Mediterranean Coastal Area Research Articles

Mitigating Effect of the Sea on Temperatures Along Mediterranean Coastal Areas: The Case of the Vine Territory of the Matera DOP in Basilicata (Italy)

This study aims to assess temperature variations caused by ongoing climate change in the Basilicata region, southern Italy—Ionian side of the Gulf of Taranto—on the territory of the Matera DOP vineyard. In particular, it aims to assess the influence of the sea on temperature trends, and particularly to its “mitigating effect” in the context of ongoing climate change. Temperature trends were analyzed using ERA5-Land data from 1981 to 2022 and data from weather stations of the Lucanian Agency for Development and Innovation in Agriculture from 2000 to 2023. Temperature trends were studied considering both the period of the vegetative-productive season of the vineyards and the whole year. The results of this study show that, for the historical period analyzed, the Matera DOP area showed a significant upward trend in temperatures, particularly in the inland areas. This increase, especially for minimum temperatures, is more evident at higher elevations than at lower elevations near the sea. Indeed, coastal areas benefit from the thermoregulatory effect of the Ionian Sea, which moderates temperature increases at lower elevations. It follows that the Matera DOP wine-growing areas, and particularly those furthest from the coastal strip, will have to adapt to harsh climatic conditions that will certainly affect the quality and typicality of the wines.

Spatio-temporal characteristics of heavy precipitation events observed over the last decade on the eastern French Mediterranean coastal area

Study regioneastern part of the French Mediterranean coastal area. Study focusThis work focuses on the heavy precipitation events that have affected the eastern part of the French Mediterranean coastal area over the last decade and the river discharges associated with these events. The aim is to make a throughout analysis of the spatio-temporal characteristics of heavy precipitation events, and to evaluate whether a high flow event is associated with them when looking at river discharges on affected catchments. New hydrological insights for the regionBased on radar-based precipitation grids, 158 heavy precipitation events (HPEs) affected the study area over the period 2007–2020. In addition, 65 % of HPEs were associated with a high flow event (HFE) on one or more gauged catchments. Results show that HPEs were more frequent during the beginning of summer and autumn. A large portion of autumn and winter HPEs were associated with a HFE. Looking at the spatio-temporal characteristics of the HPEs, their mean duration was 20 hours, with 42 % of the events lasting less than 6 hours. Some common characteristics among the HPEs that caused HFEs were identified: all HPEs lasting more than 30 hours and all HPEs with catchment precipitation accumulation above 150 mm were associated with a HFE.

Pulsed wind-driven control of phytoplankton biomass at a groundwater-enriched nearshore environment

Along some Mediterranean coastal areas and other world regions, nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations often show gradient increases of up to one order of magnitude perpendicular to the coast. This nearshore stripe, extending a few hundred meters from the coast, is enriched by submarine groundwater discharges (SGD) containing elevated nutrient concentrations that may eventually sustain high biomass phytoplankton blooms. During a survey carried out in the summer of 2018, we examined the short-term (hours) variability of the phytoplankton biomass (measured as chlorophyll; Chl) in response to environmental changes associated with SGD and wind forcing in the nearshore waters of Palma Beach (Mediterranean Sea). Continuous CTD records revealed a general salinity decline indicative of SGD along the shoreline. Large and pulsed salinity fluctuations (i.e. 2–3 psu variations, 1–4 h) were observed each day that were consistent with offshore advection episodes of the lower salinity water retained in the nearshore (peak crosshore velocity 5–6 cm s−1). Chl near the shoreline was markedly higher than offshore (3.55 ± 1.29 and 0.68 ± 0.27 mg m−3 respectively) but recurrently fluctuated in the afternoon to up to >7 mg m−3. Primary production estimations showed that despite the higher production in the nearshore (50.29 ± 10.98 μmol O2 L−1 d−1, 4-fold offshore values) productivity per unit chlorophyll did not significantly vary (p > 0.01) therefore suggesting that, at this time scales, high biomass episodes in the nearshore are driven by an accumulation mechanism. Statistical analysis (CCA) demonstrates that Chl variability is largely explained (93 %) by variations in wind and current velocity. Our results provide evidence that the dynamics of this nearshore environment are modulated by the interplay between the shoreward wind-induced flow and the offshore directed density flow. This mechanism could explain the occurrence and episodic nature of high biomass blooms in the nearshore, as well as be an important factor influencing the microbial community structure at the coastal zone.

