samples were taken for infaunal community analysis. Samples of Mya arenaria and Mytilus edulis were taken for physiological analysis. The results of the chemical analysis of tissues and sediments showed oil uptake by sediments and tissues. Low levels of oil persisted in the sediments after 9 weeks and in the tissues through 2 weeks after the spill. Scope for growth measurements showed that perturbations in scope for growth in M. arenaria and M. edulis occurred only during the 2 weeks immediately following the spill when the animals had elevated tissue hydrocarbon levels.