The Expected Impact of Marine Energy Farms Operating in Island Environments with Mild Wave Energy Resources—A Case Study in the Mediterranean Sea

A particularity of island areas is that they are subjected to strong sea state conditions that can have a severe impact on the beach stability, while on the other hand, they rely mainly on diesel combustion for electricity production which in the long run is not a sustainable solution. The aim of this work is to tackle these two issues, by assessing the impact of a hybrid marine energy farm that may operate near the north-western part of Giglio Island in the Mediterranean Sea. As a first step, the most relevant environmental conditions (wind and waves) over a 27-year time interval (January 1992–December 2018) were identified considering data coming from both ERA5 and the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative for Sea State. An overview of the electricity production was made by considering some offshore wind turbines, the results showing that even during the summertime when there is a peak demand (but low wind resources), the demand can be fully covered by five wind turbines defined each by a rated power of 6 MW. The main objective of this work is to assess the coastal impact induced by a marine energy farm, and for this reason, various layouts obtained by varying the number of lines (one or two) and the distance between the devices were proposed. The modelling system considered has been already calibrated in the target area for this type of study while the selected device is defined by a relatively low absorption property. The dynamics of various wave parameters has been analysed, including significant wave height, but also parameters related to the breaking mechanics, and longshore currents. It was noticed that although the target area is naturally protected by the dominant waves that are coming from the south-western sector, it is possible to occur extreme waves coming from the north-west during the wintertime that can be efficiently attenuated by the presence of the marine energy farm.

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Impact of air–sea coupling on the climate change signal over the Iberian Peninsula

Climate Dynamics ◽

10.1007/s00382-021-05812-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alba de la Vara ◽

William Cabos ◽

Dmitry V. Sein ◽

Claas Teichmann ◽

Daniela Jacob

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Iberian Peninsula ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Large Scale ◽

Regional Distribution ◽

Coupled Model ◽

Climate Change Signal ◽

The North ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Impact

AbstractIn this work we use a regional atmosphere–ocean coupled model (RAOCM) and its stand-alone atmospheric component to gain insight into the impact of atmosphere–ocean coupling on the climate change signal over the Iberian Peninsula (IP). The IP climate is influenced by both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean sea. Complex interactions with the orography take place there and high-resolution models are required to realistically reproduce its current and future climate. We find that under the RCP8.5 scenario, the generalized 2-m air temperature (T2M) increase by the end of the twenty-first century (2070–2099) in the atmospheric-only simulation is tempered by the coupling. The impact of coupling is specially seen in summer, when the warming is stronger. Precipitation shows regionally-dependent changes in winter, whilst a drier climate is found in summer. The coupling generally reduces the magnitude of the changes. Differences in T2M and precipitation between the coupled and uncoupled simulations are caused by changes in the Atlantic large-scale circulation and in the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, the differences in projected changes of T2M and precipitation with the RAOCM under the RCP8.5 and RCP4.5 scenarios are tackled. Results show that in winter and summer T2M increases less and precipitation changes are of a smaller magnitude with the RCP4.5. Whilst in summer changes present a similar regional distribution in both runs, in winter there are some differences in the NW of the IP due to differences in the North Atlantic circulation. The differences in the climate change signal from the RAOCM and the driving Global Coupled Model show that regionalization has an effect in terms of higher resolution over the land and ocean.

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Modeling the biogeochemical impact of atmospheric phosphate deposition from desert dust and combustion sources to the Mediterranean Sea

10.5194/bg-2017-242 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Camille Richon ◽

