CAUSES of DEADZONES
Natural
Anthropogenic CAUSES...
Pg. 4
Overtime, many modern systems have contributed to eutrophic levels within lakes and oceans, causing Dead Zones. One major example of this is the rise of industrial farming, which produces huge quantities of waste including fertilizer and pesticides, that end up in our waterways. Another is densely populated coastlines, which also have substantial nitrogen and phosphorus deposits. There are other industries which can produce an output of nitrogen or phosphorus including but not limited to mining waste or chemical production waste. (National Geographic, 2011)
Dead Zones can occur natural from increases nitrogen of phosphorus in the environment. However, Dead Zones have widely increased an estimate 2 to 3 fold with anthropogenic influences. Naturally if a nitrogen deposits, coming from lighting or an increase of nitrogen rich plants on land, is in close proximity to bodies of water it can increase phytoplankton growth and lead to a naturally occurring deadzone condition. Some areas, such as a Black sea have annual Dead Zone Conditions which natural occur. (Diaz, 2016)
By Alea Chedekel