Intense growth in the number and diversity of anthropogenic stressors in marine habitats has multiple negative impacts on biological systems, biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services, and scientific evidence of human footprint on terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems is now irrefutable (Sanderson et al., 2002). The importance of human impact on ecosystems is reflected in the way we use the sea and the coast, consume the productivity of the ocean shelf, endanger food security, the livelihoods of fishermen and the fisheries and seafood sectors. The continued degradation of the ecosystems and their services affects biodiversity and climate change and increases the risk of severe ecological disasters and pandemics.
The synergistic effects of various negative impacts on the sea and coastal ecosystem, ranging from loss of diversity, overfishing, overexploitation, invasive species, through pollution by various contaminants and marine litter, to global warming and the effects of climate change have led to acute conditions and the need for a strong response and a plea to save the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most sensitive basins of our planet
The restoration, proper protection and improvement of coastal and marine ecosystems bring significant health, social and economic benefits to coastal communities in the EU and associated countries. The application of multidisciplinary knowledge, testing and introduction of new methodologies, tools, models, and scenarios based on data will contribute to the development of biodiversity science, but also bring recommendations and solutions for policymakers.
The proposed Research Topic will deliver knowledge on ongoing changes in coastal and marine biodiversity and its responses to natural and anthropogenic stressors in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as on policies on the environment, water, health, climate, disaster risk reduction, protected areas management, good practices of sustainable bioeconomy, the blue economy at large, maritime and cross-sectoral spatial planning, and responsible business practices. Focused contributions on critical, highly sensitive sub-regional seas, such as the Adriatic or the Levantine Sea are also particularly encouraged.
Authors should timely focus on current research and understanding of the scientific nature of the research topic focusing on the Mediterranean Sea. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Changes of Mediterranean coastal and marine biodiversity
• Impacts of anthropogenic and environmental stressors on the Mediterranean marine biodiversity
• Ecosystem restoration: valuing and restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services for an evidence-based policy and decision-making
• Algal blooms, jellyfish outbreaks, and invasive species in marine coastal waters
• Climate Change Impacts
• Marine pollution
• Marine litter in the marine environment
• Overfishing and overexploitation
Intense growth in the number and diversity of anthropogenic stressors in marine habitats has multiple negative impacts on biological systems, biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services, and scientific evidence of human footprint on terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems is now irrefutable (Sanderson et al., 2002). The importance of human impact on ecosystems is reflected in the way we use the sea and the coast, consume the productivity of the ocean shelf, endanger food security, the livelihoods of fishermen and the fisheries and seafood sectors. The continued degradation of the ecosystems and their services affects biodiversity and climate change and increases the risk of severe ecological disasters and pandemics.
The synergistic effects of various negative impacts on the sea and coastal ecosystem, ranging from loss of diversity, overfishing, overexploitation, invasive species, through pollution by various contaminants and marine litter, to global warming and the effects of climate change have led to acute conditions and the need for a strong response and a plea to save the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most sensitive basins of our planet
The restoration, proper protection and improvement of coastal and marine ecosystems bring significant health, social and economic benefits to coastal communities in the EU and associated countries. The application of multidisciplinary knowledge, testing and introduction of new methodologies, tools, models, and scenarios based on data will contribute to the development of biodiversity science, but also bring recommendations and solutions for policymakers.
The proposed Research Topic will deliver knowledge on ongoing changes in coastal and marine biodiversity and its responses to natural and anthropogenic stressors in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as on policies on the environment, water, health, climate, disaster risk reduction, protected areas management, good practices of sustainable bioeconomy, the blue economy at large, maritime and cross-sectoral spatial planning, and responsible business practices. Focused contributions on critical, highly sensitive sub-regional seas, such as the Adriatic or the Levantine Sea are also particularly encouraged.
Authors should timely focus on current research and understanding of the scientific nature of the research topic focusing on the Mediterranean Sea. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Changes of Mediterranean coastal and marine biodiversity
• Impacts of anthropogenic and environmental stressors on the Mediterranean marine biodiversity
• Ecosystem restoration: valuing and restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services for an evidence-based policy and decision-making
• Algal blooms, jellyfish outbreaks, and invasive species in marine coastal waters
• Climate Change Impacts
• Marine pollution
• Marine litter in the marine environment
• Overfishing and overexploitation