The "hot" sea

  The Mediterranean, especially the deeper parts, is warming up even faster than the other seas on the planet, and this is having a frightening effect on the Mediterranean ecosystem as a whole. The only other place where such intense, fast warming has been reported is around the North Pole.

This 2-3°C rise, with surface temperatures reaching as much as 29°C, has already produced remarkable changes to the area’s biodiversity and some species have begun migrating north, while exotic species have arrived to take their place.

The exchange of nutrients between the sea surface and the depths is changing drastically.

There have also been proliferations of algae that threaten marine ecosystems and are toxic to humans. Dozens of invertebrates are dying off in unprecedented numbers, especially the so-called benthic ones from the sea-floor. The Mediterranean's climate is changing and so are fish populations, thus severely affecting the culture and economies of coastal populations, from subsistence fishermen to industrial fisheries. And these are just some of the consequences of what is happening today.

"The boiling sea, in the heat of the Mediterranean" is a documentary directed by Eugenio Manghi (White Fox Communication) also with the partnership and collaboration of Tethys Institute. The film is going to be presented in Milan, Italy, next May, but an english version will be released, too.

Watch the trailer