What marine life is in the Gulf of Mexico?
There are 29 marine mammal species found in the Gulf of Mexico, including such icons as bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, minke whales, sperm whales, and the West Indian manatee. Many of the species of marine mammals found here are threatened or endangered.
How does the Gulf of Mexico affect human life in that area?
Texas Gulf waters, for an example, are a haven for a diverse array of harmful algae. Additional environmental threats for this area include oil spills, stormwater and agricultural runoff, and industrial pollution. Certain types of algae produce toxins that can harm fish, mammals, and birds and cause illness in humans.
Why is marine debris such a big problem in the Gulf of Mexico?
Marine debris in the Gulf of Mexico ranges from large concentrations of litter (i.e. cigarette butts and plastic bottles) that find their way through the storm drains to the beaches to large 190-foot derelict vessels that disturb marshes and seagrass habitats.
Is the Gulf of Mexico very polluted?
The annual Gulf of Mexico dead zone is primarily caused by excess nutrient pollution from human activities in urban and agricultural areas throughout the Mississippi River watershed. The Mississippi River watershed encompasses over 40% of the continental U.S and crosses 22 state boundaries.
Why do oxygen levels in the Gulf of Mexico decrease every summer?
As dead algae decompose, oxygen is consumed in the process, resulting in low levels of oxygen in the water. The hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico forms every summer and is a result of excess nutrients from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River and seasonal stratification (layering) of waters in the Gulf.
What activities cause hypoxia?
Hypoxia occurs most often, however, as a consequence of human-induced factors, especially nutrient pollution (also known as eutrophication). The causes of nutrient pollution, specifically of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients, include agricultural runoff, fossil-fuel burning, and wastewater treatment effluent.
Is there a dead zone on Earth?
Dead zones occur in coastal areas around the nation and in the Great Lakes — no part of the country or the world is immune. The second largest dead zone in the world is located in the U.S., in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
How can we fix ocean dead zones?
Conservation tillage: Reducing how often fields are tilled reduces erosion and soil compaction, builds soil organic matter, and reduces runoff. Managing livestock waste: Keeping animals and their waste out of streams, rivers, and lakes keep nitrogen and phosphorus out of the water and restores stream banks.
What causes a dead zone?
When there are excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water, algae can bloom to harmful levels. Dead zones form when the algae die, sink to the bottom, and are decomposed by bacteria—a process that strips dissolved oxygen from the surrounding water.