Note: Intro -- LIFE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA: A LOOK AT HABITAT CHANGES -- LIFE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA: A LOOK AT HABITAT CHANGES -- Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- Chapter 1: MEDITERRANEAN SEA BIODIVERSITY BETWEEN THE LEGACY FROM THE PAST AND A FUTURE OF CHANGE -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- THE ORIGIN OF MEDITERRANEAN SEA BIODIVERSITY -- PATTERNS AND DRIVERS OF CHANGE -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 2: TECTONIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEVANT CONTINENTAL MARGIN, EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN -- ABSTRACT -- BACKGROUND -- FORMATION OF THE MARGIN -- UPS AND DOWNS - LATE MESOZOIC -- PATH TO TRANQUILITY - EARLY CENOZOIC -- 1988).DRUM ROLL OF ACTIVITY - MID-CENOZOIC -- OFFSPRING OF COLLISION - LATE CENOZOIC -- CONCLUDING REMARKS -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 3: THE NILE LITTORAL CELL AND RECENT SHORELINE CHANGE: A REVIEW -- THE NILE RIVER AND ITS DELTA -- MAN'S INFLUENCE ON THE NILE RIVER -- THE NILE LITTORAL CELL -- THE COASTS OF THE NILE LITTORAL CELL AND CURRENT ANTHROPOGENIC INDUCED CHANGE -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 4: CIRCULATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- ABSTRACT -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. THE OBSERVED FORCING AND CIRCULATION -- 3. LONG TERM CHANGES OF THE CIRCULATION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 5: THE UPPER MIXED LAYER -- 1. ABSTRACT -- 2. INTRODUCTION -- 3. THE MEDITERRANEAN MIXED LAYER -- 4. THE MEDITERRANEAN MIXED LAYER: THE OBSERVATIONS -- CONCLUSION -- 6. APPENDIX : MIXED LAYER DEPTH OPERATIONAL EVALUATION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 6: NUTRIENT DISTRIBUTION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN BEFORE AND AFTER THE TRANSIENT EVENT -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- AREA OF STUDY AND DATA SOURCES -- CROSS BASIN TEMPORAL EVOLUTION OF THE CSOW -- FOCUS ON THE PRESENT STATE IN THE LEVANTINE BASIN -- N:P RATIO IN DEEP WATERS. , EFFECT OF THE EMT EVENT ON THE UPPER LAYERS -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 7: UNDERWATER LIGHT FIELD OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- CLASSIFICATION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN WATERS BASED ON BIO-OPTICAL PROPERTIES -- WAVES AND LIGHT -- ATTENUATION OF LIGHT WITH DEPTH -- SPECTRAL CHANGES IN THE WATER COLUMN -- PAR AND UV DAMAGE -- PAR, REFLECTION AND PHYTOPLANKTON -- LIGHT, PHYTOPLANKTON AND THE MIXED-LAYER DEPTH -- CLIMATE CHANGE -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 8: DINITROGEN FIXATION AS A SOURCE FOR NEW PRODUCTION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA: A REVIEW -- ABSTRACT -- 1. PROLOGUE -- 2. EVIDENCE FOR N2 FIXATION IN THE ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- 3. NITROGEN FIXATION IN THE PRESENT MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- 4. FUTURE SCENARIOS OF N2 FIXATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- NOTE IN PROOF -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 9: HETEROTROPHIC BACTERIA IN THE PELAGIC REALM OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- Abstract -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. BACTERIAL ABUNDANCE AND ACTIVITY -- 3. BACTERIAL COMMUNITY COMPOSITION -- 4. BACTERIAL ACTIVITY AND COMPOSITION IN A CHANGING OCEAN -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 10: SEIZE THE SEA: ALIEN INVERTEBRATES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- HISTORY OF RESEARCH OF ALIEN INVERTEBRATES -- RECORDS OF ALIEN INVERTEBRATES -- ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT -- ECONOMICAL IMPACT -- GELATINOUS ALIENS -- A LARGER CANAL, A WARMER SEA, A CHANGED BIOTA -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 11: RED SEA FISHES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA - HISTORY AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- HISTORY OF LESSEPSIAN FISH RESEARCH -- ZOOGEOGRAPHY OF LESSEPSIAN MIGRANT FISH -- THE FUTURE OF LESSEPSIAN MIGRATION -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 12: CETACEANS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- FIN WHALE (BALAENOPTERA PHYSALUS). , SPERM WHALE (PHYSETER MACROCEPHALUS) -- CUVIER'S BEAKED WHALE (ZIPHIUS CAVIROSTRIS) -- LONG-FINNED PILOT WHALE (GLOBICEPHALA MELAS) -- RISSO'S DOLPHIN (GRAMPUS GRISEUS) -- BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS) -- STRIPED DOLPHIN (STENELLA COERULEOALBA) -- SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHIN (DELPHINUS DELPHIS) -- KILLER WHALE (ORCINUS ORCA) -- ROUGH-TOOTHED DOLPHIN (STENO BREDANENSIS) -- HARBOR PORPOISE (PHOCOENA PHOCOENA) -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 13: SHALLOW WATER SCLERACTINIAN CORALS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- 1. ABSTRACT -- 2. INTRODUCTION -- 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SCLERACTINIAN CORALS -- 4. THE TEMPERATE SYMBIOSIS: WHAT DO WE KNOW? -- 5. CALCIFICATION RATES OF TEMPERATE CORALS -- 6. EFFECTS OF THE MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS ON THE CORALS' PHYSIOLOGY -- 7. CLIMATE CHANGE: HOW MIGHT IT AFFECT MEDITERRANEAN SCLERACTINIAN CORALS? -- 8. CORALS AS ARCHIVES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- 9. