Apes Paper

Eutrophication and Dead Zones in the Gulf of Mexico

Clearwater Beach in Tampa Bay, Florida in the Gulf of Mexico

By: Nisha Sanford

November 17, 2013

B2

Just about every summer me and my family travel to Florida for vacation. This year we went to Clearwater Beach. I was so excited because when we got there, everything was so beautiful. Our hotel room was right on the beach. So every time I went to stand on the balcony I could see the Gulf of Mexico. After we got all our bags and stuff in the hotel room, my brothers and sister and I went down to the beach. The water was cold at first but, we all got us to it. It was like the second day of us being there and we went jet skiing. Which was something none of us every had done before. The whole time we were there, we were always at the beach doing some kind of activity. We all enjoyed it and we plan on going back this upcoming summer.

The photograph of Clearwater Beach relates to Eutrophication process because, human activities in the Midwestern United States impacts not only surrounding land but also the water in rivers and streams, which runs all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists have identified several human actions, both in the past and present, which have contributed to major changes in the Gulf’s waters and ecosystems. Each of these manmade changes in the environment has resulted in unnaturally high levels of specific nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. This causes Eutrophication and can often lead to hypoxia. A report written in 2000 by the National Science and Technology Council Committee on Environment and Natural Resources outlines three historical trends that have contributed to Eutrophication. The first event was river channelization for navigation and flood control, which occurred prior to the 1950’s. Next was landscape alteration by humans. This includes deforestation and the expansion of agricultural drainage, both historically and currently. The problem with changing the...