New data predictions reveal how the Dead Zone located in the Gulf of New Mexico can span across a region so huge, it can become comparable to the state of Connecticut or almost 5,900 square miles, where little to almost no life forms can exist in here.

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Dead zones or hypoxic zones are caused by land runoff from agricultural waste, seeping into waterways like streams and lakes and eventually reaching the oceans. This waste is composed mostly of nitrogen and phosphorus that are originally from livestock waste which can greatly affect bodies of water within the region, sucking out oxygen from water. Marine plants and animals are at risk of dying from suffocation since oxygen is not present in these bodies of water.

In this new study, researchers predicted the size of this dead zone to be typical during summer, which is still an alarming area size. For this latest prediction, four computer models were developed resulting in this newest analysis, between 5,204 square miles to 6,823 square miles, excluding several environmental factors like hurricanes and tropical storms.

The Gulf of Mexico in the northeastern United States that spans the coastlines of Texas, Louisiana and Florida, is known for its rich ecosystem and biodiversity, where many species thrive. According to Russell Callender from the National Ocean Service, dead zones are threatening gulf fisheries and fishing communities which is why these new predictions can help develop better predictive models with new tools and resources, ultimately providing up to date information to communities and industries.

Since 2001, the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force has been aiming to prevent the size of this dead zone from increasing, down to an average of 1,950 square miles. Between 1995 and 2015, this oxygen depleted zone possessed an alarming average of 5,942 square miles.

According to ecologist Don Scavia of the Graham Sustainability Institute at the University of Michigan, this latest forecast reveals an average sized dead zone but averages are still unacceptable, he says. The action's plan goal is to bring it down to 1,950 square miles and to initiate more serious measures and actions to reduce midwest fertilizer loss that has been leaking into the Mississippi River system.

Predictions are carried out every year by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) for hypoxic zones found in the Gulf of Mexico including Lake Erie and Chesapeake Bay.

Tagsdead zones, Gulf of Mexico, hypoxic zones, hypoxia, Marine Ecosystems, NOAA