Read the following story on NPR on the Dead Zone that threatens the Gulf marine
ID: 117314 • Letter: R
Question
Read the following story on NPR on the Dead Zone that threatens the Gulf marine life. Either click on the following URL or copy and paste it into your internet browser. Do an internet search on the dead zone on the latest information (are things better or worse?) and discuss the topic by addressing the questions that follow.
http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=128946110
1) Describe the dead zone, its location, and its causes. From your research, is the problem better or worse since this article was written?
2) What can be done or is being done to fix the problem?
3) Why do you think the fixes are not working and what fixes would you suggest?
4) Reply to at least one student’s post on this discussion by agreeing or disagreeing to what the proposed fixes and why you agree or disagree.
Explanation / Answer
Dead zone is an area of deep water in the Gulf where very few things can survive. According to Christopher Joyce, the dead zone is a huge blob of oxygen lacking water that forms in the northern Gulf almost every year. It's called dead because there's too little oxygen in the zone for the survival of most sea creatures. The Gulf of Mexico dead zone is one of the largest in the world.
Eutrophication is the main cause of such “hypoxic” (lacking oxygen) condition. An increase in chemical nutrients in the water, leads to excessive algal blooming that deplete underwater oxygen levels. Nitrogen and phosphorous from agricultural runoff are the primarily the main culprits, but sewage, vehicular and industrial emissions and even natural factors also play a role in the development of these dead zones. The size of the dead zone fluctuates seasonally, as it is dependent on farming practices. It is also affected by weather events such as flooding and hurricanes.
The problem is worse since the article was written as the largest dead zone ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico was reported by National Geographic News in August 2017.
Solutions to Ocean Dead Zones:
a. Often chemicals are not disposed properly, we pour chemicals into the drain or throw them away in the trash can. These chemicals poured down are drained into water bodies like oceans, lakes etc. and cannot be filtered out. The chemicals that we combine with water for cleaning and other purposes, also destroys the life cycle of the ocean. So, better practices and accounting of such problems must be there in place to protect the ocean. It would be a major step to stop letting so many chemicals find their way into the ocean.
b. Out of many causes one of the main cause of the cyanobacteria that accumulates and contributes to dead zones is the use of fertilizers those include harmful chemicals. The less use of fertilizers should be done when farming is done anywhere in the area that is close to water bodies as industrial farming practices encourage the existence of dead zones. Far too much trash is found in the ocean as well.
c. The use of phosphorus and nitrates by farmers for growing their crops, eventually seeps into large rivers and this runoff is poisonous. While this water stimulate the growth of underwater plants, but excessive amounts are harmful. A portion of excess nutrients are taken by some marine animals. If we find some ways to move this process along, things would go much more smoothly and balance could be achieved. Also, if the damage that is done to agriculture as a result of poisoning the ocean is known to the farmers, they could change the way of their working and find alternative approaches which would not contribute to ruining of the environment.
d. Another solution is to raise awareness. Explaining others the importance of keeping the ocean clean can help to encourage positive habits. We should consume less water by being conscious of our daily habits because by doing so less water will enter into the sewage system and the ocean.
The fixes are not working because nine years ago, the federal government promised to find ways to reduce the flow of those nutrients. But for the past five years, the average nutrient load in the river has been higher than ever. Government scientists and their colleagues in academia say that it's very hard to change traditional agriculture across the Midwest. The fixes that I suggest are, we should grow only those crops that are well-suited to that environment up there. The use of fertilizers should be prohibited and besides it organic fertilizers should be made and are used in farming.
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