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Review

Oceanographic Research in the Thermaikos Gulf: A Review over Five Decades

by
Yannis Androulidakis
1,2,*,
Christos Makris
1,
Katerina Kombiadou
1,3,
Yannis Krestenitis
1,
Natassa Stefanidou
4,
Chryssanthi Antoniadou
5,
Evangelia Krasakopoulou
2,
Maria-Ignatia Kalatzi
2,
Vasilis Baltikas
1,
Maria Moustaka-Gouni
4 and
Chariton Charles Chintiroglou
5
1
Laboratory of Maritime Engineering and Maritime Works, School of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
2
Laboratory of Physical and Chemical Oceanography, Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, 811 00 Mitilini, Greece
3
Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA), Aquatic Research Network (ARNET), University of Algarve, Campus of Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
4
Laboratory of Botany, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
5
Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(5), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12050795
Submission received: 25 March 2024 / Revised: 29 April 2024 / Accepted: 6 May 2024 / Published: 9 May 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrodynamic Circulation Modelling in the Marine Environment)

Abstract

The Thermaikos Gulf (TG) is a semi-enclosed, river-influenced, marine system situated in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, sustaining both urban coastal regions and ecologically preserved natural areas. Facing a plethora of environmental and anthropogenic pressures, the TG serves as a critical nexus where human activities intersect with marine ecosystems. The quality and health of the TG’s marine environment are tightly linked to the socioeconomic activities of the coastal communities comprising approximately 1.5 million inhabitants. The main features of the TG’s environmental dynamics and ecological status have been scrutinized by dedicated research endeavors during the last 50 years. This review synthesizes the seminal findings of these investigations, offering an evaluation of their contribution to research, their present collective impact, and their trajectory toward the future. A severe deterioration of the TG’s environmental quality was detected in the 1970s and 1980s when the treatment of urban wastewater was completely absent. A steady trend of recovery was observed after the 1990s; however, so far, the goal of a “good environmental state” mandated by national legislation and European directives has not been achieved. A clear reduction in research was detected after 2010, associated with the recession of the Greek economy, following the “golden period” for research in the TG from the mid-1990s until the late 2000s. The most important research gaps and uncertainties are discussed, while specific targeted recommendations for the improvement of monitoring and understanding of the physical, biochemical, and ecological state of the gulf are provided: (i) increase in permanent observational stations (temporally and spatially); (ii) inclusion of all major environmental parameters; (iii) monitoring of the quantity and quality of all land-originated freshwater discharges; (iv) monitoring and management of important aspects of the marine environment that have received minimal attention in the past (e.g., coastal erosion, plastic pollution); (v) development of accurate prediction tools (e.g., numerical techniques) to support first-level responders and efficient management; (vi) establishment of a supervising public entity that would support the holistic overview and management of the entire TG. These suggestions are directed at overcoming the existing uncertainties in the knowledge of the TG, safeguarding its ecological integrity and its role as a crucial link to marine biodiversity and sustainability in the Mediterranean basin.
Keywords: Aegean Sea; biological processes; marine pollution; Mediterranean; monitoring; physical processes; sediment transport Aegean Sea; biological processes; marine pollution; Mediterranean; monitoring; physical processes; sediment transport
Graphical Abstract

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MDPI and ACS Style

Androulidakis, Y.; Makris, C.; Kombiadou, K.; Krestenitis, Y.; Stefanidou, N.; Antoniadou, C.; Krasakopoulou, E.; Kalatzi, M.-I.; Baltikas, V.; Moustaka-Gouni, M.; et al. Oceanographic Research in the Thermaikos Gulf: A Review over Five Decades. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12, 795. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12050795

AMA Style

Androulidakis Y, Makris C, Kombiadou K, Krestenitis Y, Stefanidou N, Antoniadou C, Krasakopoulou E, Kalatzi M-I, Baltikas V, Moustaka-Gouni M, et al. Oceanographic Research in the Thermaikos Gulf: A Review over Five Decades. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2024; 12(5):795. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12050795

Chicago/Turabian Style

Androulidakis, Yannis, Christos Makris, Katerina Kombiadou, Yannis Krestenitis, Natassa Stefanidou, Chryssanthi Antoniadou, Evangelia Krasakopoulou, Maria-Ignatia Kalatzi, Vasilis Baltikas, Maria Moustaka-Gouni, and et al. 2024. "Oceanographic Research in the Thermaikos Gulf: A Review over Five Decades" Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 12, no. 5: 795. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12050795

APA Style

Androulidakis, Y., Makris, C., Kombiadou, K., Krestenitis, Y., Stefanidou, N., Antoniadou, C., Krasakopoulou, E., Kalatzi, M.-I., Baltikas, V., Moustaka-Gouni, M., & Chintiroglou, C. C. (2024). Oceanographic Research in the Thermaikos Gulf: A Review over Five Decades. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 12(5), 795. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12050795

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