Pacifica Riptide: Hypoxia: Lack of Oxygen Killing Marine Life

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March 09, 2010

Hypoxia: Lack of Oxygen Killing Marine Life

REUTERS PHOTO

Posted on March 09, 2010 at 11:00 AM in ENVIRONMENT & NATURE | Permalink

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This happens in fish tanks, too. When biological filtration (i.e., converting nitrates to nitrites) is not sufficient to take care of this, ammonia levels can spike so I have to mechanically remove decaying matter (e.g., food, dead animals and plants) at the bottom of the tank with a siphon to bring the tank back into balance. The "gunk" that comes up through the siphon is really rich in nutrients (as this article describes) and is great for our plants.

Perhaps the scientists puzzling over this would do well to consult with inventors who can create a similar mechanism to remove detritus from the bottom of the dead zones and move it to where it might be used as a fertilizer. It would also be great to come up with a way to promote biological filtration. We have the know-how, now we just need to make it happen. It might not be a solution for sea creatures that prefer colder water, but it's vital to ensuring the oceans don't turn into one big dead zone.

Posted by: Lynn Schuette | March 09, 2010 at 04:33 PM

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