The Mississippi River Basin is home to much of the United States’ fertile crop land. Though we need our food and energy crops, their production has led to an increase in the levels of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus… Read More ›
Rivers to the Sea
Over 500 Oceanic Dead Zones Counted
Gainesville, FL — (SBWIRE) — 08/22/2013 — A new infographic has been released recently on Oceanic dead zones, hypoxic (or low-oxygen) areas in the world oceans and large lakes are caused by excessive nutrient pollution from human activities and other… Read More ›
Yellow Sea Turns Green
It’s become an annual affair, the rafts of green algae washing up on the shores of Qingdao, China. Since 2007, massive algae blooms in the Yellow Sea have been fueled, scientists think, by “pollution and increased seaweed farming” south of Qingdao. The mats… Read More ›
Texas A&M Confirms Gulf Dead Zone Spread
NOAA scientists are expecting a very large “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico this year following a relatively small one by recent standards in 2012 due to the worst drought conditions in 100 years affecting the approximately 41% of… Read More ›
Hypoxia: More in Gulf of Mexico; Less in Chesapeake Bay
June 18, 2013 NOAA photo Less oxygen dissolved in the water is often referred to as a “dead zone” (in red above) because most marine life either dies, or, if they are mobile such as fish, leave the area. Habitats… Read More ›
Florida’s Lagoon a Marine Life “Killing Zone”
Its 156 miles of water boast more than 600 species of fish and more than 300 kinds of birds. The lagoon is not just an ecological treasure. To the towns along its edge — Titusville, Cocoa, Melbourne, Vero Beach and… Read More ›
Risso Dolphin Dies From Plastic Bag Ingestion
A boater discovered a 10-ft Risso dolphin swimming in Haverstraw Bay over the Memorial Day weekend. According to NBC New York, officials said it is extraordinarily rare for the dolphin to be found swimming that far north in the Hudson… Read More ›
Eco-Disaster Threatens Florida’s Oyster Industry
The New York Times Reports: By LIZETTE ALVAREZ APALACHICOLA, Fla. — If these were ordinary times, Leroy Shiver would be scissoring his heavy tongs along the shallows of Apalachicola Bay and hauling up bushels of oysters for hours on end…. Read More ›
Wild Weather Plummets UK Beach Quality
Delight your young ocean lovers with a delightful video on Neptune 911 For Kids From Live Science As Memorial Day weekend sees people in the United States celebrating the opening of beach season, data from a European Environment Agency (EEA)… Read More ›
New Brief Available: Ocean Hypoxia-‘Dead Zones’
Issue Brief: Ocean Hypoxia – ‘Dead Zones’ 15 May 2013 Summary During the last few decades, anthropogenic inputs of excess nutrients into the coastal environment, from agricultural activities and wastewater, have dramatically increased the occurrence of coastal eutrophication and hypoxia…. Read More ›