Deep-sea ecosystem response to climate changes: the eastern Mediterranean case study

Climate change is significantly modifying ecosystem functioning on a global scale, but little is known about the response of deep-sea ecosystems to su ch change. In the past decade, extensive climate change has modified the ph ysico-chemical characteristics of deep waters in the eastern Mediterranean. Climate change has caused an immediate accumulation of organic matter on t he deep-sea floor, altered the carbon and nitrogen cycles and has had negat ive effects on deep-sea bacteria and benthic fauna. Evidence from a miniatu re ocean model provides new ways of interpreting signals from the deep sea and indicates that, contrary to what might have been expected, deep-sea eco systems do respond quickly to climate change.