Compilation: Mintina 
Dead fish in a green algae lake
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In the Devonian period of the earth, 419 million to 358 million years ago, the earth experienced several severe phases of extinction. About 70% of all animal species on the planet disappeared.
But what caused global disaster is an unlikely factor: several.
University researchers provided evidence supporting this theory in an article published last week in the Gazette of the American Geological Society.
"Our analysis shows that the evolution of several roots is likely to affect the oceans, thereby providing excessive nutrients that allow staggering amounts of algae to grow in waters," said Gabriel Filippelli, a professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana /Purdue University.
"These rapidly growing, destructive algae consumed most of the oxygen in the ocean, triggering a catastrophic mass extinction event," Filippelli said.
From a scientific point of view, this process is called water eutrophication . And this is similar to what happens on a modern small scale. Fertilizer and agricultural runoff have caused the explosion of similar seaweed to
In other words, this study of the prehistoric period of the Earth accurately demonstrates what will happen in the future without reducing ocean pollution.
Oil overgrowth will have a devastating effect on water life
photo provided: Shutterstock
Algae give birth to "death zone"
In the Devonian period, the explosion of oxygen-consuming algae originated from tree roots. These evolved plants absorb nutrients from the land and then wash into the ocean when they decay.
In ancient times, the phosphorus level on the earth showed huge fluctuations. By analyzing the rocks in the prehistoric lake beds of Greenland and Scotland’s prehistoric lakes, the researchers found that periods of high phosphorus content happen to be the same as the cycle of life failure on land plants.
This suggests that dead tree roots release nutrients to the planet's waters during this period.
"It's hard to see what happened 370 million years ago," Matthew Smart, a PhD student in Filippelli's lab during the study. "But rocks have a long memory, and there are still places on Earth where you can use chemical methods as microscopes to unlock mysteries in the ancient world."
This does not mean that we should worry that modern trees will cause such destruction. Because since then, nature has gradually evolved, balancing the impact of rotten wood on the environment. For example, modern land retains more nutrients than it was in the thin bottom layer at that time.
In short, artificial pollution brings new and modern destruction. Organic waste, such as sewage, waste and fertilizers, also begin to consume oxygen in the Earth's oceans.
This also forms a "death zone", and some marine areas show no signs of life anymore.
"A new and in-depth analysis of the catastrophic results of natural time in the ancient world may become a warning to the behavior of modern people to lead to similar situations," Filippelli said.
Information source: Andrew McLemore
