Marine heat waves devastate red gorgonians in the Medes Islands: Study

The increase in the frequency and intensity of marine heat waves in recent decades is one of the effects of global climate change. A study by the University of Barcelona, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, shows that the extreme heat wave of 2022 caused an "unprecedented" increase in mortality of the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata, affecting 70% of the colonies located in the Montgrí Natural Park, the Medes Islands and the Baix Ter.