The CSIC is developing a project to assess the risks faced by national parks in the face of climate change and invasive species.

The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) has launched the project “Climate Change and Invasive Alien Species in the Network of National Parks: diagnosis, adaptation and governance, (BioCambio) with the support of the Biodiversity Foundation.

Climate change and the consequent redistribution of invasive alien species pose serious threats to biodiversity. The National Parks Network, custodian of the national natural heritage, offers an exceptional refuge for the conservation of the most vulnerable species and habitats whose long-term sustainability is compromised. The project, known as BioCambio, includes an exhaustive assessment of the risks and opportunities associated with climate change and invasive alien species faced by each national park, the simulation of multiple future scenarios and proposals for adaptive management measures, and the transfer of the knowledge and tools generated to the staff and users of the Network.

This project has been developed in the 15 national parks, yielding the following results:

The National Parks at greatest risk of invasion in a context of climate change are the Atlantic Islands, Doñana and the Cabrera Archipelago. Under climate change scenarios, the risk of invasion in Sierra de Guadarrama, Picos de Europa and Sierra Nevada increases considerably. On the other hand, those with the least risk are: Aigüestortes, Sierra Nevada and Caldera de Taburiente.

The five invasive species with the highest global risk for the National Parks Network are: cattail, Pampas grass, panizo, prickly pear and water hyacinth.

Prevention is the most efficient adaptation measure to avoid the impact of biological invasions on the Parks Network.

The combination of climate change, biological invasions and tourism is the main threat to the conservation of protected areas in the 21st century.