VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF SVALBARD INTERTIDAL ZONE FOR OIL-SPILLS

A system for estimating a coast's vulnerability to oil spills is prese nted, based on geomorphological maps and environmental data collected in the Svalbard intertidal. Since this European Arctic archipelago is nearly undisturbed and presents a 'natural environment', its protectio n calls for a more detailed approach. As many as 19 factors were selec ted as important for oil spill assessment in the littoral. All factors have been grouped into different subject categories (physical paramet ers and biological parameters) and a different rank of importance was given for each factor (principal, important, secondary). Selected coas t units may be described with regard to sensitivity to the oil spill b y the index of vulnerability counted in each of the two categories. Th e western (Atlantic) coast has been described as more vulnerable when compared to eastern (Arctic) coasts of the archipelago. The physical p arameters and biological parameters indices were often contradictory w hen vulnerable biota (e.g. rich crustacean assemblages) were connected with relative resistance to the oil spill physical environment (expos ed stony beaches). (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.