The Mississippi River feeds the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mississippi River basin includes 40 percent of the lower 48 states. Runoff from watersheds in the basin makes its way to the Gulf, carrying nitrogen and other chemicals that algae thrive on. Resulting algal blooms deplete the water of almost all dissolved oxygen, turning the Gulf each spring into what has been called a dead zone. Dissolved oxygen levels dip below two parts per million, a level lethal to most aquatic species. The American Midwest has lost an estimated 80 percent of its wetlands in the last two centuries, compared to a 50 percent loss in the contiguous United States.
Wetlands create buffers between agricultural lands and streams and rivers.
They are putting up a wind tower, or windmill. On-line booklet of easy tips to save money and the planet. This traveling exhibition tells the important story of biodiversity using science, humor, and creativity, and began touring in June 2001. Developed by World Wildlife Fund and funded by the National Science Foundation, it engages visitors in hands-on activities to explore what biodiversity is, why it's declining, and how we can help to protect it. The peregrine has recovered from near extinction and was removed from the List of Endangered Species in 1999, one of the great success stories in the field of wildlife conservation.