Oceanographic characteristics of the Adriatic Sea - Support to secondary HAOP spread through natural dispersal

Mar Pollut Bull. 2019 Oct:147:59-85. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.062. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Abstract

Vessels, specifically ballast water and hull fouling, are a major vector for the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) in European seas. The Mediterranean is one of the world's marine regions where their invasion is heaviest. The shallow Adriatic basin is a highly sensitive area that is already experiencing its consequences. The secondary spread of NIS over a wider area through natural dispersion is a complex process that depends on a wide range of oceanographic factors. This work analysed the dataset of the BALMAS project, in whose framework twelve ports in the Adriatic Sea were subjected to a Port Baseline Survey (PBS), to estimate the natural spread of NIS organisms from their port of arrival to the wider Adriatic basin. Its findings indicate that the prevailing water circulation patterns facilitate the natural dispersal of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens (HAOP).

Keywords: Adriatic Sea; BALMAS; Ballast water; Harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens; Non-indigenous species; Port.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aquatic Organisms*
  • Biological Monitoring / methods
  • Introduced Species*
  • Mediterranean Sea
  • Oceanography
  • Plankton
  • Salinity
  • Seasons
  • Seawater / chemistry
  • Ships*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Water Microbiology
  • Wind