Ocean Dead Zones Expanding

Only Dolly kept oxygen-free area from becoming largest ever

(NEWSER) - Scientists are increasingly concerned about the growing "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, an oxygen-poor mass of water that cannot sustain most sea life, which now covers 8,000 square miles, nearly the largest ever. Created by fertilizer runoff from the Mississippi, the zone would be even bigger if not for the ocean-stirring power of Hurricane Dolly, reports the Washington Post. More»

10% less vapor in stratosphere kept temperature increase down in 2000s

(NEWSER) - A decrease in water vapor in the stratosphere may be the reason global warming hasn't increased as fast as expected over the last 10 years. The planet warmed .18 degree from 2000 to 2009, below the forecast .25 degree. A 10% drop in stratospheric water vapor “very likely made substantial contributions to the flattening of the global warming trend,” says the lead author of a new study in Science. More»

(NEWSER) - Snorkelers and scuba divers aren’t the worst threat to the embattled coral reefs of the world—climate change, commercial fishing, and pollution take top honors—but the casual tourist can lessen, and even mitigate, the damage he or she causes, Slate reports. Of course, snorkelers shouldn’t purposefully snap off pieces of the majestic underwater life forms. But carelessly dragging equipment across coral, or walking on it, while looking for a better view is equally destructive. More»

Creatures' movements may carry carbon dioxide to ocean depths

(NEWSER) - Jellyfish may be secretly affecting the climate of the oceans: Their movements appear to help change the balance of carbon in the atmosphere, NPR reports. Many jellyfish hide from predators deep underwater during the day and head to the surface at night for a snack, says an oceanographer. When they return, a study in Nature says, they may be carrying carbon dioxide dissolved in surface water down with them. More»

Federal panel moves to block trawlers from newly accessible waters

(NEWSER) - A federal panel has voted to block fishing trawlers from moving into a vast area of the Arctic Sea made newly accessible by melting ice, the New York Times reports. The move will protect 150,000 square nautical miles of US waters north of the Bering Strait while scientists assess commercial fishing's impact on the ecosystem. More»