Investigating and Predicting the Impact of Climate Hazards on Marine Ecosystem Resilience in the Mediterranean Sea Through Deep Oceanic Observation

Oceans play a crucial role in modulating the Earth's global climate system while supporting valuable ecosystems on which we depend. International panels such as the UN Ocean Decade demand an increase in ocean observational efforts. In-situ Eulerian observation systems play a key role, as they possess unique capabilities to collect samples and make sustained observations where other systems cannot. To achieve the observation and study of hard-to-reach near-bottom sites, oceanographers have developed the HYDOCHANGES initiative launched and supported by CIESM since 2002 to enhance deep-sea observation in key location with the entire Mediterranean Sea. Over the years, some deep moorings were not able to be maintained. The major challenge in deep mooring data observation is to protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity, to enhance Ocean Observations, and to contribute to the Digital Representation of the Ocean.

Therefore, the proposed project focuses on strengthening the deep-sea research observations and collaborating with partners from marine environmental research institutes to study the impact of extreme events in deep habitats in the Mediterranean Sea, on the stability and resilience of marine ecosystems. This will ensure that marine ecosystems remain healthy amid global climate change, safeguarding the sustainable development of coastal industries. Centered around the programme “DIGITAL DEEP-SEA TYPICAL HABITATS (DEPTH)” and project “Mitigation of Natural Incidence Towards an Oceanic Resilience (MoNITOR)” approved by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the proposal aims to construct a nearshore marine ecological environmental prediction system. This system will predict the impacts of extreme climate events related to global climate change, such as marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, and eutrophication, to assess the stability and resilience of ecosystems under climate change. The research results will contribute to a better understanding of the dynamic response of marine ecosystems to global climate change, providing scientific evidence for effective policy measures.