The results of these studies show greater than 70% reduction in most phytoplankton and zooplankton in response to oil spills, although nano- and microphytoplankton populations recovered as the oil sank to the bottom of the lake.
These research results show that oil spills have a substantial impact on phytoplankton and zooplankton populations, leading to a reduction of over 70%. However, certain types of microscopic algae (nano- and microphytoplankton) were able to recover after the oil settled at the lake's bottom.