Dead zones are caused in oceans and seas and water-type places when oxygen levels get too low to sustain most life at the bottom and near the bottom of the system, which then kills off all sorts of life in the area. The Gulf of Mexico develops a dead zone every year, but this summer it’s predicted to be the size of New Jersey. Whoa. Reports SPX (via TerraDaily):

Dead zones are caused by nutrient runoff, principally from agricultural activity, which stimulates an overgrowth of algae that sinks, decomposes, and consumes most of the life-giving oxygen supply in the water. The dead zone size was predicted after researchers observed large amounts of nitrogen feeding into the Gulf from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. The rivers experienced heavy water flows in April and May that were 11 percent above average.

Oh, it’s good to know that humans are the cause of this, as per usual. Oh, and that it destroys “critical habitat” for all sorts of life. But, you know, New Jersey’s one of the smaller states, right? That’s not so bad. Wait, the prediction of the dead zone is “between 7,450 and 8,456 square miles”? Hmm.