Dead water; The environment.(The problems of reactive nitrogen) From: The Economist (US) | Date: May 17, 2008 | COPYRIGHT 2008 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Too much nitrogen being washed into the sea is causing dead zones to spread alarmingly

NEW life generally flourishes in the spring, unless it is marine life in the Gulf of Mexico. Every spring the coastal waters turn into a scene of devastation and death. Known as a "dead zone", this vast oxygen-depleted area extends along the coast between Louisiana and Texas.

Hundreds of the world's coastal regions have dead zones. They mostly occur when spring rainfall gat...