microrobert
05-01-2015, 03:44 PM
Ocean ‘Dead Zones:’ Why There Are Some Parts Of The Atlantic Where Marine Life Can’t Survive
Some areas of the ocean are so hostile to marine life that they’re virtually uninhabitable. These so-called dead zones contain little to no oxygen, meaning any fish that enter would likely suffocate and die. While dead zones are not uncommon near inhabited coastlines, where industrial runoff can trigger algae blooms that suck all of the oxygen out of the water, they’re now popping up in places scientists didn’t expect – in the open Atlantic Ocean.
This is the first time such dead zones have been found far from any shore and could be a sign of the effects of ocean warming on marine ecosystems, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal Biogeosciences. Researchers found several dead zones located hundreds of miles off the coast of West Africa where oxygen levels were 20 times lower than what scientists previously thought. One of the dead zones scientists observed was located less than 60 miles north of the Cape Verde archipelago, which could spell danger for marine life near the islands should the dead zone move.
http://www.ibtimes.com/ocean-dead-zones-why-there-are-some-parts-atlantic-where-marine-life-cant-survive-1903926
Some areas of the ocean are so hostile to marine life that they’re virtually uninhabitable. These so-called dead zones contain little to no oxygen, meaning any fish that enter would likely suffocate and die. While dead zones are not uncommon near inhabited coastlines, where industrial runoff can trigger algae blooms that suck all of the oxygen out of the water, they’re now popping up in places scientists didn’t expect – in the open Atlantic Ocean.
This is the first time such dead zones have been found far from any shore and could be a sign of the effects of ocean warming on marine ecosystems, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal Biogeosciences. Researchers found several dead zones located hundreds of miles off the coast of West Africa where oxygen levels were 20 times lower than what scientists previously thought. One of the dead zones scientists observed was located less than 60 miles north of the Cape Verde archipelago, which could spell danger for marine life near the islands should the dead zone move.
http://www.ibtimes.com/ocean-dead-zones-why-there-are-some-parts-atlantic-where-marine-life-cant-survive-1903926