The Mediterranean is home to unique marine biodiversity, but it is now seriously threatened by two related phenomena: climate warming and the invasion of exotic species. Among the potential victims is the Mediterranean green crab, a native species whose habitat is shrinking at an alarming rate. The culprits are the arrival and expansion of the Atlantic blue crab, a formidable predator and competitor, combined with the devastating effects of climate change.<\/p>\n
The Atlantic blue crab, native to the American coasts, has established itself in the Mediterranean since the mid-20th century, probably via ship ballast water. With a high tolerance for temperature and salinity variations, it easily adapts to diverse environments, from brackish waters to deep coastal zones. Its ability to thrive in extreme conditions, coupled with rapid reproduction and aggressive behavior, makes it a formidable invader. Studies show that it feeds on many benthic invertebrates, including the Mediterranean green crab, thus exerting direct pressure on this local species.<\/p>\n
In contrast, the Mediterranean green crab, although resilient, is seeing its habitat degrade due to warming. Species distribution models reveal that the areas suitable for its survival could decrease by 40% by 2050 in the best-case climate scenario, and by up to 97% in the worst case by 2100. The northern Mediterranean coasts, currently favorable, will gradually become inhospitable, while the southern regions, already marginal, could become completely unsuitable for its survival. The Black Sea, once a refuge, would also be affected, with a near-total disappearance of suitable habitats.<\/p>\n
Competition with the blue crab further exacerbates this situation. Both species have similar needs in terms of food and space, but the blue crab, being larger and more aggressive, often dominates the available resources. Analyses show that the presence of the blue crab directly influences the distribution of the green crab, further reducing its chances of survival. In some cases, the blue crab actively hunts the green crab, as evidenced by the remains of the latter in its stomach.<\/p>\n
Projections indicate that the blue crab will continue to expand along the Mediterranean coasts. Even in a pessimistic climate scenario, with a temperature rise of 5\u00b0C by 2100, it will retain much of its current habitat. Its ability to withstand temperatures up to 40\u00b0C allows it to benefit from warming, unlike the green crab, whose thermal tolerance is more limited.<\/p>\n
This situation illustrates a phenomenon known as a “double threat”: climate change and biological invasions work together to weaken ecosystems. The Mediterranean green crab, already struggling, could disappear from its native range by the end of the century if no action is taken. Scientists emphasize the urgency of acting, particularly by limiting the spread of the blue crab and mitigating the effects of warming. Without intervention, the Mediterranean could lose one of its iconic species, with cascading consequences for the entire coastal ecosystem.<\/p>\n
DOI:<\/strong> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10531-026-03388-8<\/a><\/p>\n Title:<\/strong> Climate change and competition by the invasive Atlantic blue crab represent a critical threat for the Mediterranean green crab<\/p>\n Journal:<\/strong> Biodiversity and Conservation<\/p>\n Publisher:<\/strong> Springer Science and Business Media LLC<\/p>\n Authors:<\/strong> Giacomo Chini; Giuditta Codogno; Eleonora Bello; Cristiano Bertolucci; Stefano Cannicci; Sara Fratini<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Mediterranean green crab threatened by warming and an invader The Mediterranean is home to unique marine biodiversity, but it is now seriously threatened by two related phenomena: climate warming and the invasion of exotic species. Among the potential victims is the Mediterranean green crab, a native species whose habitat is shrinking at an alarming… Continue reading The Mediterranean green crab threatened by warming and an invader<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-environment","category-human-humanitarian","category-politics","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions\/56"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biodiversityreview.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}