T-MEDNet – Tracking the effects of climate change in the Mediterranean

Powered by T-MEDNet

Overview

The T-MEDNet initiative aims to set up a fully operative and cost-effective Marine Protected Area climate change observation network in Mediterranean coastal ecosystems, based on collaborative approaches. T-MEDNet’s mission is to foster pan-Mediterranean cooperation and support climate change monitoring, build databases, facilitate data and information sharing and capacity building and contribute to national, regional and international monitoring and reporting activities.

To summarize, T-MedNet provides information on:

Past, present and future in situ temperature conditions • Provides insights into coastal thermal regimes and seasonal stratification dynamics over extensive spatial and temporal scales for the first time in the Mediterranean.

• Analyses warming trends and marine heatwaves in nearshore surface waters (0-40m).

• Develops more realistic 21st-century coastal warming scenarios.

Biological impacts • Provides insights into mass mortality events affecting coastal benthic biota over extensive spatial and temporal scales for the first time in the Mediterranean.

• Analyses relationships between T-conditions and biological responses, including episodic events, in particular the onset of mass mortality events, but also changes in distribution, behaviour and phenology.

• Provides insights into the changes in the abundance on native warm- and cold affinity fish species as well the arrival of non indigenous tropical fish species in the Mediterranean.

• Tests and complements approaches to tackle climate change for coastal areas and Marine Protected Areas from local to regional scale.

Products used

MEDITERRANEAN SEA - HIGH RESOLUTION L4 SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE REPROCESSED

Benefits for users Useful links

• Maintains international cooperation to monitor climate change in the highly vital and dynamic coastal zone.

• Shares information, «know-how» and expertise on signs of warming and biological impacts.Raises awareness and contributes to updating data and information available to stakeholders, decision makers and the general public.

• Sustains the development of adaptive management strategies to tackle impacts on marine biodiversity caused by climate change. • T-MEDNet

• Interreg Mediterranean MPA engage

• ICM-CSIC