Toward homogenization of Mediterranean lagoons and their loss of hydrodiversity

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 41; no. 16; pp. 5935 - 5941
• Main Authors: Ferrarin, Christian, Bajo, Marco, Bellafiore, Debora, Cucco, Andrea, De Pascalis, Francesca, Ghezzo, Michol, Umgiesser, Georg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Blackwell Publishing Ltd 28.08.2014; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Amplification; Climate change; Coastal areas; Coastal environments; Coastal zone; Global warming; Homogenization; Homogenizing; Lagoons; Mathematical models; numerical modeling; Physical properties; Salinity
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1002/2014GL060843

Lagoons are considered to be the most valuable systems of the Mediterranean coastal area, with crucial ecological, historical, economical, and social relevance. Climate change strongly affects coastal areas and can deeply change the status of transitional areas like lagoons. Herein we investigate the hydrological response of 10 Mediterranean lagoons to climate change by means of numerical models. Our results suggest that Mediterranean lagoons amplify the salinity and temperature changes expected for the open sea. Moreover, numerical simulations indicate that there will be a general loss of intralagoon and interlagoon variability of their physical properties. Therefore, as a result of climate change, we see on Mediterranean lagoons an example of a common process that in future may effect many coastal environments: that of homogenization of the physical characteristics with a tendency toward marinization. Key Points Mediterranean lagoons will be impacted by the loss of hydrodiversityLagoons amplify changes predicted for the open seaLagoons could act as a sentinel for global climate change