Jean-Claude Dutay ◽

François Dulac ◽

Rong Wang ◽

Yves Balkanski

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Transport Model ◽

Atmospheric Transport ◽

Primary Source ◽

Biogeochemical Model ◽

Chemical Transport Model ◽

Chl A ◽

The North ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Impact

Abstract. We used phosphate deposition from natural dust, anthropogenic combustion and wildfires simulated for the year 2005 by a global atmospheric chemical transport model (LMDz–INCA) as additional sources of external nutrient for a high resolution regional coupled dynamical–biogeochemical model of the Mediterranean Sea. In general, dust is considered as the main atmospheric source of phosphorus, but the LMDz–INCA model suggests that combustion is dominant over natural dust as an atmospheric source of phosphate (the bioavailable form of phosphorus in seawater) for the Mediterranean Sea. According to the atmospheric transport model, anthropogenic phosphate deposition from combustion (Pcomb) brings on average 40.5 10−6 mol PO4 m−2 year−1 over the entire Mediterranean Sea for the year 2005 and is the primary source over the northern part (101 10−6 mol PO4 m−2 year−1 from combustion deposited in 2005 over the North Adriatic against 12.4 10−6 from dust). Lithogenic dust brings 17.2 10−6 mol PO4 m−2 year−1 on average over the Mediterranean Sea in 2005 and is the primary source of atmospheric phosphate to the southern Mediterranean basin in our simulations (31.8 10−6 mol PO4 m−2 year−1 from dust deposited in 2005 on average over the South Ionian basin against 12.4 10−6 from combustion). We examine separately the different soluble phosphorus (PO4) sources and their respective fluxes variability and evaluate their impacts on marine surface biogeochemistry (phosphate concentrations, Chl a, primary production). The impacts of the different phosphate deposition sources on the biogeochemistry of the Mediterranean are found localized, seasonally varying and small, but yet statistically significant. The impact of the different sources of phosphate on the biogeochemical cycles is remarkably different and should be accounted for in modeling studies.

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Extreme Wave Condition at Doggerbank

Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.4033564 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 138 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Espen Engebretsen ◽

Sverre K. Haver ◽

Dag Myrhaug

Keyword(s):

Wind Turbines ◽

Wind Farm ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Extreme Condition ◽

Exceedance Probability ◽

Extreme Wave ◽

Sea State ◽

Wave Condition ◽

The North ◽

Wave Conditions

In design of offshore wind turbines, extreme wave conditions are of interest. Usually, the design wave condition is taken as the sea state corresponding to an annual exceedance probability of 2 × 10−2, i.e., a return period of 50 years. A possible location for a future wind farm, consisting of bottom fixed wind turbines, is the Doggerbank area. The water depth in this area varies from about 60 m in the north to about 20 m in the south. The hindcast database NORA10 provides sea state characteristics from 1957 to present over a domain covering Doggerbank. Regarding the deeper areas just north of Doggerbank, this hindcast model is found to be of good quality. Larger uncertainties are associated with the hindcast results as we approach shallower water further south. The purpose of the present study is to compare sea state evolution over Doggerbank as reflected by NORA10 with the results of the commonly used shallow water hindcast model SWAN. The adequacy of the default parameters of SWAN for reflecting changes in wave conditions over a sloping bottom is investigated by comparison with model test results. Extreme wave conditions for two locations 102.5 km apart in a north–south direction are established using NORA10. This is done using both, an all sea states approach and a peak over threshold (POT) approach. Assuming the extremes for the northern position to represent good estimates, the wave evolution southward is analyzed using SWAN. The extreme condition obtained from NORA10 in the northern position is used as input to SWAN and the results from the two hindcast models are compared in the southern position. SWAN seems to suggest a somewhat faster decay over Doggerbank compared to NORA10.

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First record of the Combtooth Blenny, Microlipophrys adriaticus (Steindachner & Kolombatovic, 1883) (Pisces, Blenniidae), for the Italian Ionian Sea

Check List ◽

10.15560/11.3.1646 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 1646 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

F. Tiralongo ◽

R. Baldacconi

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Black Sea ◽

Adriatic Sea ◽

First Record ◽

The Black Sea ◽

Ionian Sea ◽

Sea Of Marmara ◽

Limited Distribution ◽

The North ◽

The Mediterranean

Microlipophrys adriaticus (Steindachner & Kolombatovic, 1883) is an endemic blenny of the Mediterranean Sea. It is also known from the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. However, unlike other species of combtooth blennies, M. adriaticus is a fish with a limited distribution in Adriatic Sea, especially in the north, where it can be common. We report here the first record of this species from the waters of the Ionian Sea.

