Marine heatwaves drive recurrent mass mortalities in the Mediterranean Sea

Climate change is causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves (MHWs) and mass mortality events (MMEs) of marine organisms are one of their main ecological impacts. Here, we show that during the 2015-2019 period, the Mediterranean Sea has experienced exceptional thermal conditions resulting in the onset of five consecutive years of widespread MMEs across the basin. These MMEs affected thousands of kilometers of coastline from the surface to 45 m, across a range of marine habitats and taxa (50 taxa across 8 phyla). Significant relationships were found between the incidence of MMEs and the heat exposure associated with MHWs observed both at the surface and across depths. Our findings…

• NG
  National Geographic Society

  Award: EC‐176R‐18
• MD
  Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades

  Award: RTI2018‐095441‐B‐C21
• EC
  European Commission
• AN
  Agence Nationale de la Recherche

  Award: ANR‐17‐MPGA‐0001
• GD
  Generalitat de Catalunya
• SZ
  Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
• EG
  EEA Grants
• HE
  H2020 Environment

  Award: SEP‐210597628