Scientists Warn That Our Water Is Losing A Troubling Amount Of Its Oxygen

Water’s chemical compound is H2O, which denotes two hydrogen atoms for every oxygen atom. But studies show that the amount of oxygen in the water on our planet is declining — and that could be bad for virtually every living being on the planet.

Fragile ecosystems

Earth is home to a diverse range of plants and animals, which requires symbiotic relationships between species. And one of the core components of all life is oxygen.

Although humans and other land-dwelling lifeforms can find oxygen in the atmosphere, those species living in the water rely on dissolved oxygen in water for their survival. But that doesn’t mean that only aquatic habitats will be affected by water deoxygenation.

According to the results of a study recently published in the Nature Ecology & Evolution journal, this troubling trend is just one of the “planetary boundaries” — along with ozone depletion, chemical pollution, ocean acidification, and climate change — that could inhibit how “humanity can continue to develop and thrive for generations to come.”

As it relates to marine life, billions of humans, not to mention a host of other land animals, rely on water-dwelling plants and animals as a food source. So if such biodiversity begins to dwindle, it will have a ripple effect around the planet.

Is there a solution?

Before figuring out how to fix this problem, researchers need to identify the causes. And ecologist Kevin Rose is among those who point out that as water gets warmer, its ability to hold oxygen decreases. That’s why he and others are pushing for improved monitoring of water oxygen levels as well as a concerted effort to stem the tide of global warming.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient runoff and organic carbon inputs (for example, raw sewage loading) would slow or potentially reverse deoxygenation,” the report’s authors concluded.

Chris Agee July 20th, 2024

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