Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a large inland sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar and bordered by Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Strait of Gibraltar: A narrow passage connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean between Spain and Morocco. This is the sea’s only natural connection to the global ocean.
Tethys Ocean: An ancient ocean that separated the northern and southern continents before the modern Mediterranean region formed. The Mediterranean basin preserves remnants of this vanished ocean.
Mediterranean shipping: The movement of commercial vessels through Mediterranean ports and sea lanes. The sea remains a heavily used route between Atlantic, European, Asian, and North African markets.
Ancient Mediterranean: The interconnected maritime world of societies bordering the Mediterranean in antiquity. Sea routes enabled trade, migration, warfare, and cultural exchange across its shores.
Marine heatwave: A prolonged period of unusually high ocean temperatures in a particular region. Marine heatwaves are intensifying risks to Mediterranean species and coastal economies.
Mediterranean climate: A climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters. This characteristic climate shapes the sea’s northern shores and surrounding ecosystems.
Messinian salinity crisis: A late Miocene episode when restricted Atlantic inflow caused extensive salt deposition in the Mediterranean basin. It records an extreme past disruption of the sea’s connection to the Atlantic.
Suez Canal: An artificial waterway through Egypt linking the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea. The canal directs traffic between the sea and routes to the Indian Ocean.
Mediterranean diet: A dietary pattern associated with Mediterranean regions, emphasizing plant foods, olive oil, and moderate fish consumption. The sea’s food traditions shaped a widely studied pattern of eating.
Ocean acidification: The decrease in seawater pH caused mainly by absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide. It threatens organisms that build shells or skeletons in Mediterranean waters.