Causes and Effects of Coastal Hpyoxia Worldwide
Author | : |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : |
Release | : 1997 |
Genre | : Marine eutrophication |
ISBN | : |
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Synthesis of literature pertaining to benthic hypoxia and anoxia (Diaz and Rosenberg, 1995) revealed that community and population responses to low dissolved oxygen stress were similar across all ecosystems and followed a hierarchical pattern. The occurrence of hypoxia and anoxia is expanding with significant structural and functional changes in affected benthic communities. Benthic-pelagic coupling is also adversely affected. No other environmental variable of such ecological importance to coastal marine ecosystems around the world has changed so drastically in such a short period as dissolved oxygen. While hypoxic and anoxic environments have existed through geological time, their occurrence in shallow coastal and estuarine areas appears to be increasing, most likely accelerated by human activities. The oxygen budgets of most major coastal ecosystems have been adversely affected mainly through the process of eutrophication, which acts as an accelerant or enhancing factor to hypoxia and anoxia. Many ecosystems that are now severely stressed by hypoxia appear to be near or at a threshold of imminent collapse (loss of fisheries, loss of biodiversity, lower system ascendancy). This text is in PDF format.