Oceanic Hypoxia
-
Occurs when the oxygen concentration in the
water falls below 2mg/L, the necessary level to sustain most animal life
Eutrophication
-
The addition of excessive amounts of nitrates
and phosphates, which when added to a marine environment causes accelerated
stimulated plant and algae growth and depletes the normal amount of oxygen
necessary for marine life
-
Creates algae blooms which can be deadly to the
surrounding plant and animal life
-
Largest eutrophic zones are located around
industrialized areas with tons of water pollution each year
Causes of Eutrophication
-
Point Sources
o
Any single identifiable source of pollution from
which pollutants are released such as a sewage pipe from an industrial factory
-
Nonpoint Sources
o
Generally caused by runoff from rain and seepage
o
Fertilizers in a high water table zone
Problems Caused
-
decrease in the population of species in hypoxic
areas
-
destruction of coral reef ecosystems
-
leads to dead zones where no life can be sustained
-
damages the economic coastal fishing industry
-
lowers the reproductive hormones in male and
female fish in hypoxic environments
Ways to Solve
-
addition of aluminum sulfate in the water to
decrease levels of phosphates
-
decreasing the amount of point and nonpoint
sources of pollution in coastal industrial areas
-
learning eco friendly habits
Internet Sources
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/pdf/hypoxia_pr.pdf
http://toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/hypoxia.html
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/products/pubs_hypox.html
http://www.cop.noaa.gov/stressors/pollution/
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/deadzone.html
http://kodu.ut.ee/~olli/eutr/html/htmlBook_4.html
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/pollution/03pointsource.html
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