Article

The surface of the Mediterranean Sea represents only a small percentage (0.8%) of World Ocean surface; but the biodiversity is paradoxically rather high (12%). Both biodiversity and structure ofbenthic assembl ages are reall y reduced proceeding l'rom west to east. The low va lues or biodiversity occurring in the eastern basi n are Iinked lO severa I factors among which microplates tectonic, paleoclimatic and meteorological evenls and especiall y geodynamic events or South Aegean Illicroplate, Sapropel Crises occurred during last 30,000 years, Indian Illonsoon depending clilllate in the easte rn basin and in the Ni le Oood, opening Bosphorus Straits during Pleistocene and Holocene and excavating of Suez Canal just a century and half ago.