Dead Zones
The Loss of Oxygen from Rivers, Lakes, Seas, and the Ocean
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press Inc
Published:8th Apr '21
Should be back in stock very soon
Dead zones are on the rise... Human activity has caused an increase in uninhabitable, oxygen-poor zones--also known as "dead zones"--in our waters. Oxygen is the third most abundant element in the universe, and it is a necessity for nearly all life on Earth. Yet many rivers, estuaries, coastal waters, and parts of the open ocean lack enough of it. In this book, David L. Kirchman explains the impacts of dead zones and provides an in-depth history of oxygen loss in water. He details the role the agricultural industry plays in water pollution, showcasing how fertilizers contaminate water supplies and kickstart harmful algal blooms in local lakes, reservoirs, and coastal oceans. Algae decomposition requires so much oxygen that levels drop low enough to kill fish, destroy bottom-dwelling biota, reduce biological diversity, and rearrange food webs. We can't undo the damage completely, but we can work together to reduce the size and intensity of dead zones in places like the Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay, and the Baltic Sea. Not only does Kirchman clearly outline what dead zones mean for humanity, he also supplies ways we can reduce their deadly impact on human and aquatic life. Nutrient pollution in some regions has already begun to decline because of wastewater treatment, buffer zones, cover crops, and precision agriculture. More needs to be done, though, to reduce the harmful impact of existing dead zones and to stop the thousands of new ones from cropping up in our waters. Kirchman provides insight into the ways changing our diet can reduce nutrient pollution while also lowering greenhouse gasses emitted by the agricultural industry. Individuals can do something positive for their health and the world around them. The resulting book allows readers interested in the environment--whether students, policymakers, ecosystem managers, or science buffs--to dive into these deadly zones and discover how they can help mitigate the harmful effects of oxygen-poor waters today.
This book weaves a great story about the most insidious form of aquatic pollution, encompassing greed, denial, and stupidity on the one hand, and human ingenuity and the triumph of science on the other. This mixture makes for great reading -- a true detective yarn if you will ... I highly recommend this book to everyone -- ecologists, teachers, monitoring experts, fishers, conservation organizations, policymakers -- in my opinion its even qualifies as a summer beach read for the broader public. A bookshelf must! * Michael Stachowitsch, Marine Ecology *
Kirchman's conversational tone makes Dead Zones nicely accessible . . . At only 172 pages, this book is not a thorough overview but more a general introduction. Since these topics are normally discussed in scientific journals, reports, academic monographs, and edited collections, it is an introduction that is long overdue. * Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist *
COVID-19 has shown us how important but uneasy our relationship with nature can be. In this book, David Kirchman reminds us not only that this isn't new but also of the importance of getting this relationship right. As you read the book, you wonder at what point we will realize that it is clearly in our own self-interest to live more harmoniously with nature than we do right now. This book is a great reminder of this and what can happen when it all goes wrong. Dead Zones explains how and why it is in our collective interest to act now and change things for the better. * Dr. Dan Laffoley, Marine Vice Chair, World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union for Conservation of Nature *
Dead Zones is a stomping good read detailing the waxing and waning of low oxygen waters. Particularly appealing are the intriguing insights Kirchman gives of the scientists who discovered these zones and the twists and turns of their endeavors. The latter chapters are sobering as the link between our burning of fossil fuels, ocean warming, and the growing loss of oxygen across and through the great depths of the ocean becomes clear. There is a finale of optimism with suggestions of what we can all do if we want a thriving and productive ocean — which, after all, is our life support system. * Dr. Carol Turley, OBE, Senior Scientist, Plymouth Marine Laboratory *
Fertilizer madness, killer plankton blooms, hypoxia, anoxia, mass mortalities, and mayhem: This book tackles the only form of pollution — eutrophication — that is killing off entire coastal zones and beyond. It maps out the human-induced causes, introduces the major players involved in unraveling this long-unfolding detective story, and compellingly argues for why we should care and what might be done on this key environmental battlefront. A bookshelf must! * Michael Stachowitsch, Senior Researcher and Lecturer, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna *
ISBN: 9780197520376
Dimensions: 155mm x 236mm x 20mm
Weight: 476g
228 pages