Utah People's Post

The Latest News from the Beehive State

Saturday, June 25, 2022
Log in
  • National News
    • Female Caseworker Killed & Doctor Shot in Philadelphia
  • State News
    • Car Chase Leads to Drug Arrest
  • Tech & Science
  • Health
    • How to Prepare For Ticks Season
    • Magical Weight Loss Bean Scam
  • Sports
  • Business
You are here: Home / National News / Researchers claim another reason behind the dead zones in the Great Lakes

Researchers claim another reason behind the dead zones in the Great Lakes

January 9, 2015 Posted by Editor

Researchers claim another reason behind the dead zones in the Great LakesApparently there is another reason behind the dead zones in the Great Lakes. A new study revealed that weather also played a major role in their formation. Up until now, the main reason behind this recent event was considered the high levels of phosphorus in the lakes.

A dead zone can be defined as an inhabitable aquatic area. Due to very low levels of oxygen in the water, fish and other life forms have nothing to feed on.

In order to find out more about these dead zones, scientists focused their research on Lake Erie, the smallest of the Great Lakes. The lake has been gradually degrading for more than four years. This environment once blooming with life has now turned into a hazardous zone. In 2011 scientists noticed an abnormal level of algae.

Anna Michalak, lead author of the study and researcher at the Carnegie Institute for Science, explained how this phenomenon occurs in humid areas, when the levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in the water are alarmingly high, creating an over-nurtured environment perfect for growing toxic algae.  She added that this is usual in layered masses of water when a warmer layer of water is placed over the cooler mass, preventing oxygen from reaching the deeper portions of water.

The excess was thought to be caused by agricultural fertilizers dumped in the lake.

The process continued with algae using up all the nutrients in the lake, leaving the fish with nothing to feed on. 2012 was the year dead zones appeared. The deterioration got so serious that in August 2014, Toledo had to shut down its water supply coming from the Great Lakes due to toxic levels of algae in the water.

Up until now, no one has thought that climate change might be the bigger cause behind the phenomenon.  According to a study conducted by the researchers from Carnegie Institution, the dead zones were not created through high levels of phosphorous alone. Weather conditions such as drought also played a major role. The findings show that wind speed and the low quantity of water acquired from tributary sources have also led to the lake’s current condition.

Scientists advised authorities to investigate both the changes resulted from the dumping of fertilizers and those generated by the changes in weather.

Lead researcher Anna Michalak stated that in order to stop the degrade changes must be made in agricultural practices and in the weather conditions.
Image Source: WBEZ

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email

Filed Under: National News, Tech & Science Tagged With: researchers at Carnegie Institute for Science studied dead zones in Great Lakes, Researchers claim another reason behind the dead zones in the Great Lakes, the main reason for dead zones in the Great Lakes was high levels of phosphorus, toxic algae in the Great Lakes, up until now

Woman working out at the gym

Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

United Airlines airplane

Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston

June 28, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Breakfast sandwich

Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poppy flower

UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

U.S.-Canada border

French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border

June 26, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Plus size model

Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

June 25, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Giant manta ray

Unique Manta Ray Nursery Spotted off Texas Coast

June 23, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

The rainbow flag

WHO Scraps Transgenderism from List of Mental Illnesses

June 22, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

456 People Dead at U.K. Hospital after Taking too Many Painkillers

June 21, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Kenyan girls dancing

Kenyans Facing Poor Nutrition as Supermarket Shopping Is on the Rise

June 20, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Staff
  • Terms and Conditions

Recent Posts

  • Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time
  • Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)
  • Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston
  • Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat
  • UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply
  • French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border
  • Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

Related Articles

  • U.S.-Canada border

    French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border

    Jun 26, 2018
  • Billboard on Texas Interstate Kindly Asking Liberals to Leave

    Jun 20, 2018
  • Crosses on a wall

    Religious People Live Longer, Are Less Stressed than Atheists, Study

    Jun 15, 2018
  • U.S. Border Patrol Agents surveying border

    Border Patrol Busts 51K People Trying to illegally Cross Border

    Jun 7, 2018
  • Antineutrino Detector

    Scientists Discover an Even More Elusive Particle than Neutrinos

    Jun 5, 2018
  • Funny Albert Einstein

    Time Travel Is Already Here

    May 30, 2018
  • Alabama 4-Year-Old Is Feeding the Homeless in a Superhero Cape

    May 22, 2018
  • Planet 2003UB313

    Scientists Found Evidence that Elusive Planet 9 May Be Real

    May 18, 2018
  • Electronic cigarette in man's hand

    Electronic Cigarette Blows Up in Florida Man’s Face, Killing Him

    May 17, 2018
  • CIA Hacking Tool Leaker Faces Child Porn Charges

    May 16, 2018

Categories

  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • National News
  • Nature
  • Provo
  • Salt Lake News
  • Science
  • Sports
  • State News
  • Tech & Science
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • West Jordan
  • West Valley City
  • World

Copyright © 2022 utahpeoplespost.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Site Map · Contact