Mediterranean Sea undergoes tropicalization due to rising temperatures

Rising sea temperatures driven by climate change are causing the Mediterranean Sea to undergo a process of 'tropicalization,' where invasive species from the Red Sea are becoming permanent residents. Prof. Dr. Deniz Ayas of Mersin University notes that warming waters allow species such as lionfish, pufferfish, and various catfishes to establish stable populations, fundamentally altering the Mediterranean's biological character and food chains.

Research from Tel Aviv University highlights this phenomenon, known as Lessepsian migration, which occurs via the Suez Canal. While many species have already arrived, scientists have identified three Red Sea fish—the star pufferfish, cinnabar goatfish, and yellowspotted trevally—that are highly predisposed for future migration. The eastern Mediterranean is currently warming at approximately twice the global average rate, thinning the natural thermal barrier that previously prevented these tropical species from surviving in northern waters.