Systems Modeling of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus: Insights from a Region Facing Structural Water Scarcity in Southern Spain.

The complex relationship between water, energy, food, and ecological systems, known as the WEFE nexus, has emerged as a major topic in the debate about sustainable economic development and resource management. This subject is of special interest in Mediterranean coastal areas as rapid economic expansion driven by population growth, higher influx of tourists, and intensification of agriculture is leading to structural water scarcity conditions. However, addressing the diverse range of issues associated with the nexus is a difficult task due to the existence of intricate interconnections, interdependencies, and nonlinearities within and across its various components. Accordingly, this case study applies a combination of participatory systems modeling and network analysis tools to yield insights into the complexity of this nexus in Axarquia, a region with features that make it an example of water-stressed jurisdictions in the Mediterranean. Overall, our results provide a strong foundation to understand the dynamics that govern this nexus in regions where the availability of freshwater resources is a significant concern. Furthermore, they lay the groundwork for the development of models and scenarios to simulate the impact of various policies and interventions on the overall system.

Genetic Variability in Mediterranean Coastal Ecosystems: Insights into Ostrea spp. (Bivalvia: Ostreidae).

Oysters are sessile, filter-feeding bivalve molluscs widely distributed in estuarine and coastal habitats worldwide. They constitute a valuable resource for fisheries and extensive aquaculture and provide essential ecological services. Yet, their genetic diversity and distribution remain understudied. The variability in shell morphology complicates species classification, which is influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Although molecular phylogenetics research has refined oyster taxonomy and identified approximately 100 extant species, numerous taxonomic uncertainties persist. In the present study, we aimed to document the occurrence of small flat oysters of the genus Ostrea along the Mediterranean coastal areas of Liguria and Sardinia (Italy). Specifically, 16S rRNA sequence data were used to identify Ostrea species. Our findings offer novel insights into the O. stentina species complex and O. neostentina, a new species in the Mediterranean coastal areas of Italy. The study data further our understanding of Ostrea species diversity, distribution, and evolutionary patterns.

Phytoplankton dynamics in a shellfish farming lagoon in a deltaic system threatened by ongoing climate change

Global climate change has generated an increasing number of environmental problems, especially in Mediterranean coastal areas, such as the Po Delta (PD), where shellfish production has undergone an overall decline because of strong environmental changes. The present study is centred on assessing the fundamental ecological aspects in one of the most crucial European shellfish production lagoons, Sacca degli Scardovari (SC), addressing phytoplankton community parameters directly affecting shellfish production, namely, chemotaxonomic composition, size fractions, and total biomass, in relation to the physicochemical properties of the water column and mussel filtering activity. Our findings suggest that the phytoplankton community structure, its role within the lagoon food web and its production cycles depend on two distinct allogenic inputs, which shape the community differently and exert substantial control on shellfish production. At the same time, the suspended mussel biomass strongly controls the phytoplankton size composition, as their growth is largely supported by nanophytoplankton. As the Po River collects the drainage waters of the Italian side of the entire Alpine Arch, the phytoplankton dynamics reported here represent a useful baseline for further addressing issues of climatic changes affecting lagoon ecology. We believe that our study presents an innovative tool for the planning and management of interventions aimed at enhancing national mussel production without neglecting aspects of environmental protection or the integrity of the coastal system, with significant scientific implications.

Genetic diversity of the Ruditapes decussatus and evidence of its hybridization with the alien R. philippinarum in the Western Mediterranean Sea

