Should we be worried about the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico?
Introduction to the Dead Zone Every spring, a vast area of the northern Gulf of Mexico loses most of its oxygen and becomes deadly to marine life. The “dead zone,” also called a hypoxic zone, is caused by the growth of massive quantities of algae known as algal blooms. As algae die, bacteria feed on them and, in the process, suck up the water’s available oxygen. Oxygen levels become depleted to the point that the area cannot support marine life, and sea creatures must swim to other waters or die. Beside being inhospitable to most sea life, algal blooms also cause dead zone waters to turn brown. Ocean Conservation Image Gallery What causes the algal blooms? In part, it’s a natural phenomenon, but they’ve been significantly boosted by
Every spring, a vast area of the northern Gulf of Mexico loses most of its oxygen and becomes deadly to marine life. The “dead zone,” also called a hypoxic zone, is caused by the growth of massive quantities of algae known as algal blooms. As algae die, bacteria feed on them and, in the process, suck up the water’s available oxygen. Oxygen levels become depleted to the point that the area cannot support marine life, and sea creatures must swim to other waters or die. Beside being inhospitable to most sea life, algal blooms also cause dead zone waters to turn brown. Ocean Conservation Image Gallery What causes the algal blooms? In part, it’s a natural phenomenon, but they’ve been significantly boosted by fertilizer,
