Focusing Ideas

1. Topic: Climate Change
2. Explain interest in topic: I chose this topic in particular because not only is this
   issue happening locally but globally. Climate change is one of the greatest impacts in our
   lives but what we recognize is the effect it has on us. The changes not only affect human
   life but also subtle life such as aquatic and marine life.
3. Refine: Examine how various climatic changes affect aquatic life and the
   contributions humans have made toward eradicating and promoting various climatic
   changes.
4. Identify an issue: Human beings are doing more to promote climatic changes
   than they are doing to eradicate or control it. Not much emphasis is being laid on the
   effects of climatic change to the world as a unit and a touch on oceanic dead-zones.
5. Formulate topic/issue as a question: How can human beings/planet earth
   dwellers be of use in helping preserve the planet the best way possible?
6. Audience: The issue touches every human life on earth and hence the intended
   audience is those most responsible in influencing notable and lasting changes.

Surname 2

Abstract
It is a popular notion that a large percentage (more than 50%) of the ocean life has not yet
been discovered by humans. Although humans have not yet come to grasp the full extent of
oceanic life, much study has been done on the seven seas—ecologically. The study of the seas
and the profound evolution they have undergone shows various changes occurring in this
different realm. One of these notable changes is the rapid increase of dead zones in the oceans.
These areas of minimum oxygen are observed to have significant effects on aquatic life. I will
explore the causes of dead zones and the particular effects and changes it impacts on the climate
and aquatic life. I follow a research of the information provided on the dead zones and the
potential pitfalls to life. A close scrutiny of the evidence will help in determining their reliability
in our perception of how the ocean and climatic change works.
Source 1:
NOAA: Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ predictions feature uncertainty. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (June 21, 2012.)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) puts it that, the excessive
nutrient pollutions that humans cause lead to the depletion of oxygen in both deep and near deep
levels of the ocean. The same report by the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration
(NOAA), states that dead zones form in instances where microscopic plants, specifically
phytoplankton, are sufficiently fertilized by nutrients occurring in excess, these are for example,
fertilizers and sewage. These wastes are primarily the high nutrient waste products generated by
human activities near oceans and dumped into the ocean through river conduits, or in rare cases,

Surname 3
instances where excess fertilizer used in the farms finds its way into streams that lead the water
into oceans and hence affects climate.
Source 2:
Diaz R. J, Rosenberg R. Spreading Dead Zones and Consequences for Marine
Ecosystems. The Science Magazine Vol 321: pp 926-929. 1995.
The evidence given by this article by Diaz and Rosenberg reinforces on the causes of the dead
zones. The researchers put it that, enhanced production along the coastlines results in a
concentration of particulate organic matter, as earlier mentioned, this in turn encourages
microbial activity and the consumption of dissolved oxygen in bottom waters. The report also
gives statistics on the dead zone prevalence citing that dead zones have been reported from more
than 400 systems and cover more than 245, 000 square kilometers of ocean water; the article
adds that this is probably the sole stress on the marine eco-system. The authors also give intricate
figures that show evidence of dead zones existing mostly in the northern hemisphere—close to
more than 40%.
Source 3:
Barner, T. Dead Zones in Coastal Marine Systems and their Impact on Ecosystem
Functioning. Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics (IBP-ETH), Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology (ETH): Zurich
According to Barner, evidence from most of the reports shows that most of the dead zones were
not discovered until the 1960’s. This period is seen to be one of the most industrialized periods in
history. The industrial advancements made before the first discovery of the dead zones can be

Surname 4
owed to their conception. Oceanography performed in modern time is meant to understand the
niche and habitats in the marine world. Human activities, like most other factors leading to a
particular desolation, are seen to contribute to the noticeable climatic changes.