A gargantuan mass of seaweed that formed in the Atlantic Ocean is headed for the shores of Florida and other coastlines throughout the Gulf of Mexico, threatening to dump smelly and potentially dangerous heaps across beaches.
The seaweed, a variety called sargassum, has long formed large blooms in the Atlantic, and scientists have beensince 2011. But this year's sargassum mass could be the largest on record — spanning more than 5,000 miles from the coast of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico.
"This is an entirely new oceanographic phenomenon that is creating such a problem — really a catastrophic problem — for tourism in the Caribbean region where it piles up on beaches up to 5 or 6 feet deep," Lapointe added. "It comes in in such a large quantities that it basically sucks the oxygen out of the water and creates what we refer to as dead zones," Lapointe said. "These are normally nursery habitats for fisheries ... and once they're devoid of oxygen, we have lost that habitat."
Just like plants and crops on the ground, the proliferation of seaweed can shift year to year depending on ecological factors, affected by changes in nutrients, rainfall and wind conditions, said Dr. Gustavo Jorge Goni, an oceanographer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
Why huge masses of seaweed are floating to Florida and the GulfMasses of tangled brown seaweed, collectively weighing about 13 million tons, that typically float in the Atlantic Ocean are once again drifting toward shore, where they could pose a significant threat to coastal environments and beach communities.
Les mer »
A giant, rotting mass of seaweed threatens beach season in the U.S.The 10-million-pound mass of floating seaweed—called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt—is heading to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean right as tourism peaks.
Les mer »
China, Russia, Iran hold joint naval drills in Gulf of OmanNaval forces from China, Iran and Russia - countries at odds with the United States - are staging joint drills in the Gulf of Oman this week, China’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
Les mer »
PREP GOLF: Enterprise boys win Gulf Shores TournamentThe Enterprise boys golf teams won the two-day Gulf Shores High School Golf Invitational at the Gulf Shores Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday.
Les mer »
'Significant Reinvestment': MGM to Spend $55M to Renovate, Rename Water Club Hotel in Atlantic CityThe owners of Atlantic City's top-performing casino, the Borgata, are renovating and renaming its stand-alone non-casino hotel. Find out what the Water Club will now be known as.
Les mer »
Woman found guilty on stolen property charge in Atlantic City lootingThe woman was found with a television and a safe in her car behind the Rent-A-Center store.
Les mer »