Dead Zones

dead zone

area of ocean with no oxygen

Eutrophication

cause of dead zones, nitrogen and phosphate-rich runoff from watersheds meet ocean

algal blooms

cause of dead zones, algae growing in mass volumes, oxygen from their PS releases into the air

herbivory

cause of dead zones, zooplankton feed on algae and CR consumes oxygen

decomposition

cause of dead zones, algae and other organisms die and sink, releasing their CO2

hypoxia

water when it lacks oxygen, PS organisms are eaten, animals that stand still die, other animals swim to better water

dead zone size factors

precipitation/runoff volume, temperature/light in the summer, farming/landscape and development

land development practices

affect the amount of vegetation and water retention

the greenhouse affect

the earth is warming because CO2 traps heat and is increasing in the atmosphere

thermal expansion

the effect of CO2 heating water

carbon neautral

a process that produces no net carbon, what comes out is reused

industrialization

era fueled by steam, wood and coal, increased CO2 levels

oil and internal combustion

era fueled by petroleum, raised CO2 levels

fossil fuels

made from organism remains

coal

fossil fuels of plant remains

oil

fossil fuel of oceanic remains

2nd industrialization

era fueled by electricity, using more fossil fuels, raising CO2 levels

biofuels

made from natural resources and nearly carbon neutral

biodiesals

plants used to grow fuel, nearly carbon neutral