Bad news came from the resort province of Antalya – so-called “killer algae” began to spread in the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of Turkey. They are among the invasive species in the Mediterranean and threaten to displace many beneficial species, primarily beneficial seaweeds, known as the “lungs of the Mediterranean,” Ahab said, citing Akdeniz University Aquaculture Faculty Professor and Lecturer Dr. Mehmet Hekoglu.
After another dive on the popular coast of Konyaalta in Antalya, the scientist spoke about the alarming signs of the growth of alien species and the deterioration of the sea loved by tourists: “They are called “invaded” species. They develop very quickly and displace other species. We can see that some of the native species of algae are starting to disappear.”
Among the invasive species that have spread in the Mediterranean Sea in recent years are, for example, puffer fish, as well as some plants. Caulerpa taxifolia algae first spotted in just one place in Antalya Bay in 1995, the so-called killer algae has now spread over 20 kilometers. The alarm of scientists did not appear out of nowhere: this type of algae is not called killers for anything – they block the environment of other creatures, and spread very quickly because they are not eaten by most living sea creatures.
These plants live in the Gulf of Antalya at a depth of 12 to 35 meters and are also a threat to Posidonia Oceanica, an endemic type of seaweed known as the “Lungs of the Mediterranean”. The foreign appearance prevents photosynthesis. The professor said that the Mediterranean ecosystem is changing in animal and plant terms.
It will be recalled that last year the resort beaches of Turkey were attacked by slime, which prevented tourists from swimming. If the negative scenario is realized in the future, the Antalya coast will be covered with algae, the water will cease to be clean and slime will become a permanent phenomenon in the beach regions of the country. Such a prospect is unlikely to please vacationers.
Earlier, DIP wrote that “In Antalya, bathing tourists panicked after numerous fish bites.”