Movie courtesy of NSF.

Ocean Dead Zones

Oceanographers are using robotic undersea "gliders" to study "dead zones" in the seas. Agricultural runoff, carried to the ocean by rivers, can cause plankton blooms which lower oxygen levels in the water. Lacking oxygen, many marine creatures die. Climate change may influence the frequency and extent of these blooms.

Right-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac) here to download a copy of this video in QuickTime format.

Last modified January 15, 2010 by Randy Russell.

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The Summer 2010 issue of The Earth Scientist, available in our online store, includes articles on rivers and snow, classroom planetariums, satellites and oceanography, hands-on astronomy, and global warming.

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