Analysis of factors affecting oxygen depletion in the New York Bight
Low oxygen water, of varying spatial extent, has been observed during the summer over past years in the New York Bight. In the summer of 1976 a $60 million loss of shellfish resulted from anoxia along the New Jersey coast. The development of anoxia has been attributed to increased anthropogenic carbon loading from urban areas adjacent to the Bight, an unusual climatological regime that restricted renewal of oxygen to the bottom waters, and an unusual abundance and subsequent respiratory demand of the dinoflagellate, Ceratium tripos, beneath the pycnocline. In an attempt to distinguish between man-induced and natural generic causes of oxygen depletion within the New York Bight, we have analyzed historical data extending back to 1910. As a result, we have identified a causal chain of events which led to the observed 1976 anoxia: namely, a warm winter with large runoff, a low frequency of spring storm events, a deep summer thermocline, persistent southerly winds with few reversals, a large autochthonous carbon load and low grazing pressure by zooplankton. Our calculations suggest that anoxia could have occurred off the New Jersey coast in the summer of 1976 without any carbon loading from New York City, and that anoxia in this open shelf system can result from natural physical forcing and biological response.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 5716759
- Journal Information:
- J. Mar. Res.; (United States), Vol. 38:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Preliminary report to IDOE on the possible effects of the Ceratium tripos bloom, in the New York Bight, March--July 1976. [Effects of dinoflagellate respiration on rate of oxygen depletion]
Analysis of time dependent factors leading to anoxic conditions within the Middle Atlantic Bight during 1976
Related Subjects
MOLLUSCS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
OXYGEN
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
WATER POLLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ZOOPLANKTON
ANOXIA
COASTAL WATERS
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
RESPIRATION
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STORMS
URBAN AREAS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DISASTERS
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
INVERTEBRATES
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
PLANKTON
POLLUTION
SURFACE WATERS
USA
VARIATIONS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)