euxinia

[ yook-sin-ee-uh ]

noun

, Biology, Environmental Science.

1. anoxia, or depletion of oxygen, in a body of water, along with a high level of hydrogen sulfide, a condition toxic to aquatic organisms: studied for its effects on Proterozoic oceans, euxinia is relatively uncommon today other than in the Black Sea and in certain swamps and fjords:

   How is the prospect of increased oceanic euxinia tied to climate change?

Other Words From

• eux·in·ic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of euxinia¹

First recorded in 1950–55; Euxin(e) ( def ) (ancient name for the Black Sea) + -ia ( def )

Example Sentences

The rust may explain why even though instances of nutrient pollution, algal blooms and oxygen depletion are relatively common, reports of euxinia are rare.

From Science News

In 2015, Malkin, Meysman and colleagues reported that cable bacteria may help to counteract the onset of euxinia — a fatal buildup of sulfides in oxygen-starved bodies of water.

From Science News