The Oceans Surrounding Cyprus, Mediterranean Sea
- The Persaud Foundation
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
In today’s article, we are going to be diving into the oceans surrounding Cyprus! Cyprus is a small Island Country in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Turkey. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the third most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea. The isle is approximately 37.22 nautical miles (42.832011 miles or 68.93144 kilometers) from the mainland country of Turkey on Asia Minor. Additionally, is approximately 149 miles long from east to west, & 62 miles from north to south at its widest point.
Cyprus has been settled by various groups of people, since at least the Bronze Age approximately 13,000 to 12,000 years ago, giving time for its incredibly interesting & unique culture to develop. The isle is very well known for its rich culture & history, arts, & folk music. A strong part of the local culture is Hospitality. Guests & visitors are almost always offered small amounts of food as a sign of appreciation, & are often served with a special kind of silver fork known as the protsoues.
Cyprus contains a unique ecoregion known as the Cyprus Mediterranean Forests, known for its endemic species, temperate climate, & vast sprawling landscapes. Approximately 128 plants are endemic to these forests, as well as a sub-species of sheep. The island isn’t only diverse in its terrestrial landscapes, & is also highly diverse in its marine landscapes. This is shown in their beautiful sea caves, rocky shorelines, & seagrass meadows.
In this article, we are going to delve into the Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, Depth, & Marine Geography Of The Oceans Surrounding Cyprus, the Marine Ecosystems Of Cyprus, the Marine Flora & Fauna Of Cyprus, & How Ocean Acidification & Rising Oceanic Temperatures are Affecting Cyprus’s Oceans. With that being said, let us delve into the beautiful Mediterranean Waters surrounding Cyprus.
The Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, Depth, & Marine Geography of The Oceans Surrounding Cyprus
The salinity for the oceans surrounding Cyprus is very high, at 39.1 parts per thousand. Salinity is measured in 1000-gram increments of water, & for every 1000 grams of water, a certain amount is salt. This measurement is called Parts Per Thousand, or Practical Salinity Units. There are not many known Brine Pools in Cyprus, nor are there many salt deposits.
The tidal charts for Cyprus can be found on a plethora of websites, including https://www.tidetime.org, https://www.tide-forecast.com, https://www.surfline.com, & https://www.tideschart.com. The tide in Cyprus generally doesn’t go over 1.25 meters high, or go below -0.65 meters.
The temperature charts can be found on similar websites, such as https://www.seatemperature.org, https://www.tideschart.com, https://seatemperature.info, & https://www.surf-forecast.com. Using the information provided in these charts, the average yearly oceanic temperature is approximately 22.175° Celsius (71.915° Fahrenheit). Using a wetsuit guide, it is recommended that swimmers as well as those who wish to partake in oceanic sports should wear a wetsuit with a thickness of 3 millimeters or more. Generally, the island’s beaches are safe for swimming. There is the issue of strong waves, however there are usually warning signs to indicate them. There are rip currents, however the rip currents are not very strong.
Cyprus has some of the most polluted beaches in all of the Mediterranean, due to the high amount of consumer plastics being thrown into the ocean. The majority of the pollution is caused by plastic, & plastic breaks up into microplastics.
Despite the pollution, tourism is still high, with 4 million tourists visiting per year. Scuba Diving & Snorkelling are fairly popular oceanic activities for tourists, with many rental stations available. A few of the most popular beaches include Konnos Beach, Nissi Beach, Mackenzie Beach, Ayia Thekla, Aphrodite Beach, & Avdimou Bay.
The sea floor around Cyprus is largely composed of sand, rock, & compressed clay. There is one interesting marine geological feature approximately 100 kilometers southwest of Cyprus, that feature being the Eratosthenes Sea Mount. The Eratosthenes Sea Mount is a 6,624-foot tall underwater sea mount off the coast of Cyprus. It is a carbonate platform.
The deepest oceanic point within a 5 Nautical Mile (5.7539 miles or 9.26 kilometers) radius of Cyprus is approximately 3,300 feet (1005.84 meters) deep.
The Marine Ecosystems of Cyprus
Ecosystem Type No. 1: Seagrass Meadow
Seagrass meadows are large patches of seagrass that oxygenate the water & provide shelter for marine organisms. These meadows are incredibly important to the oceanic ecosystem, as they provide a food source, an oxygen source, & shelter simultaneously. These areas are commonly used by fish & mollusks alike to spawn their eggs, as the seagrass provides a safe area for their hatchlings. These seagrass meadows may be composed of 1 species of seagrass, or be composed of multiple species depending on their depth. Typically, these meadows can be found from 0.25 to 190 feet (0.0762 meters to 57.912 feet) deep. The most common species of seagrass to be found around Cyprus is Posidonia oceanica, commonly known as Mediterranean Tapeweed or Neptune Grass. It is endemic to the Mediterranean.
