Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea - MarBEF

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© UNEP © Greenpeace Tourism and population pressure Of the 220 million tourists who visit the region every year, over 100 million flock to the Mediterranean beaches. Mass tourism has led to increased waste discharges into the sea, loss of natural habitats and higher pressure on endangered species. Mediterranean coastal areas, which account for 30% of international tourist destinations, are already seriously damaged. Oil tanker Sea pollution The land-locked waters of the Mediterranean have a very low renewal rate (80 to 90 years) and so are extremely sensitive to pollution. The Mediterranean represents less than 1% of the Earth’s total marine surface, but oil-tanker traffic through this sea accounts for more than 20% of global traffic. Every year, 635,000 tonnes of crude oil are spilled by vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. 80% of the urban sewage produced is discharged untreated. Added to that are agricultural runoffs containing pesticides, nitrates and phosphates, which contaminate the sea. Biodiversity The Mediterranean Sea has an unusually high biodiversity for a temperate sea and is, in fact one of the richest seas in the world. It is home to 7.5% of the planet’s marine life species and 18% of the world’s marine fauna. However, only 1% of the Mediterranean Sea is protected. Cetaceans 19 cetacean species are found in the Mediterranean sea. Eight are common (Fin Whale, Sperm Whale, Striped Dolphin, Risso’s Dolphin, Long-finned Pilot Whale, Bottle-nose Dolphin, Common Dolphin, Cuvier’s beaked Whale), four are occasional (Minke Whale, Killer Whale, False Killer Whale, Rough-toothed Dolphin) and six are ‘accidental aliens’ that were occasionally sighted in the last 120 years (e.g. Humpback Whale). © Greenpeace Overfishing Around 1.5 million tonnes of fish are caught in the Mediterranean each year. Destructive and often illegal fishing methods such as bottom-trawling, dynamite use, long-lining and drift-netting have depleted fish stocks. Use of drift nets are also responsible for the accidental deaths and incidental catches of whales, dolphins and marine turtles. Depleted fish stocks are also reflected in the undersized catch. 83% of all Blue-fin Tuna and Swordfish caught in the Mediterranean are undersized. Blue-fin Tuna Marine invasive species Thousands of marine species are transported, either intentionally or accidentally, from their native range to “new” areas. These species are called non-native species and sometimes referred to as alien or invasive species. Introductions and transfer of non-native marine species to their new environment mainly occurs by the transport and discharge of ballast water, and to a lesser extent by transport of fouling organisms on hulls, or through aquaculture. In addition, many species are spread through seawater canals that link biogeographical waterbodies (e.g. Suez Canal). Caulerpa taxifolia An algal species native to the Red Sea, Caulerpa taxifolia, has spread round the Mediterranean from the French Riviera, where it first emerged in the 1980s. It is obliterating fisheries which depend on sea grasses and is replacing them with largely sterile algal beds. Mediterranean Monk Seal This seal (Monachus monachus) is the only pinniped to be found within the Mediterranean Sea. It is now very rare and listed as an endangered species. The only known colonies are in the Alboran Basin and in the Aegean Sea. Page 2 ISSUE 3 The Mediterranean and Black Seas © US Federal Government © US Fed Govt
Where is it? The Black Sea is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and the Anatolian peninsula (Turkey). It is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and various straits: the Bosporus Strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardenelles to the Aegean Sea region of the Mediterranean. These waters also separate eastern Europe and western Asia. The Black Sea is also connected to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch. Countries which share the Black Sea costline include: Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia. A further 16 countries are in the catchment area of this sea. The Crimean peninsula is a Ukrainian autonomous republic. What is the weather like? The Black Sea climate can be characterised as continental (i.e., subject to pronounced seasonal variations in temperature) with cold and frosty winters and very dry, hot summers. However, climatic conditions in some parts of the basin are controlled to a great extent by the shoreline relief. © www.goobix.com © www.russiablacksea.com Which Biome does the Black Sea belong to? The Black Sea falls into three biomes: steppe, temperate forest, and Mediterranean forests, woodlands and scrub. Biomes are the world’s major communities, sorted according to their main vegetation and characterised by adaptations of creatures to that particular environment – Aquatic, Grasslands, Deserts, Forests and Tundra. Interesting Black Sea facts The Black Sea is one of the youngest seas in the world. Almost a third of the total land area of Europe drains into the Black Sea through major rivers such as the Danube, Dnieper, and Don. It has the largest “dead zone”(where no oxygen exists) in the world. The sea is, in places, more than two kilometres deep, but oxygen is virtually absent below 250 metres. Below this level, comprising some 90% of the sea’s water, is the largest known volume of lifeless, anoxic water on the planet. This is essentially a natural phenomenon. What lives there? The thin upper layer of marine water (up to 150m) supports the unique biological life of the Black Sea ecosystem. The deeper and more dense water layers are saturated with hydrogen sulfide that over thousands of years accumulated from decaying organic matter. Only certain animals are adapted to inhabit these deep-sea waters, e.g. some protozoa, bacteria and some multi-cellular invertebrates. The diversity of species of Black Sea fauna is approximately three times lower than that of the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the fact that the Black Sea biodiversity is reduced due to a lower salinity level, and human activities such as overfishing, pollution and habitat destruction, the marine life is still full of wonders. You can find here crabs, molluscs and fish such as gobies, flatfish, red and golden-grey mullets, stargazer, pipefish and others. The benthic community of the Black Sea sandy bottom is formed by the underwater fields of Zostera sea-grass. The rocky bottom habitats belong to the most diverse marine life of the Black Sea, with colourful macroalgae, blennies, shrimps and sea anemones. You can also find here organisms which cover rock surfaces, such as sponges, bryozoans and hydroid colonies. ISSUE 3 The Mediterranean and Black Seas Page 3 © www.greenpeace.com © www.greenpeace.com © www.greenpeace.com © Google Earth
Page 1: © Wikipedia Where is it? The Medit

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