Spain’s Institute of Oceanography has warned that the rise of sea levels in the Mediterranean is accelerating. A group of researchers of the center has set sail to collect more data on the effects of climate change on the sea

STAFF | FEBRUARY 28TH, 2011

The European project called MedSeA, led by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, is setting out to research the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of the acidification of the Mediterranean Sea caused by global warming. The aim is to map vulnerable areas and devise strategies to mitigate its effects

STAFF | FEBRUARY 23RD, 2011

The website Recerca en Accio has recently launched a new project focused on the study of white coral reefs that grow between 50 and 1,000 meters deep in the Mediterranean. A group of oceanographers are investigating the ecology of these communities in locations such as the Canal of Menorca or the submarine canyon off Cap de Creus, on the Catalan coast. The information collected can be used to include these marine areas in the Natura 2000 network.

STAFF | SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2010

Barcelona’s Institute of Marine Sciences has succeeded for the first time ever in reproducing the most common species of jellyfish found in the Mediterranean in its laboratories.

Staff | June 22, 2010

Theories about the rates of ice accumulation and melting during the Quaternary Period, the time interval ranging from 2.6 million years ago to the present, may need to be revised, according to findings published by researchers from University of Iowa (UI, United States) in 'Science'.

A.R. | 12 February 2010

A new report in 'Current Biology' illustrates the confusion, caused by humans, of food webs. The result of the study indicates that the movement pattern of two species of seabirds in danger of extinction in the Western Mediterranean changes depending on the level of activity of the local fisheries. In particular, it varies depending on the fish discarded and thrown overboard from the ships after work. These changes in movement patterns in seabirds have been observed regionally.

Staff | 2 February 2010

The Institute of Marine Sciences (CSIC) is studying the marine environment and its living organisms, researching the functioning of its ecosystems and the possibility to ensure its protection and recovery. But the ocean is huge, too large to get to know it relying only on the Institute's own work. In order therefore to give voice to other 'researchers', observers, naturalists, marine professionals and lovers of the ocean, the Institute has created the portal 'Observer of the sea'. Thus, the Institute seeks to achieve a more appropriate, current and realistic vision of the oceans.

The Mediterranean Sea nearly dried out six million years ago, when it got isolated from the oceans for a long period of time, due to actual tectonic lifting of the Gibraltar Strait. When the Atlantic once again found a way through the Straits, the Mediterranean filled with the biggest and most sudden flood that Earth has ever known. The finding is published in Nature.

Staff | 11 december 2009

The Mediterranean is home to some of the oldest civilizations of mankind. It is also a large lake the size of 2,512,000 square kilometres, and a depth that ranges between 1,500 and 5,510 metres. There is not much left of the mare nostrum through which roman civilizations, merchants and pirates once sailed. Now is the time to meet the challenges that come with progress in order not to put it in danger. The 22 countries that border it met last week in Gerona to establish solutions for the pollution that comes through the rivers.

Ànnia Monreal | 22 October 2009

In Barcelona (Spain), about 250 experts have recently debated about the possible future scenarios of storms in the Mediterranean. Scientists still don’t dare to assure that the frequency of these episodes will increase. At the moment, the scientific community is sailing on a sea of uncertainty. They can only assure that the impact will be important due to the excessive urbanization of the coast.

Patricia Morén | 14 september 2009

A.R. | 9 june 2009