The introduction of alien species in marine ecosystems is often driven by the increasing demand of fishery resources. This is the case of the Manila clam (R. philippinarum), imported in Europe from Japan since the 1970s, to meet the growing demand for clams that the native species, the grooved carpet shell clam (Ruditapes decussatus), could not satisfy. Alien species introduction could threaten the genetic diversity and integrity of the native clam, also causing hybridization (i.e., gene flow from one species into the gene pool of another). Since R. philippinarum recently spread in a few important Mediterranean coastal areas, a combined approach based on morphological characteristics, length differences of two nuclear species-specific markers (ITS2, 5SrDNA) and the sequence of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), was used to investigate the presence of hybrids in six Mediterranean wetlands (Sardinia, Italy). Eight individuals morphologically identified as R. decussatus were hybrids, having sequences specific to both R. decussatus and R. philippinarum in their nuclear DNA (ITS2 and 5SrDNA). Most of these individuals were found to be post-first generation (F1) hybrids indicating that F1-hybrids may be fertile. Secondly, to study the genetic diversity of R. decussatus in the Sardinian wetlands as well as in its whole distribution area, >380 new COI sequences from the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea were analysed along with those available from public databases. Mitochondrial COI data revealed variable haplotype and nucleotide diversities in different areas, which were not dependent on sample sizes. The aquaculture breeding activities and clam transplantation between different countries, along with the long pelagic larval dispersal and the commercial import of other bivalve species might have promoted gene exchange between different sites and thus higher diversity levels in a few wild populations. Our research, evaluating the genetic makeup of wild and hatchery stocks and clarifying the degree of hybridization, can contribute to develop further recommendations for conserving the genetic integrity of R. decussatus.

Wastewater treatment plant efficiency and contaminant levels in a Mediterranean coastal area: a comprehensive inventory and assessment

Wastewater treatment plant efficiency and contaminant levels in a Mediterranean coastal area: a comprehensive inventory and assessment

Temporal dynamics of drinking water sodium levels in coastal areas, Cyprus 2009–2020

Around the world, groundwater salinity levels are increasing in coastal areas, as a result of its systematic overexploitation for domestic, agricultural and industrial demand and potentially due to climate change manifestations (such as, sea level rise). We hypothesized that the groundwater quality of many Mediterranean coastal areas is already being perturbed, especially for water salinity, depending on the groundwater distance from the seafront. The objectives of this study were: i) to evaluate the magnitude and temporal variance of drinking water sodium (Na) as a metric of salt intake used for public health purposes using drinking water data in Cyprus; and ii) to examine the degree of Na enrichment in drinking water as defined by the seawater coastline distance of each sampling point. Open access governmental data of drinking water Na (n = 3304), daily max ambient air temperature and total rainfall were obtained for the period of 2009–2020 from governmental repositories. Linear mixed-effect regression models of drinking water Na with unsupervised covariance matrix were used. After adjusting for temperature and rainfall data, there was a significant annual increase in drinking water Na levels over time (beta = 0.01; 95 % CI: 0.00, 0.02; p = 0.02) for the coastal areas (<10 km from coastline, cutoff used by the EU Environment Agency), but this was not the case for non-coastal areas (>10 km distance from coastline). The distance of each sampling point from the coastline in Cyprus was negatively associated with drinking water Na in coastal areas (beta = −0.04, 95%CI: −0.06, −0.01; p = 0.002); this was not the case for non-coastal areas. More research is warranted to better understand the impacts of global environmental change on water quality in association with the burden of disease in coastal areas.

Assessment of the impact of microplastic ingestion in striped red mullets from an Eastern Mediterranean coastal area (Zakynthos Island, Ionian Sea)

Monitoring microplastics (MPs) in the marine environment is an ongoing process, and our understanding of their impact on marine organisms is limited. The present study evaluates the effects of ingested MPs on the marine MP pollution bioindicator fish species Mullus surmuletus. The study follows a three-fold approach to assess the impact of MPs on marine organisms by investigating: 1) the ingestion of MPs, 2) the bioaccumulation of phthalate compounds as plastic additives, and 3) the evaluation of toxicological biochemical and cellular biomarkers. Striped red mullets were sampled in the marine protected area (MPA) of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos and coastal sites with high touristic pressure in Zakynthos Island in the Ionian Sea, Greece. Fewer ingested MPs and lower phthalate concentrations were found in fish inside the MPA compared to those sampled outside the marine park. However, no relationship was found between either phthalate concentrations or biomarker levels with the ingested MPs in the red striped mullets. Biomarker levels were influenced by season and site, but no effect could be attributed to the ingested MPs. The lack of association of biomarker responses and plasticizer bioaccumulation to MP ingestion can be explained by the low number of ingested MPs in the fish from Zakynthos coastal area as MP abundance ranged from 0.15 to 0.55 items per individual fish.