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 14: THE DEEP-MEDITERRANEAN SEA: HABITATS, BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- HISTORY OF RESEARCH IN THE DEEP-MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- DEEP-SEA HABITATS AND THEIR BIODIVERSITY -- MAJOR THREATS TO DEEP-SEA BIODIVERSITY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE DEEP-MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 15: SANDHOPPERS AS BIOINDICATORS OF ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCES ON MEDITERRANEAN SANDY BEACHES -- ABSTRACT -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. THE SUPRALITTORAL FAUNA: MACROINVERTEBRATES -- 3. HUMAN IMPACT ON SANDY BEACHES: T. SALTATOR AS A BIOINDICATOR -- 4. OTHER BIOINDICATORS -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 16: EUTROPHICATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- EUTROPHICATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- MONITORING EUTROPHICATION -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES. , Chapter 17: ECOLOGICAL INDICES BASED ON MACROALGAE AND ANGIOSPERMS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN ECO-REGION: AN OVERVIEW -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- COASTAL WATERS -- TRANSITIONAL WATERS (TW) -- CONCLUSION -- AKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 18: CAULERPA RACEMOSA, AN INVASIVE HABITAT-MODIFYING MACROALGA IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- CAULERPA RACEMOSA VAR. CYLINDRACEA -- INVASION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- PREDICTIONS ABOUT FUTURE TRENDS -- ERADICATION AND MANAGEMENT -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 19: HABITAT CHANGES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS FORMATION -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- PHYTOPLANKTON PROLIFERATIONS AND HARMFUL BLOOMS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- MEDITERRANEAN OPEN WATERS -- MEDITERRANEAN COASTAL WATERS -- A CASE STUDY: THE CATALAN COAST -- SOME EXAMPLES OF TOXIC AND HARMFUL MICROALGAE IN THE MS -- HOW HABITAT CHANGES FAVOUR SOME MARINE PLANKTONIC MICROALGAE WITH DISTINCTIVE LIFE-CYCLE -- CONCLUSION AND FUTURE REMARKS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 20: FLOATING PLASTICS, PLASTIC PELLETS, AND ORGANIC MICROPOLLUTANTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- PRESENCE OF PLASTICS THROUGHOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- USE OF PLASTIC PELLETS AS PASSIVE SAMPLERS FOR ORGANIC MICROPOLLUTANTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 21: FLOATING AND BENTHIC MARINE LITTER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA: TYPOLOGY, ABUNDANCE, SOURCES, SURVEY METHODS AND IMPACTS ON MARINE BIOTA -- ABSTRACT -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. LITTER SOURCE CLASSIFICATION -- 3. LITTER TYPOLOGY -- 4. FROM SURFACE TO THE ABYSSAL BASINS -- 5. TRANSPORT MECHANISMS OF FLOATING AND BENTHIC LITTER -- 6. SURVEY METHODS OF FLOATING AND BENTHIC LITTER -- 7. FLOATING AND BENTHIC LITTER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES. , Chapter 22: AQUACULTURE IMPACTS ON MEDITERRANEAN SEAGRASSES: AN EVALUATION OF CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS -- 1. IMPORTANCE AND ROLE OF SEAGRASSES IN COASTAL MEDITERRANEAN AREAS -- 2. MEDITERRANEAN AQUACULTURE AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT -- 3. EFFECTS OF FISH FARMS ORGANIC EFFLUENTS ON SEAGRASS MEADOWS -- 4. SYNTHESIS AND SUGGESTION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH FOCI -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 23: ENVIRONMENTAL INTERACTIONS OF MARINE AQUACULTURE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN: CURRENT STATUS AND EXPECTED CHANGES -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- EFFECTS ON THE SEABED -- EFFECTS ON PLANKTON COMMUNITIES -- EFFECTS ON WILD FISH COMMUNITIES -- EFFECTS ON SENSITIVE MARINE HABITATS -- EFFECTS AND INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER HUMAN ACTIVITIES -- EFFECTS OF THE AQUACULTURE FUTURE GROWTH ON THE ENVIRONMENT -- EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE AQUACULTURE - ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 24: OIL POLLUTION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN -- ABSTRACT -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. SOURCES OF OIL POLLUTION -- 3. INPUTS OF OIL/HYDROCARBONS -- 4. LEVELS AND TRENDS OF HYDROCARBONS IN THE DIFFERENT MARINE COMPARTMENTS -- 5. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 25: EFFECTS OF OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ON MEDITERRANEAN COASTAL HABITATS: LESSONS FROM CARBON DIOXIDE VENTS OFF ISCHIA -- Abstract -- Introduction -- CO2 Vent Studies Off Ischia -- Main Results From CO2 Vent Studies Off Ischia -- EFFECTS ON FLORA -- EFFECTS ON FAUNA -- CONCLUSION -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 26: CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS ON MEDITERRANEAN CETACEANS: TIME FOR ACTION -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- OBSERVED AND PREDICTED CHANGES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON CETACEANS: THE INTERNATIONAL FOCUS -- THE FUTURE -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- INDEX.