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What is an oxygen minimum zone?

OceanographyMarine environment

Quick Answer

An oxygen minimum zone is a layer of the ocean where dissolved oxygen is extremely low. These zones often occur between the sunlit surface and the deep ocean.

The Full Story

Oxygen minimum zones, or OMZs, form where oxygen is consumed by decomposition faster than it is replaced by circulation. They are especially common in areas with high biological productivity and limited mixing, such as parts of the eastern Pacific and northern Indian Ocean. Many animals avoid them, and only specially adapted organisms can tolerate the conditions. As oceans warm and stratification increases, some OMZs may expand.

Key Facts

1.A low-oxygen layer in the ocean
2.Common in parts of the eastern Pacific and Indian Ocean
3.Animals must adapt or avoid it

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"The ocean layer where oxygen disappears"