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Further spreading of the non-indigenous bryozoan Celleporaria brunnea in the Mediterranean Sea: port to port morphological variations

10.7287/peerj.preprints.1592 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Jasmine Ferrario ◽

Agnese Marchini ◽

Martina Marić ◽

Dan Minchin ◽

Anna Occhipinti-Ambrogi

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Western Mediterranean ◽

Indigenous Species ◽

Large Variability ◽

Morphometric Characters ◽

Morphological Variations ◽

The North ◽

Western Mediterranean Sea ◽

The Pacific ◽

The Mediterranean

The Pacific cheilostome bryozoan Celleporaria brunnea (Hincks, 1884), a non-indigenous species already known for the Mediterranean Sea, was recorded in 2013-2014 from nine Italian port localities (Genoa, Santa Margherita Ligure, La Spezia, Leghorn, Viareggio, Olbia, Porto Rotondo, Porto Torres and Castelsardo) in the North-western Mediterranean Sea; in 2014 it was also found for the first time in the Adriatic Sea, in the marina “Kornati”, Biograd na Moru (Croatia). In Italy, specimens of C. brunnea were found in 44 out of 105 samples (48% from harbour sites ad 52% from marinas). These data confirm and update the distribution of C. brunnea in the Mediterranean Sea, and provide evidence that recreational boating is a vector responsible for the successful spread of this species. Previous literature data have shown the existence of differences in orifice and interzooidal avicularia length and width among different localities of the invaded range of C. brunnea. Therefore, measurements of orifice and avicularia were assessed for respectively 30 zooids and 8 to 30 interzooidal avicularia for both Italian and Croatian localities, and compared with literature data, in order to verify the existence of differences in the populations of C. brunnea that could reflect the geographic pattern of its invasion range. Our data show high variability of orifice measures among and within localities: zooids with broader than long orifice coexisted with others displaying longer than broad orifice, or similar values for both length and width. The morphological variation of C. brunnea in these localities, and above all the large variability of samples within single localities or even within colonies poses questions on the reliability of such morphometric characters for inter and intraspecific evaluations.

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New Mediterranean Marine biodiversity records (June 2013)

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.450 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 238 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

I. SIOKOU ◽

A.S. ATES ◽

D. AYAS ◽

J. BEN SOUISSI ◽

T. CHATTERJEE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Aegean Sea ◽

Marine Biodiversity ◽

Red Data Book ◽

Gulf Of Tunis ◽

The North ◽

Levantine Sea ◽

Data Book ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Flora Of Cyprus

This paper concerns records of species that have extended their distribution in the Mediterranean Sea. The finding of the rare brackish angiosperm Althenia filiformis in the island of Cyprus is interesting since its insertion in the Red Data Book of the Flora of Cyprus is suggested. The following species enriched the flora or fauna lists of the relevant countries: the red alga Sebdenia dichotoma (Greece), the hydrachnid mite Pontarachna adriatica (Slovenia), and the thalassinid Gebiacantha talismani (Turkey). Several alien species were recorded in new Mediterranean localities. The record of the burrowing goby Trypauchen vagina in the North Levantine Sea (Turkish coast), suggests the start of spreading of this Lessepsian immigrant in the Mediterranean Sea. The findings of the following species indicate the extension of their occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea: the foraminifer Amphistegina lobifera (island of Zakynthos, Greece), the medusa Cassiopea andromeda (Syria), the copepod Centropages furcatus (Aegean Sea), the decapod shrimp Melicertus hathor (island of Kastellorizo, Greece), the crab Menoethius monoceros (Gulf of Tunis), the barnacles Balanus trigonus, Megabalanus tintinnabulum, Megabalanus coccopoma and the bivalves Chama asperella, Cucurbitula cymbium (Saronikos Gulf, Greece).

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Introduction to the project DUNE, a DUst experiment in a low Nutrient, low chlorophyll Ecosystem

Biogeosciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/bgd-10-12491-2013 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 12491-12527 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

C. Guieu ◽

F. Dulac ◽

C. Ridame ◽

P. Pondaven

Keyword(s):

Trace Elements ◽

Atmospheric Deposition ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Surface Waters ◽

Carbon Pump ◽

Mesocosm Experiments ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Atmospheric Inputs ◽

