The physical sedimentary and ecological structure and variability of shelf areas in the Mediterranean Sea (27,S).

The article reviews the most recent findings on the interdisciplinary characteristics of the Mediterranean Sea shelf areas, from the Northern to the southern shelf regions. First of all a classification of the shelves is carried out in terms of shelf extension, sedimentary and physical flow field properties. Secondly, the ecosystem functioning in the pelagic compartment is described as a function of the hydrodynamic regimes, as well as in relationship to land derived river inputs, if present.