The collective effects of potential drivers on the incidence of non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean: A long-term investigation
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Non-indigenous species (NIS) pose a significant threat to society and the ecosystem in the Mediterranean Sea as well as global ecosystems. These species are introduced into marine environments through a combination of various vectors that are likely interconnected. Therefore, this study collectively investigates shipping activities, environmental dynamics, and socioeconomic factors as causative drivers of NIS incidence in the Mediterranean Sea. For this purpose, data sets covering the period between 1993 and 2023 were retrieved from various online databases. The model overall largely explained the incidence rate of NIS (79.3 %) in the Mediterranean Sea. The relative contribution of the selected variables varied between 17.1 % and 7.6 %, population and bulk carrier ships, respectively. Consequently, while some of the examined variables were more important than others, this study clearly indicated that all these causative drivers need to be collectively considered for efficient management strategies of NIS. • NIS incidence analysed through shipping, socio-economic, and environmental impacts. • Drivers' collective effects on NIS incidence are shown for the Mediterranean Sea. • Shipping traffic, the main factor, accounts for 46.43 % of the total impact. • Socio-economic factors (population, GDP) account for 32.6 % of the total impact. • Environmental factors (temperature, salinity) account for 21 % of the total impact.
Source: Marine Pollution Bulletin
Authors: Cemile Solak-Fiskin, Mehmet Cihan, Mustafa Remzi Gül
Institutions: Copenhagen Business School, Ordu University
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,740
OpenAlex ID: W4408251759