A Novel Framework to Represent Hypoxia in Coastal Systems

Policymakers face the challenge of increasing food and energy production while reducing nutrient pollution. Coastal hypoxic zones, often caused by human activity, are a key indicator of sustainability. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel framework that can be used by policymakers to asse...

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Main Authors: Aavudai Anandhi, Ruth Book, Gulnihal Ozbay
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1169
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author Aavudai Anandhi
Ruth Book
Gulnihal Ozbay
author_facet Aavudai Anandhi
Ruth Book
Gulnihal Ozbay
author_sort Aavudai Anandhi
collection DOAJ
description Policymakers face the challenge of increasing food and energy production while reducing nutrient pollution. Coastal hypoxic zones, often caused by human activity, are a key indicator of sustainability. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel framework that can be used by policymakers to assess strategies to reduce or eliminate hypoxic zones in coastal waters. The developed framework includes socioecological conditions by integrating the Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) framework and multiple thinking approaches (nexus, systems, and goal-oriented) with sustainable development goals (SDGs) and their targets, the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus, agricultural conservation practices (ACPs), and the collective knowledge from the published literature and experts, all applied to hypoxia in oceans. Four categories of ACPs with potential positive effects on hypoxia were identified: conservation cropping systems, conservation drainage systems, riparian buffer systems, and wetland systems. The Gulf of Mexico, a large hypoxic zone, served as a case study. The methods from the development of this framework may be tailored to some 500 global coastal hypoxic zones, covering 245,000 km<sup>2</sup> of oceans.
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spelling doaj-art-6dea5f682fdf489296bb3a23078dfc102025-08-20T03:27:40ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-05-01146116910.3390/land14061169A Novel Framework to Represent Hypoxia in Coastal SystemsAavudai Anandhi0Ruth Book1Gulnihal Ozbay2Biological Systems Engineering, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USAAgricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USADepartment of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USAPolicymakers face the challenge of increasing food and energy production while reducing nutrient pollution. Coastal hypoxic zones, often caused by human activity, are a key indicator of sustainability. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel framework that can be used by policymakers to assess strategies to reduce or eliminate hypoxic zones in coastal waters. The developed framework includes socioecological conditions by integrating the Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) framework and multiple thinking approaches (nexus, systems, and goal-oriented) with sustainable development goals (SDGs) and their targets, the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus, agricultural conservation practices (ACPs), and the collective knowledge from the published literature and experts, all applied to hypoxia in oceans. Four categories of ACPs with potential positive effects on hypoxia were identified: conservation cropping systems, conservation drainage systems, riparian buffer systems, and wetland systems. The Gulf of Mexico, a large hypoxic zone, served as a case study. The methods from the development of this framework may be tailored to some 500 global coastal hypoxic zones, covering 245,000 km<sup>2</sup> of oceans.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1169nexusgoal-oriented thinkingfood–water–best management practiceBMPagricultural conservation practice
spellingShingle Aavudai Anandhi
Ruth Book
Gulnihal Ozbay
A Novel Framework to Represent Hypoxia in Coastal Systems
Land
nexus
goal-oriented thinking
food–water–
best management practice
BMP
agricultural conservation practice
title A Novel Framework to Represent Hypoxia in Coastal Systems
title_full A Novel Framework to Represent Hypoxia in Coastal Systems
title_fullStr A Novel Framework to Represent Hypoxia in Coastal Systems
title_full_unstemmed A Novel Framework to Represent Hypoxia in Coastal Systems
title_short A Novel Framework to Represent Hypoxia in Coastal Systems
title_sort novel framework to represent hypoxia in coastal systems
topic nexus
goal-oriented thinking
food–water–
best management practice
BMP
agricultural conservation practice
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1169
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