According to new research published today in the journal Science , the eastern areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans with low amounts of dissolved oxygen ( hypoxic ) have increased considerably in the last 50 years. And the latest models of global warming indicate that the trend will continue, especially in the tropical regions of the Atlantic.
The situation is alarming considering that, according to Steven J. Bograd, a researcher at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric . and co-author of the study, "most marine species have minimal oxygen thresholds that they need to survive." The scientists also warn that this trend will affect carbon and nitrogen cycles, which will have "fundamental implications for marine ecosystems and, therefore, for fishery resources ."
