Mediterranean Sea acidification in a changing climate (MedSeA)

Description:

Increases of atmospheric CO2 and associated decreases in seawater pH and carbonate ion concentration this century and beyond are likely to have wide impacts on marine ecosystems including those of the Mediterranean Sea. As a consequence of this process, ocean acidification could threaten the health of the Mediterranean, adding to other anthropogenic pressures, including those from climate change. Yet in comparison to other areas of the world ocean, there has been no concerted effort to study Mediterranean acidification, which is fundamental to the social and economic conditions of more than 400 million people living along its coastlines and another 175 million who visit the region each year.

The MedSeA  initiative examined the impacts of acidification on this unique and highly populated region. The goal was to forecast chemical, climatic, biological and socioeconomic changes driven by increases in atmospheric CO2 and consequent changes in sea water carbonate chemistry. Researchers focused on the combined impacts of acidification and warming of the Mediterranean both related to the increase in greenhouse gases on organisms that are unique or endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, major contributors to habitat building, and/or ecological function, or species of economic value in the region. The regional vulnerabilities alter the capacity of coastal and marine systems to provide ecosystem services and consequently affect economic activities and human welfare. Projections were based on new observations of chemical conditions together with new observational and experimental data on the responses of these key organisms and ecosystems to the changing marine environment. This information was fed into physical-chemical ocean models that were improved to account for the Mediterranean's fine-scale features. The resulting data was used to provide the best scientific advice to policymakers developing regional strategies for adaptation and mitigation.

Project information

Lead

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES)

Partners

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES), Université de Perpignan (FR), Bar Ilan University (IL), Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR), Centro Euro-Mediterraneo per i Cambiamenti Climatici (IT), Laboratoire d’Océanographie Villefranche (FR), Plymouth Marine Laboratory (UK), Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados (ES), University of Plymouth (UK), Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven (DE), Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (IT), Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (MA),National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (ET), University of Sfax (TN), Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (IT), Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l`Environnement (FR)

Source of funding

FP 7