Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone ´

Is called “Dead zones” to vast strips of water that are uninhabitable or deadly, scientists
consider these areas, oceanic deserts, because few or no organisms can survive, this is caused
by reduced oxygen levels in the water. After the 1970s, the “dead zones” became more
widespread, almost doubling each decade since the 1960s.

How many dead zones do you guys think that exists? In 2018 a study found 400 dead zones. I
decided talk about the one in Gulf of Mexico.

So…Every summer if we take a trip down to where the Mississippi sheds its water into the Gulf
of Mexico we going to find, unfortunately, a lot of sea life dead.

This particular Dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is the result of excess nutrients, like
phosphorus and nitrogen. This excess causes massive seasonal spike in algae populations
which die and consequently decompose. It´s during this process of decomposition when the
water’s oxygen levels plummet ultimately leaving coastal areas full of sea life dead. Despite be
a seasonal phenomenon this decomposition has changed the composition of coastal habitats
of Louisiana, Mississippi and parts of Texas. In August of last year the “dead zone” reached a
record size of eight thousand seven hundred and seventy six square miles which is the size of
New Jersey.

So why this dead zone exists is the main question I guess…

The dead zone is a product of our industrialized agricultural system in which synthetic
chemicals are injected into soil in order to spur growth on dying land as rain flows over
thousands of industrialized farms in the Mississippi river, basin it draws the chemical fertilizers
into water ways which eventually will cause the dead of a lot of animals.

So a conversation about the dead zone is truly about our widespread and off unchecked use of
synthetic fertilizers to encourage consistent plant growth. Well, the major issue here is that
Fertilizer pollution causes problems even before it gets to the ocean. It can contaminate
drinking water, or even turn into suffocating smog , and it’s a big contributor to global
warming.

But what is being done about the dead zone? Or what is being done to trying fix this situation?

 The Conservancy (which is a global institution in protection of the environment and

biodiversity in general) is working with farmers to promote more effective and efficient
use of fertilizers
 The reconnection of rivers to their floodplains not only helps to mitigate floods, but
filter excess nutrients from the water

It's time for us to take a fresh look at the way we manage large rivers and the gulfs and bays
into which they flow. We've seen that dams and levees alone will not solve problems like
floods and their impact in the Gulf. By managing nutrients more efficiently in farm fields and by
restoring wetlands and riparian systems to capture nutrients and reduce runoff, the
Conservancy's Mississippi River Program and Gulf of Mexico Initiative are working with farmers
and other partners to slow or even reduce the growth of the Gulf’s dead zone and its effects
throughout the region.