Dead Zones

  • Released Friday, March 11, 2005
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Dead zones are areas of water so devoid of oxygen that sea life cannot live there. If phytoplankton productivity is enhanced by fertilizers or other nutrients, more organic matter is produced at the surface of the ocean. The organic matter sinks to the bottom, where bacteria break it down and release carbon dioxide. Bacteria thrives off excessive organic matter and absorb oxygen, the same oxygen that fish, crabs and other sea creatures rely on for life.

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Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

This page was originally published on Friday, March 11, 2005.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:56 PM EDT.