Modelling the Mediterranean Sea ecosystem at high spatial resolution to inform the ecosystem-based management in the region

Cumulative anthropogenic pressures are rapidly expanding in the Mediterranean Sea with consequences for marine biodiversity and marine resources, and the services they provide. Policy makers urge for a marine ecosystem assessment of the region in space and time. This study evaluates how the whole Mediterranean food web may respond to changes in the environment and fisheries through the use of high-resolution spatial-temporal modelling. Results indicate coastal and shelf areas to be the sites with highest marine biodiversity and marine resources biomass, which decrease towards the south-eastern regions. High levels of total catches and discards are predicted to be concentrated in the Western sub-basin and the Adriatic Sea. Mean spatial changes of total and commercial biomass show increases in offshore waters of the region, while biodiversity indicators show marginal changes. Total catches and discards increase greatly in offshore waters of the Western and Eastern sub-basins. Spatial patterns and temporal mean changes of marine biodiversity, community biomasses and trophic indices assessed in this study aim at identifying areas and food web components that are not in a “Good Environmental Status” with the overall goal of assisting policy makers in designing and implementing spatial management actions for the region.

PIRODDI Chiara;  COLL Marta;  MACIAS MOY Diego;  STEENBEEK Jeroen;  GARCIA GORRIZ Elisa;  MANNINI Alessandro;  VILAS GONZALES Daniel;  CHRISTENSEN Villy; 

2022-12-01

NATURE PORTFOLIO

JRC130418

2045-2322 (online),   

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-18017-x,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC130418,   

10.1038/s41598-022-18017-x (online),