In addition to the visible damage to vegetation and soil, the oil lakes continue to impair water transport and nutrient cycling because water is unable to penetrate the pools of oil and crusts of weathered sludge that cover the oil lakes.
除可见的植被和土壤损害外，油湖仍在损害水输送和养料的循环，因为水无法穿透油湖及其表面覆盖的淤积物硬壳。