On November 21, the exhibition organized by the Maritime Museum of Barcelona (MMB) and the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) will open. The exhibition addresses one of the main threats to the Mediterranean’s marine biodiversity: invasive species.
The introduction of non-native species into the Mediterranean has become the second leading cause of marine biodiversity loss, surpassed only by habitat degradation caused by human activity, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
It is estimated that around 4,000 species travel daily worldwide, although studies indicate that less than 3% manage to establish themselves permanently and become invasive. One of the main entryways for these species is the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar, making the Mediterranean the sea with the highest number of invasive species.
But what exactly is an invasive species? What are the main pathways of introduction for these organisms into the Mediterranean? What are their effects on marine ecosystems? And on economic activities? What other impacts do they have? How does climate change, specifically the warming of waters, affect them? What measures can be taken to mitigate this threat and preserve marine biodiversity?
The exhibition “Marine Invasive Species: The Silent Threat” answers these and other crucial questions to understand the challenges posed by invasive species. It does so through a scientific, educational, and interactive journey.
Visit it first on November 21
This Thursday, November 21, the temporary exhibition will be inaugurated. In the morning, there will be an exclusive guided tour for media representatives, led by the MMB’s director, Enric Garcia Domingo, and two of the exhibition’s curators: Marc Rius Viladomiu (director and scientific researcher at CEAB-CSIC) and María García González (researcher at CEAB-CSIC, also specialized in this subject).
In the afternoon, at 6 pm, the official opening event will take place, open to anyone interested, and will also feature explanations by the CEAB-CSIC team of experts who developed the content.
Starting the following day, November 22, and until June 8, it will be open for free visits daily. It will be displayed in the Mirador space of the Maritime Museum of Barcelona, with extended hours, from 10 am to 8 pm.
And from December onwards, visitors can enjoy guided tours by the curators themselves. Each curator will offer a specialized perspective based on their area of expertise. The scheduled tours so far are:
- 12/12/2024 – Tour with Emma Cebrian, Head of the Marine Ecology Department at CEAB-CSIC, specializing in the organization of benthic marine communities: their structure, functioning, main processes, and the impact of human activities and global change on marine ecosystems.
- 23/01/2025 – Guided visit by Marc Rius, scientific researcher at the Marine Ecology Department. His research focuses on understanding the ecological and evolutionary consequences of human activities on marine species and ecosystems.
- 20/02/2025 (*) – Tour of the exhibition with María García, scientific researcher at the Marine Ecology Department. She works on preventing, detecting, and monitoring invasive species in the marine environment and characterizing the quality of coastal marine waters.
(*) This session will include a sign language interpreter. - 26/03/2025 – Tour with Xavier Turon, research professor in the Marine Ecology Department. He specializes in benthic invertebrates, particularly invasive species, and his research fields include taxonomy, reproductive biology, population dynamics, and population genomics.
The schedule for these tours with the curators is from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. They are also free, but prior registration is required. You can register at this link.