Ecosystem Type No. 2: Intertidal Zones
An intertidal zone is an area of coastline that is exposed to air at low tide, & is covered with water at high tide. It is a very important location to many small marine animals, such as gastropods, crustaceans, & bivalves. Many animals will take advantage of the nutrients & microorganisms that come in with the high tide. Tide pools are a kind of rock formation located in the intertidal zone, in which water becomes trapped to form a small pool. These pools generally have species from the phyla Echinodermata & Mollusca in them.
The Marine Flora of Cyprus
The most common species of Seagrass found around Cyprus is Posidonia oceanica, commonly known as Mediterranean Tapeweed.
This seagrass will often grow in massive colonies, known as meadows. Usually, their colonies grow at depths of 3.3 to 114.8 feet deep. When the plant blades die, they form into balls, which are known as the “Olive of the Sea”. Their fruits are also known as Neptune balls & will often wash up along the coastline. They often plague the beaches & make for a strange sight to see. They usually don’t impede visitors, but they can. These Neptune balls are brown, & somewhat crunchy. The interesting thing about this species is that it can absorb carbon dioxide in huge droves. This species can soak up 15 more times carbon dioxide than a similar-sized piece of the Amazon Rainforest in South America. Their fruits are also important as they are dense balls of dead Neptune grass leaves, creating a structure to pick up pollution. These dense balls can trap microplastics within them & then carry these plastics to the shoreline where people can discard them safely. These species are not threatened with extinction as of 2024, & are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.
Posidonia oceanica is usually bright green, however it may turn brown as it ages. It usually grows between 7.87402 inches (20.0000108 centimeters) & 15.748 inches (39.99992 centimeters) tall. It also grows usually to be 10 millimeters (0.393701 inches or 1 centimeter) wide. There are other species of seagrass, but we are unable to confirm exactly what species there are, & for that reason, we cannot provide information on them.
The Marine Fauna of Cyprus
Cyprus had a very biodiverse population of Marine Fauna. Although there is pollution & ocean acidification, there marine life of Cyprus is abundant. A few of the most common animals include the Mediterranean Monk Seal which is endemic to the Mediterranean, Loggerhead Turtles, Green Sea Turtles, Cuttlefish, Octopi, Various Fish, Dolphins, Mussels, Anemones, & Nudibranchs.
How Ocean Acidification & Rising Oceanic Temperatures Are Affecting Cypriot Seas
Ocean acidification is a phenomenon in which the pH level in the ocean decreases, causing a higher level of acidity. Oceanic Acidification is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, largely because of human-caused burning of fossil fuels, & deforestation, for the past 150 years. When carbon dioxide contacts sea water, it forms carbonic acid. Carbonic acid gives off positive H+ ions, which causes increased oceanic H+ concentrations & decreased oceanic Ph. When the ocean has decreased Ph, it creates a more acidic environment, which is extremely hostile to many marine species. These conditions that will eat at the shells of bivalves, stress out & eventually bleach coral, & utterly destroy seagrass patches.
Both ocean acidification & rising oceanic temperatures are negatively affecting Cyprus. Rising oceanic temperatures are certainly affecting Cyprus, with water temperatures reaching 30° Celsius in July of 2024. This is negatively affecting seagrass meadows, causing them to be stressed out & making it more difficult for new seagrass to grow.
Directories / Credits
Citation No. 1: “The Marine Environment Of Cyprus”, Written By Unknown & Published on June 9th, 2024. Published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, & Environment. Retrieval Date: September 15th, 2024.
Citation No. 2: “Wetsuit thickness & temperature guide”, Written By Mark Evans, & Published On April 24th, 2023, at 3:05 PM. Published By Scuba Divers Magazine. Retrieval Date: September 17th, 2024.
Citation No. 3: “Biology of Posidonia”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Mediterranean Posidonia Network. Retrieval Date: September 17th, 2024.
Citation No. 4: “Neptune Grass”, Written by G. Pergent, V. Gerakaris, Y.R Sghaier, R. Zakhama-Srarier, & C. Pergent-Martini, & Last Updated in 2016. Published by the International Union For The Conservation Of Nature Red List. Retrieval Date: September 17th, 2024.
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