Omega produces improved ecosystem conditions, renewable biofuels, and clean water through the use of waste products and non-invasive algae

Solvency---US Key

US coasts are being harmed by dead zones, and inaction only leads to further harm

Howarth, Robert. "What Is a “dead Zone”?" Actionbioscience. ActionBioscience, Sept. 2000. Web. 15 July 2014.

Excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus — which make their way to the Gulf from the atmosphere and via rivers polluted with agricultural runoff and municipal and industrial waste — trigger algal blooms.¶ ¶ The algae use up available oxygen, killing bottom-dwellers such as oysters, clams, and snails, and driving away fish, shrimp, and crabs.¶ ¶ Excess nitrogen is particularly harmful for marine ecosystems, and can be linked to everything from increased outbreaks of red tides to the deaths of marine mammals and the loss of biodiversity. And it isn’t just the Gulf area that is affected by an overabundance of nitrogen and phosphorus. All of our coasts are being damaged. Of 139 U.S. coastal areas assessed recently, 44 were identified as severely affected by high levels of these nutrients. What’s more, many scientists predict that the problem will worsen in the coming decades unless action is taken now to reduce nutrient excesses in U.S. waters.

Biodiversity I/L

Dead zones kill biodiversity through making harsh conditions, and cause harm to surrounding ecosystems by putting increased pressure on their resources.

Bomstein, Ellie. "Dead Zones: Effects." Dead Zones: Effects. University of Michigan, n.d. Web. 14 July 2014.

A dead zone has many negative effects. The first is loss of habitat for organisms living in the hypoxic area. If the dead zone is large enough, the organisms that are forced to move out of it might place extra strain on the surrounding, healthier ecosystems. Secondly, dead zones can lead to loss of biodiversity because they cause a sort of “un-natural” selection, and kill off organisms that cannot get out of the area before it becomes hypoxic. Another major problem associated with dead zones is the loss of income to the industries dependent on the ecosystem. Fishing and crabbing industries suffer greatly when the coastal waters are hypoxic. Many coastal, recreational areas are deemed unsafe when the water is hypoxic, which can hurt a tourism-based economy

Dead zones are key stressors on the ocean because of loss of livable conditions.

Diaz RJ and Rosenberg R, professor at Virginia Institute of Marine Science (2008) Spreading dead zones and consequences for marine ecosystems. Science 321: 926–929.

Dead zones in the coastal oceans have spread exponentially since the 1960s and have serious consequences for ecosystem functioning. The formation of dead zones has been exacerbated by the increase in primary production and consequent worldwide coastal eutrophication fueled by riverine runoff of fertilizers and the burning of fossil fuels. Enhanced primary production results in an accumulation of particulate organic matter, which encourages microbial activity and the consumption of dissolved oxygen in bottom waters. Dead zones have now been reported from more than 400 systems, affecting a total area of more than 245,000 square kilometers, and are probably a key stressor on marine ecosystems.

Nutrients that cause dead zones, if not contained, can cause massive biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse by settling on the seabed.

BISE, (Biodiversity Information System for Europe). "Pollution." Biodiversity Information System for Europe. High-Level Conference on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem and Their Services (MAES) in Europe, 22 May 2014. Web. 15 July 2014. .

All forms of pollution pose a serious threat to biodiversity, but in particular nutrient loading, primarily of nitrogen and phosphorus, which is a major and increasing cause of biodiversity loss and ecosystem dysfunction. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition represents a major threat to European biodiversity and a serious challenge for the conservation of natural habitats and species. In addition, nitrogen compounds can lead to eutrophication of ecosystems. The main pollution sources are from transport and agriculture. It is the only air pollutant for which concentrations have not decreased in Europe following the implementation of legislation.¶ For many European ecosystem types, studies have concluded that nitrogen deposition results in loss of species richness. Peatland ecosystems provide an example of how species replacement, resulting from nitrogen deposition, may alter ecosystems functionality. For example, the carbon sequestration capacity of rain fed (ombrotrophic) bog ecosystems decreases when subjected to elevated nitrogen inputs. The critical load of nutrient nitrogen is exceeded by more than 1 200 equivalents nitrogen per ha and year in western France, some parts of Belgium and the Netherlands, and the North of Italy.¶ Pollution continues to be a major problem affecting most of the European seas, in spite of the reduction in point sources (e.g. sewage outfall pipes or fish farm effluents) of nutrients in some areas. Nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment can result in a chain of undesirable effects, starting with excessive growth of planktonic algae, which increases the amount of organic matter settling to the seabed. This accumulation may be associated with changes in species composition and altered functioning of the food web.

