Submitted by filosoful t3_zj14z5 in Futurology
Comments
filosoful OP t1_izt4y7w wrote
Françoise Gaill, a French marine biologist and vice president of the Ocean & Climate Platform, who is also a scientific adviser at France’s National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), spoke to FRANCE 24.
FRANCE 24: What is a dead zone?
Françoise Gaill: Dead zones are hypoxic areas in the ocean, where the concentration of oxygen is below the norm. This can mean a decrease of up to 20 percent, which is already quite significant, but can reach up to a 50 percent drop in oxygen levels.
The lack of oxygen occurs in the ocean’s surface areas, between 50 and 400 metres deep. The shallowest waters are generally less affected since they have more contact with the air and therefore benefit from oxygenation, which is less available in deep water.
Dead zones are mostly found off the coast of the Americas, from California to Chile. West Africa is also affected, as is the western part of Indonesia in the Indian Ocean.
Although they mostly hug coastlines, we are starting to see some dead zones stretch from the Americas into the middle of the Pacific, far from the shore.
FuturologyBot t1_iztagjf wrote
The following submission statement was provided by /u/filosoful:
Françoise Gaill, a French marine biologist and vice president of the Ocean & Climate Platform, who is also a scientific adviser at France’s National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), spoke to FRANCE 24.
FRANCE 24: What is a dead zone?
Françoise Gaill: Dead zones are hypoxic areas in the ocean, where the concentration of oxygen is below the norm. This can mean a decrease of up to 20 percent, which is already quite significant, but can reach up to a 50 percent drop in oxygen levels.
The lack of oxygen occurs in the ocean’s surface areas, between 50 and 400 metres deep. The shallowest waters are generally less affected since they have more contact with the air and therefore benefit from oxygenation, which is less available in deep water.
Dead zones are mostly found off the coast of the Americas, from California to Chile. West Africa is also affected, as is the western part of Indonesia in the Indian Ocean.
Although they mostly hug coastlines, we are starting to see some dead zones stretch from the Americas into the middle of the Pacific, far from the shore.
Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/zj14z5/biodiversity_ocean_dead_zones_are_proliferating/izt4y7w/
BaronVonNumbaKruncha t1_iztj795 wrote
Take your science-denying, 15 year outdated graphic and gtfo
bigwilyd t1_iztl6gy wrote
Lmao at your comment history. This is america
MagnusCaseus t1_iztqyp9 wrote
The phrase "global warming" has been damaging to what the actual environmental movement should be about. The Earth has endured and overcome many global catastrophes that have wiped out species, it would be arrogant to think that humans will permanently damage the planet. No, what the environmental movement should advertise more is that it's about self preservation of our relatively comfortable lifestyles, and peace that people have enjoyed in the last several decades.
At the rate we're going in our exploitation of the planet's resources we will head to societal collapse, either from the destruction of our current living environments, or from the infighting we will have when we compete over limited resources. It will be like the dark ages after the fall of Rome.
RecoveringGrocer t1_izttu96 wrote
Oh I didn’t know present day was 1950. Boys, we’ve got loads of time to deal with this climate warming whatever!
ThrillSurgeon t1_iztwkll wrote
This is so scary.
robsommerfeldt t1_izu24xg wrote
Always has to be at least one idiot at every party. This time it’s you.
Goldenslicer t1_izu4jkr wrote
Can't we take a giant ladle and stir the ocean water around these dead zones to help oxygen from the surface proliferate down there?
/s
Goldenslicer t1_izu55u9 wrote
Ocean 'dead zones'? As in, ecological dead zones?
That's where the Ghost Leviathans are. I'd steer clear, they're quite terrifying.
BoopityBoopi t1_izuc667 wrote
>Ghost Leviathans
Nah nothing can live there, we have killed these zones 100%
Songmuddywater t1_izuj1u4 wrote
Still waiting on the hole in the ozone to kill us all!
3a5m t1_izvpkg4 wrote
And this is what I was looking for when I scrolled. Glad someone else is taking an Earth catastrophe as serious as me!
BrawndoOhnaka t1_izw5l3r wrote
The cause is known. It's chemical runoff from modern agriculture (most because of livestock feed).
AG2dayAG t1_izw7er2 wrote
So it isn't technically climate change as it is more careless agriculture. Laws should get strict on chemical control
BrawndoOhnaka t1_izw8j9t wrote
The ocean dead zones have a critical impact on the ocean ecosystem, and the oceans are the "lungs" of the planet. It is very much a climate issue.
Besides that, animal agriculture is one of the two leading causes of GHG emissions, and the leading cause of deforestation.
Gnarlodious t1_izxd6a1 wrote
“dead zones are proliferating” succinctly exemplifies the moribund state of Reddit literacy.
Gnarlodious t1_izxdbwb wrote
Good idea, stir up a cloud of toxic sediment!
filosoful OP t1_izt4x0n wrote
An ongoing decrease in oxygen levels underwater is an important component of the loss of marine life. More than 400 "dead zones" – where aquatic life can no longer survive – existed in the world’s oceans in 2007, according to a study led by a scientist at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, compared to 150 in 2003.
Deprived of essential oxygen, these marine areas span 245,000 square kilometres and threaten vertebrate animals, with more than a third of marine mammals affected.
The phenomenon has been ongoing since the 1980s and is proliferating, while research on the subject lags behind.