Oligotrophic Ecosystem ◽

The Impact

Abstract. The main goal of the project DUNE was to estimate the impact of atmospheric deposition on an oligotrophic ecosystem based on mesocosm experiments simulating strong atmospheric inputs of Aeolian dust. Atmospheric deposition is now recognized as a significant source of macro- and micro-nutrients for the surface ocean, but the quantification of its role on the biological carbon pump is still poorly determined. We proposed in DUNE to investigate the role of atmospheric inputs on the functioning of an oligotrophic system particularly well adapted to this kind of study: the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean Sea – etymologically, sea surrounded by land – is submitted to atmospheric inputs that are very variable both in frequency and intensity. During the thermal stratification period, only atmospheric deposition is prone to fertilize Mediterranean surface waters which has become very oligotrophic due to the nutrient depletion (after the spring bloom). This paper describes the objectives of DUNE and the implementation plan of a series of mesocosms experiments during which either wet or dry and a succession of two wet deposition fluxes of 10 g m−2 of Saharan dust have been simulated. After the presentation of the main biogeochemical initial conditions of the site at the time of each experiment, a general overview of the papers published in this special issue is presented, including laboratory results on the solubility of trace elements in erodible soils in addition to results from the mesocosm experiments. Our mesocosm experiments aimed at being representative of real atmospheric deposition events onto the surface of oligotrophic marine waters and were an original attempt to consider the vertical dimension in the study of the fate of atmospheric deposition within surface waters. Results obtained can be more easily extrapolated to quantify budgets and parameterize processes such as particle migration through a "captured water column". The strong simulated dust deposition events were found to impact the dissolved concentrations of inorganic dissolved phosphorus, nitrogen, iron and other trace elements. In the case of Fe, adsorption on sinking particles yields a decrease in dissolved concentration unless binding ligands were produced following a former deposition input and associated fertilization. For the first time, a quantification of the C export induced by the aerosol addition was possible. Description and parameterization of biotic (heterotrophs and autotrophs, including diazotrophs) and abiotic processes (ballast effect due to lithogenic particles) after dust addition in sea surface water, result in a net particulate organic carbon export in part controlled by the "lithogenic carbon pump".

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High diversified benthic habitats in a tidal Mediterranean sub-tropical environment: the case of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia)

10.7287/peerj.preprints.26537 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Abir Fersi ◽

Nawfel Mosbahi ◽

Ali Bakalem ◽

Jean-Philippe Pezy ◽

Alexandrine Baffreau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Tropical Environment ◽

Gulf Of Gabes ◽

Annual Cycles ◽

Gulf Of Gabès ◽

Zostera Noltei ◽

Sediment Types ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Impact

The Gulf of Gabès on the southern coasts of Tunisia in the central part of the Mediterranean is a very shallow basin, characterized by semidiurnal tides, attaining a range of 2.3 m during spring tides. The intertidal zone was covered by extended Zostera (Zosterella) noltei Hornemann, 1832 beds mainly developed around the Kneiss Islands while tidal channels ensured the water circulation in this sub-tropical environment with very low freshwater input and high summer temperature. In spite of protected conventions, the area remained under high human pressures: overfishing, and the impact of the pollution of the phosphate industry. Intensive sampling in both intertidal and shallow subtidal zones during annual cycles permitted to identify a rich macrofauna which increase considerably the species known in this eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. More than 50 species are added for the Tunisian fauna. Moreover, patterns of diversity are analysed with the sediment types, presence or absence of Zostera noltei seagrass bed, and human pressures. The list of the collected species are compared with those of surrounding areas in both Western and Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

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Mapping the impact of alien species on marine ecosystems: the Mediterranean Sea case study

Diversity and Distributions ◽

10.1111/ddi.12429 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 694-707 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

Stelios Katsanevakis ◽

Fernando Tempera ◽

Heliana Teixeira

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Marine Ecosystems ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Impact

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Verruca stroemia and Verruca spengleri (Crustacea: Cirripedia): distribution in the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315403006842h ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 83 (1) ◽

pp. 89-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Paulo S. Young ◽

Helmut Zibrowius ◽

Ghazi Bitar

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Black Sea ◽

Geographic Distribution ◽

Deep Water ◽

Southern Spain ◽

The Black Sea ◽

The North ◽

North Eastern ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Gorringe Bank

The geographic distribution of Verruca stroemia and V. spengleri are reviewed. Verruca stroemia ranges from the White, Barents, Norwegian, and North Seas south to Portugal to the Algarve and to Gorringe Bank. All of the records of this species from the Mediterranean Sea are considered to be V. spengleri. Verruca spengleri occurs in the Azores and Madeira archipelagos, in southern Spain (Cádiz), throughout the Mediterranean Sea from Gibraltar to Lebanon, and in the Black Sea. But a distinct deep-water Verruca species seems to occur in the deep Mediterranean.

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