Dead zones are increasing-causes species extinction

American Chemical Society 4/3/06 [American Chemical Society- the world’s largest scientific society and a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress, “Ocean ‘Dead Zones’ Triggers Sex Changes In Fish, Posing Extinction Threat”, April 3, 2006, “http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060402220803.htm]

Oxygen depletion in the world’s oceans, primarily caused by agricultural run-off and pollution, could spark the development of far more male fish than female, thereby threatening some species with extinction, according to a study published on the Web site of the American Chemical Society journal, Environmental Science & Technology. The study is scheduled to appear in the May 1 print issue of the journal. The finding, by Rudolf Wu, Ph.D., and colleagues at the City University of Hong Kong, raises new concerns about vast areas of the world’s oceans, known as "dead zones," that lack sufficient oxygen to sustain most sea life. Fish and other creatures trapped in these zones often die. Those that escape may be more vulnerable to predators and other stresses. This new study, Wu says, suggests these zones potentially pose a third threat to these species — an inability of their offspring to find mates and reproduce. The researchers found that low levels of dissolved oxygen, also known as hypoxia, can induce sex changes in embryonic fish, leading to an overabundance of males. As these predominately male fish mature, it is unlikely they will be able to reproduce in sufficient numbers to maintain sustainable populations, Wu says. Low oxygen levels also might reduce the quantity and quality of the eggs produced by female fish, diminishing their fertility, he adds. In their experiments, Wu and his colleagues found low levels of dissolved oxygen — less than 2 parts per million — down-regulated the activity of certain genes that control the production of sex hormones and sexual differentiation in embryonic zebra fish. As a result, 75 percent of the fish developed male characteristics. In contrast, 61 percent of the zebra fish spawn raised under normal oxygen conditions — more than 5 parts per million — developed into males. The normal sex ratio of zebra fish is about 60 percent male and 40 percent female, Wu says. "Reproductive success is the single most important factor in the sustainability of species," Dr. Wu says. "In many places, the areas affected by hypoxia are usually larger than the spawning and nursery grounds of fish. Even though some tolerant species can survive in hypoxic zones, they may not be able to migrate out of the zone and their reproduction will be impaired." Hypoxia is considered one of the most serious threats to marine life and genetic diversity, Wu says. It occurs when excessive amounts of plant nutrients, particularly nitrogen, accumulate in oceans, freshwater lakes and other waterways. These nutrients trigger the growth of huge algae and phytoplankton blooms. As these blooms die, they sink to the ocean floor where they are decomposed by bacteria and other microorganisms. Decomposition depletes most of the oxygen in the surrounding water, making it difficult for marine life to survive. Although some hypoxic areas — dead zones — develop naturally, scientific evidence suggests in many coastal areas and inland waters, hypoxia is primarily caused by agricultural run-off (particularly fertilizers) and discharge of domestic and industrial wastewaters. Dead zones are developing along the coasts of the major continents, and they are spreading over larger areas of the sea floor, Wu says. The United Nations Environmental Programme estimates nearly 150 permanent and recurring dead zones exist worldwide, including 43 in U.S. coastal waters. In the Gulf of Mexico, for instance, a dead zone the size of New Jersey, some 7,000 square miles, develops each summer. Other affected areas of the United States include coastal Florida and California, the Chesapeake Bay and Long Island Sound.

Decreased oceanic oxygen levels destroy biodiversity

Villarante-Tonido 3/18/2012 [Karen Villarante-Tonido, “Climate Emergency Institute Climate Science Library” March 18, 2012, http://www.climateemergencyinstitute.com/ocean_oxy_karen_vt.html]

