Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/79184
Title: Tropicalisation in the Mediterranean sea : a Maltese perspective
Authors: Barbara, Jacqueline (2013)
Keywords: Climatic changes -- Mediterranean Region
Climatic changes -- Malta
Introduced aquatic organisms -- Malta
Issue Date: 2013
Citation: Barbara, J. (2013). Tropicalisation in the Mediterranean sea : a Maltese perspective (Master’s dissertation).
Abstract: The ongoing process of Mediterranean tropicalisation is still not well understood, and data is rather fragmented. Therefore CIESM (Commission lnternationale pour I' Exploration Scientifique de la mer Mediterranee) established the 'Tropical Signals' Monitoring Programme to use reliable, representative biological macrodescriptors (or bioindicators) to track, at basin-scale, the effects of tropicalisation of the Mediterranean Sea on marine biodiversity. The programme implements a systematic and long-term field monitoring to note changes in marine biodiversity, in particular changes in range of species due to temperature. The Maltese Islands are situated in the very centre of the Mediterranean Sea at the junction of the west and east biological zones. Therefore the islands are at the biogeographical crossroads of the Mediterranean for marine species, and strategically positioned in an excellent location to monitor trends. The aims of the study were to test the monitoring protocols proposed by the 'Tropical Signals' programme locally, to gather data on the biological macrodescriptors selected by the programme in order to determine whether the species are shifting their distribution range due to any environmental change, and also update the list of alien species in the Maltese Islands since the last review in 2007. From the surveys, it was concluded that it is possible to carry out this type of monitoring in the Maltese Islands, with some slight modifications. However, only 14 from the 84 species on the CIESM 'Tropical Signals' list were recorded during the surveys, which is a low number when compared to the species in the list actually known to occur. From the analysis of species distribution data in the Mediterranean, it resulted that many alien species are expanding their range and this is cause for concern. Native species on the other hand, are either mostly decreasing their range if they are of cold-water affinity, or increasing their range if of warm-water affinity. The general trend seems to support the evidence that the Mediterranean is becoming warmer, causing thermophilic species to expand their range, with the risk of losing species associated with colder waters. Whether the seawater temperature is rising due to climate change is one hypothesis that is gathering considerable evidence. Since the last review on alien species in the Maltese Islands carried out by Sciberras & Schembri in 2007, there has been an increase in the list of alien species as 7 new alien species on the CIESM 'Tropical Signals' list are found in the Maltese Islands since 2007.
Description: M.SC.BIOLOGY
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/79184
Appears in Collections:Dissertations - FacSci - 1965-2014
Dissertations - FacSciBio - 1966-2014

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