THE HIDDEN SIDE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
Beneath the surface of the Mediterranean Sea lies a treasure trove of biodiversity that remains largely unexplored, yet is of immense value.
The deep sea—defined as waters below 200 meters—covers more than 65% of the Earth's surface and hosts 95% of the planet’s biosphere. Its rich and unique biodiversity is the result of the remarkable diversity of its habitats: underwater mountains and canyons, mud volcanoes, hydrothermal vents, sponge gardens, and gorgonian forests.
A mosaic of ecosystems that provides shelter to more than 3,000 different species: deep-water coral, deep-water sharks, giant squids, and countless other organisms that are still little known.
Many of these species live in extreme environments, with very little light, cold temperatures, and immense pressure. Despite these harsh conditions, they have evolved extraordinary adaptations, contributing to the complexity and functioning of marine ecosystems.
These deep-sea ecosystems are important not only for their biodiversity: they regulate fundamental processes that sustain life on our planet and play a key role in global climate stability.
Marine sediments, for example, are crucial in regulating the carbon cycle because they absorb more carbon than they release, with significant implications in the context of climate change. Recent research has shown that deep-sea sediments account for nearly 80% of the total carbon stock stored in marine sediments.
In recent decades, new technologies have made it possible to explore increasingly deep and previously uncharted areas, improving our understanding of how these ecosystems function and revealing both their uniqueness and their extreme fragility.
In recent years, offshore drilling and fishing activities have expanded to ever greater depths thanks to technological advances, extending the impact of human activities into areas that were once inaccessible.
These pressures are compounded by the effects of climate change, including progressive ocean acidification, declining levels of dissolved oxygen, and increasingly frequent marine heatwaves.
However, the most significant impact on deep-sea ecosystems comes from industrial fishing, which is becoming ever more invasive and destructive. As fish stocks decline, bottom trawling is gradually moving into deeper waters, putting even the most vulnerable habitats at risk.
The result? A progressive desertification of the deep sea, making these environments increasingly depleted and inhospitable.
