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The World Resources Institute has identified 375 hypoxic coastal zones around the world, concentrated in coastal areas in Western Europe, the Eastern and Southern coasts of the US, and East Asia, particularly in Japan. [10] Jubilee photo from Mobile Bay
Dead zones are hypoxic (low-oxygen) areas in the world's oceans and large lakes. Hypoxia occurs when dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration falls to or below 2 ml of O 2 /liter. [2] When a body of water experiences hypoxic conditions, aquatic flora and fauna begin to change behavior in order to reach sections of water with higher oxygen levels.
Ocean deoxygenation has led to suboxic, hypoxic, and anoxic conditions in both coastal waters and the open ocean. Since 1950, more than 500 sites in coastal waters have reported oxygen concentrations below 2 mg liter −1, which is generally accepted as the threshold of hypoxic conditions. [25]
A 'dead zone' off the Gulf coast is larger than NOAA predicted. The massive area poses danger to marine life, and recovery could take decades. A 'dead zone' is growing in the Gulf of Mexico.
Denitrification in OMZs leads to a significant loss of inorganic nitrogen from the oceans, limiting growth/productivity in many regions around the world. OMZs are known for their role in the global nitrogen cycle. As no oxygen is present to fuel aerobic respiration, anoxic systems are primarily dominated by microbially-mediated nitrogen cycling.
Scientists prepare to collect near-bottom water aboard the R/V Pelican to verify oxygen measurements used to determine the size of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. (NOAA/LUMCON/LSU) A "dead zone ...
Many species actively avoid low oxygen zones, [32] [33] [34] while others take advantage of their predators’ low tolerance for hypoxia and use these areas as a refuge. [ 32 ] [ 33 ] [ 34 ] Zooplankton that exhibit daily vertical migrations to avoid predation and low oxygen conditions also excrete ammonium near the oxycline and contribute to ...
Baltic Sea hypoxia refers to low levels of oxygen in bottom waters, also known as hypoxia, occurring regularly in the Baltic Sea. As of 2009 [update] the total area of bottom covered with hypoxic waters with oxygen concentrations less than 2 mg/L in the Baltic Sea has averaged 49,000 km 2 over the last 40 years.