Salinity-mediated limitation of asexual reproduction in the colonial ascidian Polyandrocarpa zorritensis

Ascidians are among the most common invasive marine invertebrates worldwide. Many species of non-indigenous ascidians (NIAs) have successfully colonized the Mediterranean Sea, notably within anthropized coastal lagoons and harbors. Although invasive species are generally characterized by their broad ecological tolerance, different ascidian species exhibit varied responses to biotic and abiotic environmental stressors, including temperature and salinity. Acquiring a better understanding about of the impact of such parameters on ascidian life history is crucial for predicting the invasive potential of NIAs. In this study, we investigated the impact of various salinities on the reproduction of the colonial ascidian Polyandorcarpa zorritensis, a species indigenous to Peru and a thriving invader. P. zorritensis undergoes asexual reproduction via a peculiar form of budding named vasal budding and produces resistant spherules, which likely facilitated its dissemination over long distances. Despite its widespread distribution along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, it is only found in a few Mediterranean coastal areas with a low salinity. We tested the impact of different salinity conditions on the sexual and asexual reproduction rates of P. zorritensis in a controlled laboratory setting. Our experiments showed that the rate of asexual reproduction in colonies bred at 29 or 36 ppt salinity levels, corresponding to the natural range inhabited by P. zorritensis, was higher than those grown in 40 ppt salinity, commonly found in Mediterranean marinas and harbors. The results suggest that, although P. zorritensis has been present in the Mediterranean for several decades, its potential for invasion could be constrained by an intolerance to high salinity.

Towards Sustainable Management of Beach-Cast Seagrass in Mediterranean Coastal Areas

Marine environmental conservation and tourist exploitation are often in conflict, particularly where anthropogenic pressure is greatest, such as along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. A case in point is the accumulation of beach-cast seagrass, a typical feature of the Mediterranean Sea that is nowadays perceived as an “obstacle” to tourist activities and thus treated and removed as waste, leading to environmental impacts. In this paper, we analyzed the legislative context at the Mediterranean basin level and the contribution of twenty virtuous research projects related to the topic. In our opinion, the main benefits for the beach–dune ecosystem would be generated by the use of seagrass banquettes directly within the beach system (temporary displacement, creating beach walkways, dune consolidation), while their uses outside the beach system (agricultural and farm solutions—compost and bedding) should be considered as alternative solutions for a circular economy, in case of consistent biomass deposits along the shores. In this perspective, we support the “Ecological Beach” model which integrates most of the science-derived solutions addressed in this study. This model provides good practices that can be usefully spread and shared along Mediterranean coasts: to achieve this result, it is necessary to create a regional or Mediterranean network involving local communities and stakeholders.

A Recommended Monitoring Tool for the marine ecological status studies in the Western Moroccan Mediterranean coastal areas

This research provides general guidelines for monitoring the environmental quality state of the marine ecosystems using benthic microfauna as a bioindicator tool in the Western Moroccan Mediterranean coastal areas. The current faunistic composition of 18 superficial sediment samples collected in areas having a wild range of environmental conditions have been the subject of factorial correspondence and hierarchical classification analysis, allowing us to follow the distribution patterns of the benthic assemblages. Considering the influence of both hydrodynamic and sedimental conditions on the superficial sediment, recognized in this study as the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of species in this type of environment, we were able to delineate three environmental units, with specific faunistic response related to the corresponding environmental conditions. Leading us to identify the optimal sampling area for the biomonitoring surveys in this region. Shallow and high-energy coastal areas were found to limit data collection and the representation of the sampling area, while low-energy areas were identified as ideal for environmental surveys, showcasing strong faunistic response to stressful conditions. we recommend to conduct the ecological monitoring studies in the 10–30-meter depth range, where the environmental conditions favor the assessment of the current environmental quality state by the benthic microfauna.

Editorial: Climate change impacts on Mediterranean coastal and transitional areas: assessment, projection, and adaptation

Editorial: Climate change impacts on Mediterranean coastal and transitional areas: assessment, projection, and adaptation

Implementation and assessment of a model including mixotrophs and the carbonate cycle (Eco3M_MIX-CarbOx v1.0) in a highly dynamic Mediterranean coastal environment (Bay of Marseille, France) – Part 1: Evolution of ecosystem composition under limited light and nutrient conditions

