UNEP-MAP RAC/SPA 2010. the Mediterranean Sea Biodiversity: State of the Ecosystems, Pressures, Impacts and Future Priorities
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas The Mediterranean Sea Biodiversity: state of the ecosystems, pressures, impacts and future priorities A September, 2010 CA D C Note: The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP or RAC/SPA concerning the legal status of any State, Territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of their frontiers or boundaries. ©2010 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Mediterranean Action Plan Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA) Boulevard du Leader Yasser Arafat BP 337 –1080 Tunis Cedex –TUNISIA E-mail : [email protected] This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. UNEP-MAP-RAC/SPA would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication maybe made for resale of for another commercial purpose what over without permission in writing from UNEP-MAP-RAC/SPA. This report should be quoted as: UNEP-MAP RAC/SPA 2010. The Mediterranean Sea Biodiversity: state of the ecosystems, pressures, impacts and future priorities. By Bazairi, H., Ben Haj, S., Boero, F., Cebrian, D., De Juan, S., Limam, A., Lleonart, J., Torchia, G., and Rais, C., Ed. RAC/SPA, Tunis; 100 pages. © Art drawings by Alberto Gennari CONTENTS INTRODUCTORY NOTE ..................................................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................... 9 LIST OF BOXES ............................................................................................................................................... 10 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ................................................................................................................................. 11 LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................................................. 12 1. CONTEXT .............................................................................................................................................. 14 2. STATUS OF COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS .................................................................................. 16 2.1. BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................................................. 16 2.2. HABITATS .............................................................................................................................................. 25 2.3. EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................. 30 2.4. NON NATIVE AND INVASIVE SPECIES ..................................................................................................... 34 2.5. TEMPORAL APPEARANCES .................................................................................................................... 36 2.6. STATE OF CONSERVATION ..................................................................................................................... 37 3. PRESSURES AND IMPACTS .................................................................................................................... 41 3.1. BIOLOGICAL DISTURBANCE ................................................................................................................... 41 3.1.1. Non indigenous and invasive species ............................................................................................... 41 3.1.1.1. Coasts and wetlands ............................................................................................................................... 43 3.1.1.2. Coastal water .......................................................................................................................................... 43 3.1.1.3. High seas ................................................................................................................................................ 45 3.1.2. Microbial pathogens ........................................................................................................................ 45 3.1.2.1. “Classical” pathogens ............................................................................................................................. 46 3.1.2.2. “New” pathogens ................................................................................................................................... 47 3.1.3. Fisheries on target and non‐target species ...................................................................................... 48 3.1.3.1. Direct effects of over‐fishing on the target species ................................................................................ 50 3.1.3.2. Indirect effects of fishing ........................................................................................................................ 51 3.1.3.3. Coasts and wetlands ............................................................................................................................... 55 3.1.3.4. Coastal waters ........................................................................................................................................ 55 3.1.3.5. High seas ................................................................................................................................................ 56 3.2. EMERGING ISSUES ................................................................................................................................. 59 3.2.1. Climate changes effects.................................................................................................................... 59 3.2.1.1. Coasts and wetlands ............................................................................................................................... 62 3.2.1.2. Coastal waters ........................................................................................................................................ 62 3.2.1.3. Climate change and the problem of multiple stressors .......................................................................... 64 3.2.1.4. High seas and climate change ................................................................................................................ 65 3.2.2. Deep seas ecosystem modifications ................................................................................................. 65 3.2.3. Critical areas vulnerable to pressure of open seas fishing on marine and coastal biodiversity ....... 69 4. EVALUATION OF GAPS .......................................................................................................................... 72 4.1. CONCERNING STATUS OF COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS .......................................................... 72 4.2. CONCERNING IMPACTS ON COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS ....................................................... 73 5. PRIORITY NEEDS AND URGENT ACTIONS ............................................................................................... 78 5.1. NEEDS .................................................................................................................................................... 78 5.1.1. Linked to properties of Mediterranean marine and coastal ecosystems ......................................... 78 5.1.2. Linked to critical impacts and effects on marine and coastal biodiversity ....................................... 78 5.2. URGENT ACTIONS .................................................................................................................................. 79 5.2.1. Linked to properties of Mediterranean marine and coastal ecosystems ......................................... 79 5.2.2. Linked to critical impacts and effects on marine and coastal biodiversity ....................................... 81 3 6. CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 86 6.1. LINKED TO PROPERTIES OF MEDITERRANEAN MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS ........................... 86 6.2. LINKED TO CRITICAL IMPACTS AND EFFECTS ON MARINE AND COASTAL BIODIVERSITY....................... 87 7. LIST OF REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 90 4 INTRODUCTORY NOTE This document is aimed to approach an assessment of the state of the ecology and identification of lacunae concerning the major properties of the ecosystems and associated pressures in the Mediterranean. It comprises in its first part a summary of the state of the ecosystems in the Mediterranean, particularly the biological features and types of habitat that exist there. A second part deals with the pressures and impacts on these ecosystems, essentially as regards biological disturbance and emerging problems such as the effects of climate change and modifications of the deep sea ecosystems, given the interest they are arousing worldwide. The document further deals