Katrin Schroeder is Senior Scientist at the Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR). She holds a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science (2003 and 2008), University of Venice. Her major research interests are experimental studies in physical and biogeochemical oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea. She represents CNR at the European Marine Board (EMB), is the Italian National Delegate at the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans (IAPSO), and is Chair of the Committee “Physics and Climate of the Ocean“ of the Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM). In 2019 she was selected as the recipient of the IUGG Early Career Scientist Award, while in 2015 she was presented the Outstanding Young Scientists Award by the EGU. In 2011 she received the MedClivar Young Scientist Award. She has authored or co-authored more than 60 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and participated in several oceanographic cruises in the Mediterranean Sea. She is Associated Editor for Frontiers in Marine Science (Frontiers Media), and acted as Guest Editor for Marine Geology (Elsevier) and Ocean Science (Copernicus Publications). Jacopo Chiggiato holds a M.Sc. in Environmental Science (1998), University of Venice, and a Ph.D. in Numerical Modelling for Environmental Protection (2004), University of Bologna. Amongst several experiences after the Ph.D. he was Scientist at the NATO Undersea Research Centre (2009-2011). He is currently Senior Scientist at the Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR), member of the Advisory Board of the Institute and member of the Scientific Council of the Department of Earth System Science and Environmental Technologies (CNR-DSSTTA). His research interests are data analysis and numerical modelling in coastal meteorology and oceanography, air-sea interactions, atmosphere-ocean coupled systems, climate variability of regional oceans and R&D in operational oceanography. He has authored and co-authored more than 60 papers in refereed International Journals JCR and participated in several sea trials in the Mediterranean Sea. Awarded with the Scientific Achievement Award 2014 issued by the Science and Technology Organization of the NATO. He is Associate Editor for Journal of Operational Oceanography (Taylor&Francis), Frontiers in Marine Science (Frontiers Media), and acted as Guest Editor for Marine Geology (Elsevier) and Ocean Science (Copernicus Publications).

• 1. Introduction2. Mediterranean Sea evolution and present-day physiography3. Mediterranean climate: Past, present and future4. The forcings of the Mediterranean Sea and the physical properties of its water masses 5. Mediterranean Sea Level6. Waves in the Mediterranean7. Dense and deep water formation processes and Mediterranean overturning circulation8. Fronts, eddies, and mesoscale circulation9. Recent changes in the Mediterranean Sea10. Mediterranean Observing and Forecasting Systems11. Mediterranean Sea General Biogeochemistry12. Active geological processes in the Mediterranean Sea13. The Mediterranean Sea in the Anthropocene

Katrin Schroeder is Senior Scientist at the Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR). She holds a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science (2003 and 2008), University of Venice. Her major research interests are experimental studies in physical and biogeochemical oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea. She represents CNR at the European Marine Board (EMB), is the Italian National Delegate at the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans (IAPSO), and is Chair of the Committee “Physics and Climate of the Ocean“ of the Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM). In 2019 she was selected as the recipient of the IUGG Early Career Scientist Award, while in 2015 she was presented the Outstanding Young Scientists Award by the EGU. In 2011 she received the MedClivar Young Scientist Award. She has authored or co-authored more than 60 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and participated in several oceanographic cruises in the Mediterranean Sea. She is Associated Editor for Frontiers in Marine Science (Frontiers Media), and acted as Guest Editor for Marine Geology (Elsevier) and Ocean Science (Copernicus Publications). Jacopo Chiggiato holds a M.Sc. in Environmental Science (1998), University of Venice, and a Ph.D. in Numerical Modelling for Environmental Protection (2004), University of Bologna. Amongst several experiences after the Ph.D. he was Scientist at the NATO Undersea Research Centre (2009-2011). He is currently Senior Scientist at the Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR), member of the Advisory Board of the Institute and member of the Scientific Council of the Department of Earth System Science and Environmental Technologies (CNR-DSSTTA). His research interests are data analysis and numerical modelling in coastal meteorology and oceanography, air-sea interactions, atmosphere-ocean coupled systems, climate variability of regional oceans and R&D in operational oceanography. He has authored and co-authored more than 60 papers in refereed International Journals JCR and participated in several sea trials in the Mediterranean Sea. Awarded with the Scientific Achievement Award 2014 issued by the Science and Technology Organization of the NATO. He is Associate Editor for Journal of Operational Oceanography (Taylor&Francis), Frontiers in Marine Science (Frontiers Media), and acted as Guest Editor for Marine Geology (Elsevier) and Ocean Science (Copernicus Publications).

• 1. Introduction2. Mediterranean Sea evolution and present-day physiography3. Mediterranean climate: Past, present and future4. The forcings of the Mediterranean Sea and the physical properties of its water masses 5. Mediterranean Sea Level6. Waves in the Mediterranean7. Dense and deep water formation processes and Mediterranean overturning circulation8. Fronts, eddies, and mesoscale circulation9. Recent changes in the Mediterranean Sea10. Mediterranean Observing and Forecasting Systems11. Mediterranean Sea General Biogeochemistry12. Active geological processes in the Mediterranean Sea13. The Mediterranean Sea in the Anthropocene