One of the funny things about experiencing severe respiratory difficulties is the amount of attention it causes one to focus on matters of oxygen. Which is why the publication in the 15 February 2008 edition of the journal Science of a new study that investigated the discovery of anoxia (lack of oxygen) in an area of the Pacific Ocean off the California coast where it had not previously been noted caught my attention and held it so firmly.
These ocean “dead zones” have been being monitored off the Oregon coast for some years now. Images taken with underwater cameras show barren subaquatic planes of death and desolation; only the carcasses of fish, crustaceans, and other marine life are seen litering the ocean floor. Of course, it doesn’t take an advanced degree in any of the life sciences to deduce that if the fish and crustaceans are all dead in a particular area of the ocean that the birds who feed on those creatures in that area may also experience difficulties.
As Rachel Carson so clearly showed us, disturbances in the lower ends of the food chain have effects all the way up to the top. If the study is correct and these “dead zones” are becoming more frequent and expanding in range, it is only a matter of time before the pelagic and ocean-feeding bird species are affected as well.
Peace and good bird watching.
February 15, 2008 @ 11:48
Hi! I found your blog quite a while back because it was on Blogger’s “Blogs of Note” at the time.
Concerning dead zones affecting birds: I used to volunteer with the Aviculture department at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, and a couple summers back (’05 or ’06 I think) our seabird rehab was just about overrun with starving birds because of the big dead zone near Newport. We mostly had lots and lots of murres, plus some puffins and loons and other suchlike things. Parts of the beach were covered in dead ones, too. It was awful.
It’s been a while since I’ve been there, though, so I don’t know if things stayed that bad in following years.
February 16, 2008 @ 06:15
I was just reading about this on the AOL news page. I’m not surprised but was shocked at just how much ocean has been affected. Just yesterday I was photographing white pelicans and this gives me pause to consider them and other bird species that struggle. Good post, John. Hope you’re feeling better.