Lessepsian migration

What is Lessepsian migration?

It is, indeed,  one of the best examples of the human factor and its  impact on shaping and transforming the fauna of the planet earth .

The human factor impact and its possible effects on the nature and all living organisms has not been the intention of the act in this case . That being said, the intention of the act was in regards creating a shipping route in order to make the sea trade more efficient. The effect on the natural life and organisms were not taken into consideration at all during this intentional modification to the oceans of the planet earth.

What we have done by connecting the red sea to the Mediterranean had a significant and almost instant effects in the whole Mediterranean sea and possibly in the whole ocean systems of the planet Earth.

Opening of the Suez canal in 1869 made the Mediterranean sea and the red sea to be artificially connected . Since the red sea has a higher elevation than the Mediterranean sea it caused the water to flow from the red sea to the Mediterranean sea.

The fauna of the red sea is originated from the Indian ocean and it has significant differences than the Mediterranean sea that was originated from the Atlantic ocean.

This human touch to the structure and design of the oceans and planet Earth

in order to benefit from an efficient trade route for our economy caused the migration of fishes and other sea organisms to the Mediterranean from the red sea.

The weird name of this migration is adopted from the engineer’s name who developed and oversaw the canal’s excavation  project.

The red sea is higher in salinity and poorer in nutrients compared to the Mediterranean sea, on the other hand the Mediterranean sea has lower salinity and warmer conditions and preferable water composition.

There have been around 300 new species that could be found in the Mediterranean today that are there to stay. To be clear, we have not known much action or technique to use in order to change this phenomena. However , we can only watch as it evolves at a super fast phase and transforms the new habitat that is unknown to us.

The new organisms such as fishes, urchins, calamars, sea plants, algae's and sea micro organisms are here to stay and do what they have been programmed for, that is to survive. 

In this case the ecosystems of the seas has been touched by the human factor significantly . Not similar to over hunting and pollution but letting the nature rule in terms of the strongest or most advantaged survives and takes over.

This  authority and capability of human factor is the main ingredient to my writings and to my thoughts.

You may think that Mediterranean and oceans are vast enough and there is room for everyone . However, there is a significant difference in the fauna, flora and the body’s of water where the fauna of the red is tropical originating in the Indian ocean while the origin of the Mediterranean sea is from the Atlantic ocean. Thus, housing very different species in terms of evolution roads.

Over the years Mediterranean indigenous fish population got harmed due to the lack of predators that could cope with the invasive fishes. That is only one reason that i could throw.

This specific human touch to nature's journey that took millions of years long structuring and shaping process of planet earth’s ecosystem,  and the natural order that she had gifted to us and the rest of the organisms has been changed  by humanity and its acts in a century.

Today, it is estimated that 55 percent of the fish that is harvested by the nets in the Mediterranean is originated from the red sea.  

In certain locations, the invasive species reached tremendous populations creating incompatible conditions. Thus, leading to extinction of endemic and local species. The competition in terms of breeding and feeding has been on the advantage side of the red sea organisms. 

The dominant and lucky proportion of organisms in this equation due to stronger survival skills has been visibly the red sea organisms. 

The Darwin's theory of natural selection occurred. However, not due to the universal design of the planet earth but due to the human factor and its authority over nature in terms of time in processing fundamental change. 

Humans are above nature in regards to creating transformation on the planet earth in terms of evolution, mutation , modification or shaping the structure of the planet earth itself.

We are still an animal, as much as a dog is a wolf. Tarhan

Nature could do all these mentioned transformations in a balanced and timely matter within its limited intention. However, it requires a super long time and trial sessions. That being said, humans stepped above nature and gained the authority to instantly manipulate mentioned dynamics and activities of nature instantly.

This is called the human factor. Looking at this subject from a unique angle , I could argue that we have the permission of the nature to do this. The results depends on the intention. When the intention is trade and not natural balance, then the outcome in regards to natural balance is just a lottery. However, humanity contain the creativity in order to make intentional outcomes.

Nature nurtured us to be what we are now. We are creative and productive organisms where the ingredients to do these actions are supplied by nature and planet earth itself. 

Nature consists of limited intention. When we study evolution and convergent evolution , then we realize that nature has been doing trials and using the similar tools and techniques in order to create similar organisms throughout different times of existence of life to reach its intended destination.

Does this signal that humans could be the intended outcome of natures trials?

Well, perhaps yes.

We have been learning  the secret tools that nature has been using to create and manipulate life. 

Now that we could see the light of possible higher consciousness of inorganic existence, I may say that we are the bridge organisms between organic and non organic consciousness.

I was lucky enough to grow up on the north beach which is located west of Kyrenia, Cyprus .

I loved free diving and at the end of the 1990s , we had few red sea species. The most common were the two species of rabbit fishes. A couple of decades later I realized the whole algae, sea plants and the flora has changed. 

There were so many sea urchins when I was a young boy that you could not walk on the shore towards the sea without getting stung. I wish i knew that their eggs were edible. I have few long-lasting marks on my skin from the urchins. Unfortunately, there is not a single endemic sea urchin left in Cyprus today. Furthermore, possibly none left in the whole Mediterranean .

 I was shocked by the speed of the transformation.

I have a friend who is a biology professor in Türkiye. Smart, nature loving , curious and hard working man who made a study in regards to this phenomenon. He told me that rabbitfish that are living in herds in the Mediterranean sea have caused their extinction by eating their eggs and not letting them to reproduce. The rabbit fish is one of the early visitors to the Mediterranean from the red sea. They have a unique taste and as a fish lover i suggest anyone to try them. I have been eating rabbit fish for long years. It is delicacy.

I can not say if this study is hundred percent correct. However, what I could say for a fact is that they are gone, and they are gone due to the human factor. 

The sea urchins was just the start of this visible transformation of the Mediterranean sea for me and everyone who knows the Mediterranean fauna in detail .

The colour and the fauna of the sea has changed. New fishes that I have never seen and lost of them appeared, the sea urchins disappeared and the long spike red sea urchins took their place. It all happened in a blink of an eye.

So, what can I say now? Good bye sea urchins. Many animals got extinct on the way of the planet earth's history and its trials to evolve. The  reason of the 99 percent of animal extinctions were due to natural causes . 

However, the difference of the cause today is the human factor and not the nature. Another significant fact to point out is the speed of the process and if it was intentional or a lottery game.

We have the capacity to manage these fundamental issues today.  If we focus more and invest more on sustainable humanity and nature in intentional manner, and not in national wars and military improvements.

We are still an animal as much as a dog is a wolf.

Copyright: © 2024 Tarhan Gorgun