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The Mediterranean basin has a climate characterised by mild wet winters, and calm, dry and hot summers. Among large natural fresh bodies of water are Lake Victoria (Nile basin), Lake Geneva (Rhône), and the Italian Lakes (Po). Total annual precipitation is significantly higher on the European part of the Mediterranean basin, especially near the Alps (the 'water tower of Europe') and other high mountain ranges. The drainage basin of the Mediterranean Sea is particularly heterogeneous and extends much further than the Mediterranean region.
Environmental Problems in the Mediterranean Region
To the northeast the Mediterranean is connected with the Black Sea through the Dardanelles (with a sill depth of 230 feet 70 metres), the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Bosporus (sill depth of about 300 feet 90 metres). Some of the most important fisheries are threatened.date missing There are clear indications that catch size and quality have declined, often dramatically, and in many areas, larger and longer-lived species have disappeared entirely from commercial catches. The European Environment Agency says that more than 65% of all fish stocks in the region are outside safe biological limits. However, tourism has also played a major role in the degradation of the coastal and marine environment. Approximately 370,000,000 t (360,000,000 long tons) of oil are transported annually in the Mediterranean Sea (more than 20% of the world total), with around 250–300 oil tankers crossing the sea every day.
Addressing these challenges requires coordinated action among nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea as well as engagement with local communities to foster stewardship of marine resources. Additionally, numerous marine protected areas (MPAs) have been established to safeguard critical habitats and promote sustainable fishing practices. The Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution is one such framework aimed at reducing pollution and protecting marine biodiversity. Balancing economic benefits with ecological preservation remains a critical challenge for policymakers in the region. The region attracts millions of visitors each year who flock to its sun-drenched beaches, historic cities, and cultural landmarks. The sea facilitates the transport of commodities ranging from oil and gas to agricultural products and manufactured goods.
Invasive species
The temperature of the water in the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea is 13.2 °C (55.8 °F). Evaporation greatly exceeds precipitation and river runoff in the Mediterranean, a fact that is central to the water circulation within the basin. These deep valleys are special due to the fact that they were not carved out by surface rivers.
Brief History
- However, the Norsemen developed the trade from Norway to the White Sea, while also trading in luxury goods from Spain and the Mediterranean.
- Salinity in the surface waters of the Mediterranean is about 38 parts per thousand, except in the area closest to the Atlantic, and approaches 40 parts per thousand in the eastern Mediterranean during the summer.
- The stratification and warming have already led the eastern Mediterranean to become a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere.
- Hayreddin Barbarossa, the Ottoman captain is a symbol of this domination with the victory of the Battle of Preveza (1538), opening up Tripoli and the eastern Mediterranean to Ottoman rule.
- A shallow submarine ridge underlying the Strait of Sicily, which separates the island of Sicily and the coast of Tunisia, divides the sea in two main subregions, the Western Mediterranean and the Eastern Mediterranean.
In winter, the strong winds and precipitation over the basin generate vertical mixing, bringing nutrients from the deep waters to the surface, where phytoplankton can convert it into biomass. This transitory switch in the origin of deep waters in the eastern Mediterranean was termed Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT) and had major consequences on water circulation of the Mediterranean. The surface waters entering the eastern Mediterranean Basin circulate along the Libyan and Israeli coasts. In oceanography, it is sometimes called the cycle tampa Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea, the European Mediterranean Sea or the African Mediterranean Sea to distinguish it from mediterranean seas elsewhere, like the Baltic Sea, and the North-east Atlantic Ocean. The sea is divided naturally into western and eastern regions by the Malta Escarpment that runs from the island of Sicily to the African coast.
The development of these intramontane Betic and Rif basins led to the onset of two marine gateways which were progressively closed during the late Miocene by an interplay of tectonic and glacio-eustatic processes. This process brought about profound changes in the oceanic circulation patterns, which shifted global climates toward colder conditions. It is now known to be a structurally younger ocean basin (44 million years) known as Neotethys. The eastern section is made up of the Ionian Basin (northwest of which is the Adriatic Sea) and the Levantine Basin (northwest of which is the Aegean Sea). Macedonia, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, and the Vatican, although they do not border the sea, are often considered Mediterranean countries in a wider sense due to their Mediterranean climate, fauna and flora, and their cultural affinity with other Mediterranean countries.
Natural hazards
Nutrient concentrations in the western part of the basin are about double the concentrations in the eastern basin. According to climate projections, the decrease in precipitation over the region will lead to more evaporation, ultimately increasing marine salinity. In the mid-1990s, the Aegean Sea became the main area for deep water formation in the eastern Mediterranean after particularly cold winter conditions. Water circulation in the Mediterranean can be attributed to the surface waters entering from the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar (and also low salinity water entering the Mediterranean from the Black Sea through the Bosphorus). Evaporation is especially high in its eastern half, causing the water level to decrease and salinity to increase eastward.
Pollution
The 163 km (101 mi) long artificial Suez Canal in the southeast connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea without ship lock, because the water level is essentially the same. Hayreddin Barbarossa, the Ottoman captain is a symbol of this domination with the victory of the Battle of Preveza (1538), opening up Tripoli and the eastern Mediterranean to Ottoman rule. Genoa, Venice and Pisa created colonies in regions controlled by the Crusaders and came to control the trade with the Orient.