Abstract. Many current biogeochemical models rely on an autotrophic versus heterotrophic food web representation. However, in recent years, an increasing number of studies have begun to challenge this approach. Several authors have highlighted the importance of protists capable of combining photoautotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition in a single cell. These mixotrophic protists are known to play an important role in the carbon cycle. Here, we present a new biogeochemical model that represents the food web using variable stoichiometry. It contains the classic compartments such as zooplankton, phytoplankton, and heterotrophic bacteria and a newly added compartment to represent two types of mixotrophic protists: non-constitutive mixotrophs (NCMs) and constitutive mixotrophs (CMs). We demonstrate that the model correctly reproduces the characteristics of NCMs and CMs and proceed to study the impact of light and nutrient limitation on planktonic ecosystem structure in a highly dynamic Mediterranean coastal area, namely the Bay of Marseille (BoM, France), paying special attention to the dynamics of mixotrophic protists in these limiting conditions. In addition, we investigate the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus fluxes associated with mixotrophic protists and showed the following: (i) the portion of the ecosystem in terms of the percentage of carbon biomass occupied by NCMs decreases when resources (nutrient and prey concentrations) decrease, although their mixotrophy allows them to maintain a carbon biomass almost as significant as the copepod one (129.8 and 148.7 mmol C m−3, respectively), as photosynthesis increases as a food source, and (ii) the portion of the ecosystem in terms of the percentage of carbon biomass occupied by CM increases when nutrient concentrations decrease due to their capability to ingest prey to supplement their N and P needs. In addition to providing new insights regarding the conditions that lead to the emergence of mixotrophs in the BoM, this work provides a new tool to perform long-term studies and predictions of mixotroph dynamics in coastal environments under different environmental forcings.

Effect of heatwaves on urban sea breeze, heat island intensity, and outdoor thermo-hygrometric comfort in Rome (Italy)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of heatwaves on sea breeze, urban heat island intensity, and outdoor thermo-hygrometric comfort analysing ground-based remote sensing and in-situ meteorological measurements collected in a Mediterranean coastal metropolitan area (Rome, Italy) during the summer of 2022. The dataset (01 May - 31 August 2022) has been divided into heatwaves and not-heatwaves days to highlight the distinctive features of extreme heat episodes. Furthermore, the year 2022 was compared to 2020, the latter having been characterised by temperatures in line with the last two-decades.The heatwaves do not significantly affect the onset time and the duration of sea breeze, while its cooling effect intensifies during the heatwaves. The urban heat island intensity (UHII) is evaluated by computing the hourly-averaged air temperature difference between two stations, one in the urban centre and the other in rural surroundings. Although the daily-averaged UHII does not show significant differences among the years under investigation and the subsets, marked differences can be identified in the urban heat island daily cycle. In fact, during daytime the highest temperatures are detected in rural inland areas while, at night, the city experiences higher temperatures, especially during the heatwaves. Finally, the Mediterranean outdoor comfort index suggests that a heatwave seems to be a not sufficient condition for human thermo-hygrometric stress, even if stronger discomfort is experienced during heatwaves.

Gulls contribute to olive seed dispersal within and among islands in a Mediterranean coastal area

AbstractAimTo analyse the role of non‐frugivorous birds on seed dispersal, seed dispersal by gulls is expected to be especially instrumental in island ecosystems, as these have a smaller subset of frugivores when compared to the mainland, and because long‐distance dispersal is required for plant colonisation. Here, we investigated the seed dispersal of olives by gulls among 10 islands of the same archipelago to reveal if gulls contribute to long‐distance seed dispersal including different islands, and how gulls' adaptation to domestic olives and individual differences in foraging activities affect their seed dispersal pattern.LocationBalearic Islands in the Western Mediterranean Sea, Spain.TaxonYellow‐legged gulls (Larus michahellis), Domestic and wild Olives (Olea europaea and O. europaea var. sylvestris).MethodsWe developed seed dispersal models of the two ecotypes of olives dispersed by gulls across an archipelago, based on GPS tracking data, gut passage time and seed viability.ResultsMean dispersal distances were 7.67 (±12.48) km in wild and 12.57 (±13.08) km in domestic olives. 7.1% of wild and 8.5% of domestic olives were dispersed among islands. Among these, 8.2% of domestic seeds were transported from large to small islands where gull colonies are located, whereas wild olives were dispersed in more variable directions. Such dispersal pattern of two olive ecotypes was consistent despite the differences in dispersal distances among individuals.Main ConclusionsGulls contributed to long‐distance olive seed dispersal including different islands. The seed dispersal of domestic olives to longer distances with specific directions may facilitate colonisation and expansion of that variant if the conditions of seed deposition sites are suitable. Our findings indicate that gulls are relevant vectors for long‐distance dispersal of large fleshy fruits in island ecosystems where specialist large frugivores are absent.

