Hi Julian. Reading through some of these posts, with their references to Atheism, religions of the book, Iran, Israel, Putin, Stalin; and or, the almost immediately imminent Armageddon?
It is self evidently and patently clear, that the largest dead zone, is between the ears of some of the posters, who as usual, are way off topic, off the planet?
Or, quite blatantly abusing the privilege extended by OLO, and using the site as a par for the course platform, for patently puerile political propaganda?
Rhrosty.

Alarmist and exaggerated. The mass extinctions on Earth have usually come from extraterrestrial sources such as asteroids etc or from vulcanism. Pesticides and man has a miniscule effect in comparison with these massive forces.

Another case of fear mongering with scant evidence. Apart from that the Earth has recovered at least 5 times from Mass extinctions from major catastrophic events so some extra of phosphate isn't going to cause a mass extinction. Calm down.

Your comment Mr Atman is valid. Certainly nutrients are not going to bring about human extinction. Global warming could, as will nuclear war.

Mr Rhrosty, you push aside the distinct possibility of nuclear war being started by Israel in the next few months at your peril. The threat is immediate and may well lead to catastrophe as you would know if you bothered to inform yourself (read some of the articles on Information Clearing House for some thoughts and observations written by prominent Americans).

P.S. Helpful Hint: Your long-winded comments are a feature on OLO but they would have much more force if they were reduced by at least 75%. Cheers.

Atman,

How can dead soil - devoid of microbes - "recover" when man persists in pouring pesticides on it? He assumes he doesn't need a living soil because he can keep sprinkling petrochemical nutrient upon it, much of which which ends ends up in the aquifers and the oceans.

Stupid and arrogant behaviour from "not so wise wise" man.

Atman - you need to read a bit of science, mate. Most past extinctinons were NOT from extraterrestrial sources. Only one that we know of was. The current one, estimated (by eminent biologists) to be eliminating >30,000 species a year, is almost entirely driven by human activity. I wrote the piece because most people do not realise we can also cause extinctions in the oceans: well we can, and that's how.

JulianC - Good article, thank you.

I am surprised by some of the comments on this thread - the side tracks on religion, nukes, middle east tensions, and arguments over global warming - and an unwitting or misinformed dismissal of the seriousness of the issues raised in the article.

Could such response be attesting to a developing antipathy towards environmental issues, or a general overload of critical issues in world affairs, of financial/resources and/or political/conflict origin, causing a 'mind fog' or 'brain blur'? We have only one complex, finite and multifaceted environment, and we ignore its well-being at our ultimate peril.

A Google search on 'worldwide oxygen production' reveals that the world's oceans and waterways produce between 50 to 90% of the world's oxygen. This fact, together with the shrinking capacity of the ocean to absorb and either diffuse/defuse or recycle all manner of humanity's waste (upon which we have relied so heavily in the past), as testified by these 'dead zones', should be ringing alarm bells - as should also the incidence of whale/porpoise beachings, unexplained fish-kills and the growing incidence of deformities and disease in our marine inhabitants.

The oceans are also a massive producer of food for millions of people, all of whom are now becoming slowly poisoned. If we continue to kill the oceans, they in turn will kill us.

It is of course not only excess nutrients but all manner of pollution, chemicals and toxins which we invest to the oceans/waterways - including nuclear waste and radiation. But nature's 'garbage dump' is reacting and revolting at this abuse. Can we not hear it screaming?

We appear to need a massive injection of holistic altruism in our life philosophies. 'Man' does not produce food or life, Nature does.