One of the ecosystems most affected by climate change the wetlandsIt has been seen that it has lost more than 40% of its surface in recent years. The extinction rate is increasing by more than 1.5% every year. Moreover, it is one of the ecosystems most damaged by drought, and we must add to this the excessive water consumption that many of them are exposed to. Today, 80% of wetlands in Spain are in an unfavorable state of protection.
In its report ‘Current status and perspectives for the conservation and restoration of Spanish wetlands until 2030’, the Ministry of Ecological Transition states that “Spain has at least 2,000 wetland heritages.” From all these areas, 75 of them are included in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, Its main goal is “the conservation and rational use of wetlands through national action and international cooperation with the aim of contributing to the achievement of sustainable development worldwide”. This makes Spain the third country with the most wetlands on the planet on this list, behind the United Kingdom and Mexico.
40% disappeared
According to Vanessa Sánchez, coordinator of the Global Nature Foundation’s Wetlands4Climate project, “about 40% of wetlands” in Spain have disappeared over the years, and she added that these ecosystems are “one of the most affected.” lack of rain.
However, drought is not the only reason why these ecosystems disappear over the years. overuse of groundwaterresponsible for water supply to wetlands; Pollution from intensive use of agriculture and animal husbandry, over-fertilization of crops, or over-discharge of waste from industrial animal husbandry are some of the factors that lead to the “loss and degradation” of wetlands, adds Vanessa Sánchez.
Doñana National Park and Tablas de Daimiel National Park, currently Montreux List of Threatened WetlandsIt is part of the Ramsar Convention. This ‘blacklist’ was created primarily to protect wetlands that are or will be seriously threatened as a result of human activities. In the case of Doñana and Daimiel, irrigation and overuse of water due to drought are among the main threats.
in spain, «More than 45% of aquifers are in danger“says Sánchez, explaining that this is due not only to excessive water extraction, but also to “waste pollution and intensive livestock farming.”
Ebro Delta, Doñana, Daimiel, Mar Menor…
Next to you to the equipment waves Daimiel Tablesis also threatened Mar Menor due to “contaminated contributions from surrounding agriculture and urban pressure” and Ebro DeltaThe MITECO report states that this is due to “the drastic reduction in sediments required by the Ebro regulation, the ever-increasing rise in sea level and the increasing frequency of major storms.”
The Global Foundation for Nature is one of many private organizations fighting to “protect and restore these ecosystems,” says Antonio Guillem, the foundation’s wetlands manager. These environments are “the most productive environments in terms of biodiversity”because of the multitude of species they bring together.
Wetlands are the most productive areas in terms of biodiversity due to the multitude of species they host.
Guillem assures us that “wetlands are changing.” Changes in the water cycle due to high temperatures and climate change. “This is not just a drought problem,” he emphasizes. And he adds: “The problem is that this cycle is getting longer over time and, in addition, temperatures are increasing.” This not only affects the ecosystem itself, but the main consequence is damage to the ecosystem. water reserves are shrinkingbut it also concerns all plant and animal species that use wetlands as habitat.
It is necessary to take into account that some wetlands in Spain, due to their Mediterranean climate and typology, “dry out in the summer and this is not a problem,” says Vanessa Sánchez, who works at the foundation. The problem arises when this situation spreads systematically over time.
The water cycle is changing
“We must try to maintain the water cycle” of these ecosystems to mitigate the effects of increasingly intense drought on the planet, explains Sánchez. Water transfers, pipelines and any actions that alter this cycle cause negative effects: «Aquifers are not being recharged, rivers are losing their ecological flow and wetlands are drying up». Therefore, if there is no water in the aquifer or river closest to the wetland, this ecosystem cannot be recharged and disappears.
This water cycle allows rain to fall and recharge the aquifer flow. When this process becomes contaminated or groundwater is overused, the wetland “doesn’t serve you anymore,” Sánchez says.
Another one affected by drought is agricultural sector that needs water irrigation and animals. This leads to the over-exploitation of many wetlands in Spain to meet the needs of the agricultural and livestock sector, as in the Doñana or Las Tablas de Daimiel parks. Additionally, Sánchez adds, in some cases water is being extracted from ponds that are illegal and “need to be controlled.”
Overexploitation of aquifers and therefore wetlands occurs when:“We allocate a large share to irrigation without taking into account the climate change scenarios we are in.”expert explains.
«You can’t grow liters of water anywhere»
Describing this situation as a “new paradigm”, Sánchez faced a situation of longer droughts and higher temperatures, suggesting that “we must change the model of hydrological planning and adaptation to climate change in the agricultural sector”. Guillem confirms: “The first thing we need to do is good water managementWe evaluate the resources we have and make long-term planning. “They can’t grow gallons of aquaculture in an area where there’s nothing,” Guillem says.
Drought and high temperatures are two factors that are persistent in the long term, but to solve them we must adapt by ending over-exploitation of ecosystems or alteration of the water cycle. «You need to keep a river with adequate flow and wetlands in a good state of conservation, because otherwise the aquifer will not be recharged. and there will come a time when it will be overexploited or polluted,” explains Sánchez, concluding that if this happens, there will come a time when “there will be no water for the wetland or there will be no water for irrigation.”
VITAL ECOSYSTEMS FOR THE PLANET
ANDAccording to the Ministry of Ecology, these ecosystems formed by shallow surface or groundwater were considered “unproductive areas, pathogens” until the beginning of the 20th century and were considered only for the purpose of conversion to agricultural use. In his report on the status of transitional wetlands.
Over the years, this negative view changed when it was discovered that these ecosystems are a powerful tool for environmental stability.
The LIFE Wetlands4Climate project, in which the Global Nature Foundation works with the Cavanilles Institute of the University of Valencia, investigates the following topics:carbon absorption capacity of wetlands», explains research coordinator Vanessa Sánchez. And moist areas have the capacity Much higher CO2 retention rate than other ecosystems, This makes them indispensable in the current situation of global warming.
“Wetlands in good condition fix carbon in sediment and soil and it remains stored,” explains Sánchez. But if these wetlands are in poor conservation condition and are altered, “they would emit very potent greenhouse gases like methane, and we would exacerbate the problem of climate change.”
But also, They function as “sponges” during major floodsSo “they perform the function of adapting to climate change,” Sánchez adds.
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