Danger in the Mediterranean

East of Asia, north of Europe, and South of Africa lies 965,000 square miles of water called the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean's climate is known for its dry and very hot summers as well as wet winters, which are causing some very dangerous global warming situations to arise. All bodies of water experience some sort of water evaporation cycle where the water evaporates and then is replenished by rain and or runoff; but in the case of the Mediterranean, there is more evaporation going on than actual rainfall. This large body of water is also very high in salt content, and with the rate of evaporation, the water is growing more and more salty.

Even as the evaporation of the sea is on the rise, so are the changes in the seawater's temperatures. The Mediterranean is separated into different areas that reflect its climate, which are constantly changing. These constant drastic changes over the last several centuries have caused the marine life to adapt to the conditions. Those marine lives that do not adapt properly or adapt in time for the colder conditions, warmer conditions, or the increase and decrease in salinity will parish.

The marine life also has to face the pollution that is being dumped into their world. An estimated million tons of sewage is being dumped into this struggling sea every year. All of these man made and climatic changes to the Mediterranean is are causing new marine species and forcing already existing species to join the endangered list.

One of the many major problems is that there is normally a cold current that is coming off of the northern Italy and have allowed the waters of the Adriatic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to mix assisting in a specific type of micro algae to develop. This normal act of the mixing of the seas hasn't happened since 2003. The growth of the algae has stopped completely. Some may say its just algae, but this alga is essential to the marine life; the slightest tenth of a degree temperature rise could change half of the species.

Global warming is such a touchy subject and is often ignored or put on the back burner. Many feel as though if it isn't effecting then directly then they don't have to worry about it. Others feel or should I say their lack of feeling towards marine life also cause this growing problem to be shoved aside. If you are one of these people, think of this situation as a chain of dominoes; one falls down and the rest goes with it.

Scientists are confirming, not only the Mediterranean's change in temperature, marine life, and salinity; they are also determining a change in the surrounding land areas of the Mediterranean. Some examples of this are longer and hotter heat waves, shorter and colder winter months. These temperature extremes can easily lead to increases in energy production, possibly overheating of power plants, shut downs of those plants, and an increase in monthly utility bills.

If you want to go even further, the Mediterranean is known for their lush crops of oranges, grapes, and olives. Such a temperature change, flood, or drought will cause mass destruction of food supplies; not to mention that would cause a massive decline on the wine industry... and thinking back to the marine life, the fishing industry.

The Mediterranean is just one domino on this large planet, but how can we stop it from falling? Honestly, we can't stop it; it is going to occur one way or another. But we can try to slow it down. We may not be able to make it rain or help the Adrian Sea mix with the Mediterranean, but we can stop dumping sewage in the sea. If alien marine species are going to evolve let them do it on their own time, not on ours. I highly doubt that man wants to be responsible for fifty pound goldfish with a piranha teeth or sharks walking on land. The Mediterranean is already the most dangerous sea on Earth when it comes to sharks and devil rays; let's not make it any worse.

Some may laugh at my above scenario, but millions of years ago, evolution showed its massive life cycle and proved that anything is possible.In conclusion, this isn't the first time in history that climate has taken its toll on the world and mankind with either adapt or die. But this is the first time in history that mankind has been brutally assisting with the force of climate change. We helped cause the problem, so lets all help control and or slow it down.