Oil Pollution: Damage Observed in Tropical Communities along the Atlantic Seaboard of Panama

Observations on the effects of oil pollution on tropical marine habitats are reported. The pollution was caused by the wreckage of a tanker off the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. Infralittoral communities such as coral reefs remained unaffected because no detergents have been used in eliminating the oil. Repopulation of intertidal rocks covered by dried tar took place 2 months after the incident. Greatest damage occurred on microfauna and intertidal organisms in sandy beaches and mangroves.