Environment

Dead Zone Expected to be the Biggest on Record in Gulf of Mexico

by sara star | June 22, 2009 at 01:11 pm

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The “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico for 2009 is predicted to surpass all records. This occurs when the oxygen level drops too low to sustain most life. The area may be as big as the size of New Jersey, and may be even larger since the flooding of the Mississippi river in May.

A new study from NOAA was released and it predicts that the "dead zone" off the coast of Louisiana and Texas in the Gulf of Mexico this summer could be one of the largest on record. The dead zone is an area in the Gulf of Mexico where seasonal oxygen levels drop too low to support most life in bottom and near-bottom waters. The research comes from NOAA-supported scientists at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Louisiana State University, and the University of Michigan. Dead zones are caused by nutrient runoff, principally from agricultural activity, which stimulates an overgrowth of algae that sinks, decomposes, and consumes most of the life-giving oxygen supply in the water.

Dead zones are caused by nutrient runoff, principally from agricultural activity, which stimulates an overgrowth of algae that sinks, decomposes, and consumes most of the life-giving oxygen supply in the water.

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bettermakings (not verified)

at 15:14 on June 22nd, 2009

this isn't "global warming" by the way, it's actually pollution-runoff caused by the growing of corn & soybeans to feed the cows that feed Al Gore and Obama, while they laugh at the American peasantry for believing everything they say.

Spydermonkey

at 17:18 on June 22nd, 2009

This is another example of man f88ing up the enviroment that we all must share. And this is just a small piece in a great big puzzle (called weather) that we continue to disrupt by our actions and inactions.