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Biodiversity issues for the forthcoming tropical Mediterranean Sea

  • Biodiversity in Enclosed Seas
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Abstract

Present-day Mediterranean marine biodiversity is undergoing rapid alteration. Because of the increased occurrence of warm-water biota, it has been said that the Mediterranean is under a process of ‘tropicalization’. This paper analyses the main patterns of the Mediterranean Sea tropicalization and considers briefly its extent and consequences. As happened during previous interglacial phases of the Quaternary, Atlantic water, entering via the Straits of Gibraltar, carries into the Mediterranean species that are prevalently of (sub)tropical affinity. On the other side of the basin, Red Sea species penetrate through the Suez Canal, a phenomenon called lessepsian migration from the name of F. de Lesseps, the French engineer who promoted the cutting of the Canal. Also the many exotic species introduced by humans voluntarily or involuntarily are nearly always typical of warm waters. Climate change combines with Atlantic influx, lessepsian migration and the introduction of exotic species by humans to the establishment of tropical marine biota in the Mediterranean Sea. Present-day warming ultimately favours the spread of warm-water species through direct and indirect effects, and especially by changing water circulation. It is impossible at present to foresee to what extent the exuberance of warm-water species will affect the trophic web and the functioning of marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea of tomorrow. While Mediterranean Sea communities are modifying their pattern of species composition, they do not seem to be acquiring a more marked tropical physiognomy: Mediterranean coastal marine ecosystems are still dominated by frondose algae (even if the species that are gaining ascendancy are of tropical origin) and not by corals as is normal in tropical seas.

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Acknowledgements

This paper summarises the content of a plenary lecture at the 39th European Marine Biology Symposium. I wish to specially thank the President of the Organising Committee, Prof. Giulio Relini, for inviting me. C. Morri (Genoa) helped in many ways with the preparation of both the presentation and written contribution. K. Hiscock and A. Southward (Plymouth) kindly read an early version of the ms. N. Pinardi (Bologna) and B. B. Manca (Trieste) drew my attention to the eastern Mediterranean climatic transient, and exchange of ideas with M. Astraldi and G. P. Gasparini (La Spezia) helped to let me thinking about its possible biological consequences. M. Sarà and the late E. Tortonese (Genoa) introduced me to marine biogeography, while continued correspondence with G. Giaccone (Catania), P. Wirtz (Madeira), P. Francour, A. Meinesz (Nice), C. F. Boudouresque, P. Chevaldonné, J. G. Harmelin, L. Laubier and H. Zibrowius (Marseille) was source of a wealth of information. I. Faccia (Isola Capo Rizzuto) and P. Panzalis (Carloforte) provided unpublished information. My research on the effects of climate change on Mediterranean marine ecosystems received financial support from the research projects SINAPSI (Seasonal, INterannual and decAdal variability of the atmosPhere, oceanS and related marIne ecosystems) and ‘Ambiente Mediterraneo’ (AdP MURST-CNR, L. 95/95).

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  1. DipTeRis, Dipartimento per lo studio del Territorio e delle sue Risorse, Università di Genova Corso Europa, 26 I-16132, Genova, Italy

    Carlo Nike Bianchi

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Bianchi, C.N. Biodiversity issues for the forthcoming tropical Mediterranean Sea. Hydrobiologia 580, 7–21 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0469-5

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