Theory 86/Coastal & Estuary/Hypoxia
Hypoxia Is Stratification Against Demand
The claim
Estuarine hypoxia forms when the ratio of stratification to oxygen demand exceeds a threshold, so a well-mixed system can carry a large load without hypoxia.
01Mechanism
Stratification isolates bottom water from the atmosphere while demand consumes its oxygen; the ratio sets the balance.
02Prediction
Hypoxia should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Hypoxia tracking nutrient load would remove stratification.