Oil spills are an inevitable consequence of the world’s dependence upon oil and oil-based energy sources. Oil spills have dumped billions of gallons of oil into our oceans in recent history. Environmental microbiologists have been called upon to help clean- up the oil spills using microorganisms that metabolize byproducts of these spills. Research the following websites (and/or complete research on your own) and follow the directions below to complete your assignment.
Environmental Protection Agency website: http://www.epa.gov/
CNN News homepage: http://www.cnn.com/
Ecological Society of America: http://www.esa.org/
List of Ecology resources on the Web: http://pbil.univ-lyon1.fr/Ecology/Ecology-WWW.html
Ecology.com homepage: http://ecology.com/
Writing assignment: For this project, write a paper discussing the use of microorganisms to assist in the clean-up of oil spills in the ocean. Each answer should meet the minimum word requirement and should be in question and answer format. You should use in-text citations as needed and include a separate reference page of all sources consulted. Be sure to answer all parts of each question in full and complete sentences, and include a well-developed introduction and conclusion in your paper.