Ocean Dead Zones are Multiplying

 

Ocean Dead Zones, Chaotic Nitrogen Cycling and the Earth's Survival 

POSTED: Thursday, August 14, 2008

FROM BLOG: Climate Change Blog - Brief commentary, analysis and links by Dr. Glen Barry of the Climate Ark climate change and global warming portal and search engine.

Findings that oxygen-starved ocean "dead zones" have doubled every decade since the 1960s, killing massive amounts of marine life at the base of the food chain, demonstrate just how sick the Earth has become. The new study in the journalScience found there are now some 400 ocean areas that are devoid of life with new ones popping up continuously. Ocean dead zones [search] most often result from nutrient rich river run-off -- particularly containing nitrogen from fertilizers and pesticides associated with industrial agriculture -- which cause algae blooms and low oxygen levels unable to support life. Climate change frequently exacerbates the condition.

Chaos in the planet's nitrogen cycle [search] is second perhaps only to climate change in threatening the biosphere's life support systems. [READ ON]