Q7. What are the consequences of the spreading of ‘Dead Zones’ on the marine ecosystem?

Model Answer:

Introduction

Dead zones are areas in oceans and large water bodies with very low oxygen levels, resulting from nutrient pollution, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus. This leads to the decline of marine life.

Body

Consequences of Spreading Dead Zones on the Marine Ecosystem

1. Decline in Biodiversity: Marine organisms, especially fish and shellfish, struggle to survive in low-oxygen environments, leading to a significant loss of species diversity.
2. Disruption of Food Chains: Dead zones disrupt food chains by eliminating primary producers and reducing available food sources for higher trophic levels, affecting overall ecosystem stability.
3. Economic Impact on Fisheries: Depleted fish populations due to dead zones can lead to reduced catches, adversely affecting local economies dependent on fishing and tourism industries.
4. Loss of Habitat: Habitat degradation occurs as low oxygen levels affect breeding and feeding grounds, resulting in further declines in marine populations and species.
5. Increased Algal Blooms: Nutrient pollution leads to harmful algal blooms, which consume oxygen upon decomposition, worsening dead zone conditions and harming marine life.
6. Altered Marine Migration Patterns: Fish and other marine animals may alter their migration patterns in search of oxygen-rich waters, disrupting ecological relationships and breeding cycles.
7. Climate Change Amplification: Dead zones contribute to climate change by releasing methane and other greenhouse gases from decomposing organic matter, exacerbating global warming effects on oceans.

Conclusion

The proliferation of dead zones poses severe threats to marine ecosystems, disrupting biodiversity, and economic stability, and contributing to climate change, necessitating urgent mitigation efforts. 

‍

‍

Instant Mains Evaluation with SuperKalam

✅ Now that you have gone through the model answer, try practicing and writing it in your own words and evaluate it instantly with SuperKalam here - Evaluate Mains Answer instantly