Lack of water causes risk to the Mediterranean Marine Life and Economy

There is a significant link between the flow of a river in the Mediterranean Sea and the health of the Mediterranean Marine Ecosystem. New research underlines the urgency of integrating water resources management for proper protection to support the seas and the rich biodiversity of the oceans and to support economies.

Due to lack of rainfall and high evaporation lack affects climate change effects such as more frequent and more severe drought, water stress (inability to meet water demand) in Europe is expected to increase: Europe About 20% of the area and 30% of its population experience every year water stress.

New one Study Posted by JRC scientists Nature communication Climate changes and increase the effects of decrease in river water flow on the maritime ecosystem in the Mediterranean Sea due to increasing demands for water.

In Europe, the effect of climate change will spoil the flow of freshwater under rivers and water stress, especially in the south and south -west. Drink river in Italy, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea, has already experienced a severely low level of water flow.

Its water content was almost half on at least five occasions in 23 years of monitoring (2001-2023). In 2022, the fall in water flow reached a record of 39% of its average price during the monitoring period.

To limit temperature increase and deal with a changing climate, the European Union has made it to Goals and strategies To reduce its emission to become at least 55% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2030 and to become climate-plate by 2050. As one of its major political priorities in 2025, the European Commission is formulating a water flexibility strategy to promote and ensure efforts. Protection of water supply, reducing flood risk, and reducing dried effects.

Studies examine the effect of an extreme landscape of uncontrolled climate change and global temperature rise above 4 ° C above 4 ° C above 4 ° C above 4 ° C and a climax, resulting in 41% lower river flow over uncontrollable climate change and global temperature rise above 4 ° C above 41% lower river flows May be Mediterranean Sagar.

Like the Mediterranean Sea, a low river flows into the sea, which means that there is a deep change of coastal ecosystems due to freshwater and inputs of nutrients, leading to a decrease in the primary productivity of the system. This decrease in productivity in the base of the trophic chain spreads upwards, affects the entire food chain and reaches commercially exploited seafood species.

Results suggest that 41% less river flow can reduce marine productivity by 10% and fish biomass to 6%, leading an annual loss of € 4.7 billion in the Mediterranean Sea and in the fisheries region. This will bring strict socio-economic results for fisheries and coastal communities.

Regional Adriatic and Aegean sea, which appear to be unsafe for particularly global warming, can see a decrease in marine productivity and 12% and 35% of fish biomass respectively. These areas are among the most intensive fruits in the Mediterranean Sea.

The study used the JRC-Dizine Blue 2 Modeling Framework (Blue 2 MF) to assess the effects of low freshwater flow on the Mediterranean Sea’s biogiochemistry, food web and socio-economic fields. Conclusions indicate that the most productive and heavy fished areas, such as adrtive and aegian cease, are at highest risk, potential biomass losses higher than their current fisheries landing.

background

The Mediterranean Sea faces unprecedented challenges due to a biodiversity hotspot and a region’s economy, climate change and increasing demand for water.

The European Union law, urban waste water treatment instructions, water outline instructions and marine strategy structure, recognizes the importance of environmental flow to maintain coastal ecosystems, but discussion on water management usually does not consider these needs. She does The freshwater reaching the oceans is usually considered “lost” by many stakeholders.

This new study provides an important understanding of potential effects of water scarcity, informs about the need for continuous water management practices about informing policy makers and stakeholders that consider the entire water cycle, from the source from the source To the sea.