Scientists from the Louisiana State University and the University of Michigan predicted big summer ‘dead zones’ this year. This prediction will remain unless a tropical storm hits the areas.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration describes ‘dead zone’ as an area in the ocean where there is less oxygen leading to death of marine life. It is often cause by extreme nutrient pollution from human activities and happens near the coastlines.
Chesapeake Bay, the country’s largest estuary, may have a smaller-than-average dead zone this midsummer stretching up to 7,286 square miles. NOAA said in a news release that the scientists from the University of Michigan and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science were correct that it is smaller this year.
The bay was the first marine dead zone identified in Earth during the 1970s when episodes of fish kills began frequenting the area. It kills approximately 75,000 tons of clams and worms every year disrupting the food chain.
Meanwhile, scientists from Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium predicted that the Gulf of Mexico dead zone will stretch up to 8,561 square miles this year. This is the largest since 1985. It also poses a threat on the commercial and recreational fisheries of the region as it will affect their production of crabs, oysters, and other products they get from the gulf.
The predictions released by the scientists were based on the data they got from the U.S. Geological Survey, an agency that monitors the country’s natural resources and the natural hazards that threatens it. The scientists looked at the trend of the nutrients runoffs and river stream flows of the two body of waters for the past years.
The scientists hope that a tropical storm hits the areas before they take the official measurements of this year's Gulf dead zone beginning July 21 through 28. A tropical storm would cut its size to as little as 5,344 square miles as the rain brings oxygen back to the water.
The official measurements will be released to the public in October.
