Massive dead zone forming off Oregon and Washington coast
We ve seen dead zones before, but researchers say this one will be bigger and much closer to shore than they had anticipated. Author: Keely Chalmers (KGW) Updated: 1:05 PM PDT July 23, 2021
PORTLAND, Ore. Scientists say a huge dead zone is forming off the coasts of Oregon and Washington.
We ve seen dead zones before, but researchers say this one will be bigger and much closer to shore than they had anticipated.
Back in 2006, crabs littered the ocean floor off Oregon s coast. There were no fish to speak of. It was a dead zone. One of the first researchers had discovered off Oregon s coast.
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IMAGE: This close-up image of two pteropods of the species Limacina helicina provides a sense of how fragile the carbonate shells of the tiny sea snails are. view more
Credit: Credit: NOAA Ocean Acidification Program
Shelled pteropods, microscopic free-swimming sea snails, are widely regarded as indicators for ocean acidification because research has shown that their fragile shells are vulnerable to increasing ocean acidity.
A new study, published in the journal
Scientific Reports, shows that pteropods sampled off the coasts of Washington and Oregon made thinner shells than those in offshore waters. Along the coast, upwelling from deeper water layers brings cold, carbon dioxide-rich waters of relatively low pH to the surface. The research, by a team of Dutch and American scientists, found that the shells of pteropods collected in this upwelling region were 37 percent thinner than ones collected offshore.