This Environmental Health Perspectives article provides introductory information regarding the low-oxygen waters of the Mississippi River delta. It explores possible causes of the dead zone such as nutrient influx, algal blooms, and climate change. It also addresses the need for remediation and what is currently being done to reverse the eutrophication. This article features color maps of the dead zone and drainage basin as well as color diagrams of the nutrient cycle, explaining how nutrient enrichment may lead to hypoxia.
