Environmental Science
The Impact of Hypoxic Zones on Benthic Invertebrate Communities
Quick fact
When oxygen levels in water drop below 2 mg/L, many benthic invertebrates cannot survive, leading to mass die-offs in areas known as 'dead zones' — hypoxic zones that can span thousands of square kilometers.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a bustling underwater city of crabs, worms, and clams suddenly going silent. What happens when the very oxygen they need to survive disappears?