I. ​​Introduction ​​The rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) due to unabated carbon emissions have been given much attention in recent years because of its major impact on global temperatures, climate, ocean chemistry, etc. Recently, it has also been reported to affect the level of oxygen (O2) in the atmosphere. Dr. Ralph Keeling estimated that about three O2 molecules are lost every time a single CO2 molecule is produced by fossil fuel combustion (Johnston, 2007). A 0.0317% decline in atmospheric oxygen has been recorded thus far (for the period 1990 to 2008) (Klusinske, 2010). ​​Fortunately, the world’s oceans (which cover 70% of the Earth’s surface) function as an efficient carbon sink. They absorb about half of the anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere (Sabine et al., 2004), thereby buffering the effects of excess atmospheric CO2. Unfortunately however, this is not without consequence to ocean chemistry. Elevated atmospheric CO2 have been reported to cause ocean warming, acidification and recently, the decline in ocean oxygen levels. ​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​III. Causes ​​Global warming and consequently, ocean warming causes a decline in dissolved oxygen for two reasons. First is that the solubility of oxygen decreases as the ocean waters get warmer. In fact, zones of low oxygen in the ocean were found to be contracted in cold periods and expanded in warm periods based on geological records (Conners, 2011). Second, warm ocean waters are more stable, thereby slowing down the “ocean’s thermohaline ‘conveyor belt’ circulation system that…overturns surface layers of the water into the deep and vice versa…” The result is less oxygen carried from the surface layers of the water (which is in intimate contact with air) into the deeper layers (NASA, 2009). This leads to further oxygen depletion of the region between the surface and the deep ocean, the oxygen-minimum zone or OMZ (Chameides, 2010). In addition, the slowing down of the ocean’s circulation system also brings fewer nutrients from the deep layers into the ocean surface. With fewer nutrients available in the surface layers, oxygen-producing phytoplankton that drift in the ocean surface may be grossly affected. In fact, the declining numbers of phytoplankton species (which dropped by 40 percent from 1950 to 2010) noted in a study published July 29 in Nature was attributed to this nutrient deprivation (Morello, 2010). Phytoplankton organisms produce half of the world’s oxygen output (the other half is produced by plants on land). Hence, with decreasing numbers of these oxygen producers, the level of oxygen in the ocean (and the atmosphere as well) is bound to decline further. Another reason for the reduced oxygen levels in the deep ocean mentioned by Stramma et al. (2008) is the reduced production of oxygen-rich deep water in polar regions. Furthermore, pollution has also been cited as one reason for the decline in ocean oxygen. Pollutants such as discharged sewage and industrial waste, farm fertilizer run-off, etc. trigger oxygen-depleting algal blooms. However, this only explains oxygen reduction in some coastal waters. In contrast, global warming justifies (at least partly) ocean oxygen decline across the globe. IV. Implications ​​Oxygen is the most important constraint or limiting factor on the growth of many marine organisms according to Daniel Pauly, a Fisheries Biologist at the University of British Columbia (Zimmer, 2010). When ocean oxygen levels run low, it is harder for aerobic marine animals to respire (extract oxygen from seawater for use in respiration). This in turn, makes it more difficult for these animals “to find food, avoid predators, and reproduce” (NASA, 2009). ​​Hence, decreased ocean oxygen levels can have devastating effects on marine life. Many marine organisms are stressed or cannot survive under hypoxic conditions (between 60 to 120 m mol/kg depending on the species) (Ho, 2009). For instance, during the Permian-Triassic extinction event about 252 million years ago, extremely low oxygen conditions led to the loss of approximately 90% of marine animal taxa (Conners, 2011). To avoid the risk of local extinction, many organisms move to non-hypoxic areas. Therefore as oxygen-poor regions expand, there are less and less suitable areas for aerobic marine organisms to thrive and enter into in search of food. The result is habitat compression for these hypoxia-intolerant species, decreases in biodiversity, shifts in animal distributions and changes in ecosystem structure (Stramma et al., 2010). ​​​​​​​​​ ​​V. Summary and Conclusions ​​Ocean oxygen levels are declining and this is partly due to climate change. Compounded by the effects of ocean warming and acidification, ocean oxygen decline is bound to worsen the negative impact on the ocean’s biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems. This could lead to more ocean dead zones (NASA, 2009) and consequently, decreases in the ocean’s biodiversity and productivity. Pauly and his colleagues predicted that the synergy between low ocean oxygen levels and pH will decrease the world’s fish catch by 20 to 30 percent by Year 2050 (Zimmer, 2010). ​​

Dead zones caused by algal blooms and hypoxia kills critical species

NOAA 11/8/2013 [National Oceanic and Atmospheic Administration, “Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico”, November 8, 2013, http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ecoforecasting/gulf_of_mexico_factsheet.pdf]

Dead fish or dolphins lining a beach - respiratory problems- shellfish harvesting closures. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia (severe oxygen depletion) are harming an increasing number of coastal and Great Lakes communities, economies, and ecosystems. Virtually every coastal state has reported recurring blooms and over half of our Nation’s estuaries experience hypoxic conditions. Impacts include massive fish kills, devastation of critical coastal habitats, loss of commercially valuable and culturally vital shellfish resources, illness and death in populations of protected marine species, and threats to human health. HAB outbreaks pose an immediate and long-term challenge to the tourism industry, which underpins the economies of many coastal communities. Just one harmful algal bloom event can impose millions of dollars in losses upon local coastal economies. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is leading the nation in to understanding, predicting, and mitigating HAB and hypoxic events and their impacts to ecosystems and coastal communities. The Problem The types and extent of HABs and their impacts has expanded in the Gulf of Mexico. Some blooms produce toxins that cause illness in humans and marine life, including respiratory distress in beachgoers. Other blooms reach such a large size that the decay of the algae robs the water of all oxygen, resulting in hypoxic “dead zones” in the bottom of estuaries and coastal environments and subsequent death of marine animals. The annual Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone at the mouth of the Mississippi River is perhaps best known. Sporadic events can also be devastating, such as the hypoxia on the west Florida coast in 2005, triggered by a toxic HAB, that killed large expanses of coral reefs, benthic organisms, and fish.