Hypoxia
Abnormally low oxygen levels in water or tissues. In aquatic ecosystems, hypoxic conditions stress or kill organisms that require oxygen.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 3 chapters:
"...tude: Humans living at high altitude in the Andes, Tibet, and Ethiopia have independently evolved physiological adaptations to low oxygen levels (hypoxia: oxygen deprivation at high altitudes). However, the genetic basis differs: - Andean populations**: Increased hemoglobin concentration (more red ..."
"...tion (reduces cumulative metabolic throughput), and cellular repair mechanisms. Naked mole rats live 30+ years despite mouse-like size, attributed to hypoxia tolerance, social structure (only queens reproduce, reducing stress on workers), and exceptional DNA repair. But across broad taxonomic scales, the ..."
"... distinct communities at different locations, but all perform similar ecosystem functions (primary production, nutrient cycling, decomposition). When hypoxia (low oxygen) events occur, different species assemblages respond differently based on their physiological tolerances."
Biological Context
Hypoxia in water bodies often results from eutrophication—excessive nutrients fuel algal blooms, and decomposition of dead algae consumes oxygen. The Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' is a hypoxic area caused by nutrient runoff from the Mississippi River basin.