The reduction of oxygen levels in ocean waters is accelerating, according to a study by the University of California San Diego, which represents a threat to life on planet Earth.

In this regard, scientists indicate that “it would be advisable to establish aquatic oxygen as one of the factors that could become tipping points.”

This situation is partly a consequence of an excess of nutrients known as eutrophication. The study details that fertilizers, for example, “are very rich in nitrogen, which is one of the most important nutrients for algae growth. When algae proliferate excessively, they cloud the water and prevent sunlight from adequately reaching aquatic photosynthetic organisms.”

Another cause of this phenomenon lies in what happens after these algae die and sink to the bottom, as they are decomposed by bacteria that consume large amounts of oxygen.

The warming of the planet’s water, due to climate change, means that it dissolves less oxygen than cold water, and this is another reason for the decline in oxygen levels in the water.

This is compounded by “changes in water movement and aeration,” which involve, for example, the construction of dams.

Deoxygenation would affect everything from ocean microorganisms to marine mammals that surface to breathe. Furthermore, the phenomenon would cause the displacement of species and damage to their habitats. On land, processes such as the carbon cycle would be affected, which is why scientists propose including ocean deoxygenation among planetary boundaries to avoid a point of no return for the planet’s survival.

M.Pino

Source: xataka

(Reference image source: Jakub Chlouba on Unsplash)

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