Fact Finder - Geography

The Mediterranean Ridge is a wide strategic ridge (an underwater mountain range) located at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. It forms a large arc from the Ionian Sea to the south of Crete and toward Cyprus. This ridge is the result of the complex tectonic interaction where the African Plate is being subducted (pushed) under the Eurasian Plate. This subduction zone is responsible for the significant volcanic and seismic activity in the region, including the famous volcanoes Mount Etna and Vesuvius. One of the most unique features of the ridge is the presence of 'brine pools'—underwater lakes that are up to ten times saltier than the surrounding sea water. These pools are so dense that they do not mix with the water above and are anoxic, creating a surreal environment that is lethal to most marine life but home to specialized extremophile microbes.