DEAD ZONES

Dead zones are on the rise... Human activity has caused an increase in uninhabitable oxygenpoor zonesalso known as dead zonesin our waters. Oxygen is the third most abundant element in the universe and it is a necessity for nearly all life on Earth. Yet many rivers estuaries coastal waters and parts of the open ocean lack enough of it. In this book David L. Kirchman explains the impacts of dead zones and provides an indepth history of oxygen loss in water. He details the role the agricultural industry plays in water pollution showcasing how fertilizers contaminate water supplies and kickstart harmful algal blooms in local lakes reservoirs and coastal oceans. Algae decomposition requires so much oxygen that levels drop low enough to kill fish destroy bottomdwelling biota reduce biological diversity and rearrange food webs. We cant undo the damage completely but we can work together to reduce the size and intensity of dead zones in places like the Gulf of Mexico Chesapeake Bay and the Baltic Sea. Not only does Kirchman clearly outline what dead zones mean for humanity he also supplies ways we can reduce their deadly impact on human and aquatic life. Nutrient pollution in some regions has already begun to decline because of wastewater treatment buffer zones cover crops and precision agriculture. More needs to be done though to reduce the harmful impact of existing dead zones and to stop the thousands of new ones from cropping up in our waters. Kirchman provides insight into the ways changing our diet can reduce nutrient pollution while also lowering greenhouse gasses emitted by the agricultural industry. Individuals can do something positive for their health and the world around them. The resulting book allows readers interested in the environmentwhether students policymakers ecosystem managers or science buffsto dive into these deadly zones and discover how they can help mitigate the harmful effects of oxygenpoor waters today.