Impervious Land Expansion as a Control Parameter for Climate-Resilient Planning on the Mediterranean Coast: Evidence from Greece

Impervious land expansion is linked to ecosystem fragmentation and degradation, posing threats to nature conservation and multiplying climate change impacts. This is particularly true on the Mediterranean coast, where persistent urbanization is coupled with tourism development, further intensifying coastal erosion, flood risk, heat stress and biodiversity loss, while decreasing carbon sequestration. In this research, high-resolution imperviousness data were analyzed through a geospatial methodology to detect patterns and processes in a heavily burdened Mediterranean coastal area, namely Greece. The methodology was structured on a set of GIS tools, analyzing the distribution of new impervious cover between 2006 and 2018, to evaluate pressures exerted on coastal territories and on the environmental protection network. The results revealed relatively slow rates of impervious land expansion at a nationwide scale, mostly attributed to the economic recession period in Greece. However, certain locations exhibited continuing artificialization of land even within Natura 2000 areas, while future pressures on coastal territories are expected to increase due to the restarting of construction activity and the continuing dynamic of the mass tourism sector. The conclusions imply that controlling for imperviousness is important in order to develop spatial planning policies for climate resilience, which should be decisively enforced in the Mediterranean to prevent a business-as-usual scenario.

Floating plastics as integrative samplers of organic contaminants of legacy and emerging concern from Western Mediterranean coastal areas

This study investigates the role of floating plastics as integrative samplers of organic contaminants. To this end, plastics items were collected in two Western Mediterranean coastal areas: the Mar Menor lagoon, and the last transect of Ebro river. Floating plastics were identified and characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry. Then, organic contaminants were extracted from plastic items by ultrasonic extraction with methanol, and the concentrations of 168 regulated and emerging contaminants were analysed. These compounds were analysed by stir bar sorptive extraction coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), except for bisphenol analogues, which were analysed with a ultraperformance liquid chromatography pump coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS), and pharmaceutical compounds, determined by UPLC coupled to hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS). All the contaminants groups considered were detected in the samples, being particularly relevant the contribution of plastic additives. The most frequently detected contaminants were UV-filters, PAHs, pharmaceuticals and synthetic musks. Apart from plasticizers, the individual contaminants octocrylene, homosalate, galaxolide, salycilic acid and ketoprofen were frequently detected in plastics items. The results pointed out to urban and touristic activities as the main sources of pollution in the coastal areas investigated. The utility of floating plastics as integrative samplers for the detection of organic contaminants in aquatic ecosystems has been demonstrated.

Seasonal variability of airborne mold concentrations as related to dust in a coastal urban area in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Recent studies have demonstrated that the amount of specific airborne mold types and their concentrations increase during dust events. This study investigates the seasonal variation of airborne mold concentrations before, during, and after the dust transport in an eastern Mediterranean coastal area, Izmir city, Turkey. A total of 136 airborne mold samples were collected between September 2020 and May 2021. Two different culture media, namely Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and Malt-Extract Agar (MEA), were used for enumeration and genus-based identification of the airborne mold. In addition to culture media, the influences of air temperature, relative humidity, and particulate matter equal to or less than 10µm (PM10) were also investigated seasonally. The HYSPLIT trajectory model and web-based simulation results were mainly used to determine dusty days. The mean total mold concentrations (TMC) on dusty days (543 Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/m3 on PDA and 668CFU/m3 on MEA) were approximately 2-2.5 times higher than those on non-dusty days (288CFU/m3 on PDA and 254CFU/m3 on MEA) for both culture media. TMC levels showed seasonal variations (p < 0.001), indicating that meteorological parameters influenced mold concentrations and compositions. Some mold genera, including Cladosporium sp., Chrysosporium sp., Aspergillus sp., Bipolaris sp., Alternaria sp., and yeast, were found higher during dusty days than non-dusty days. Thus, dust event impacts levels and types of airborne molds and has implications for regions where long-range dust transport widely occurs.