Line of action:

Marine ecosystems

Status:

Finalizado

Execution date:

2020

End date:

2022

Total budget:

140.453,00€

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

62.894,85€

This project aims to contribute to the monitoring of the effects of the impacts caused by the increase in extreme events derived from climate change in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs ) and their possible multiplicative effects with eutrophication and in the expansion of the invasive algae Caulerpa cylindracea in the marine habitat of community interest reef (1170) through field experiments.

The information obtained can be used to update the status of three descriptors foreseen in the Marine Strategy (biodiversity, invasive allochthonous species and eutrophication) in order to obtain a scientific knowledge base for decision-making regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The general objective is to evaluate the effect of climate change impacts on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) due to the eutrophication of the marine habitat of community interest reef (1170) and the expansion of the invasive alga Caulerpa cylindracea.

It has the following specific objectives:

• To investigate the effect of extreme events due to storms, low tides and desiccation on the biological communities of biogenic Dendorpoma reefs and their diversity and their interaction with eutrophication and the invasive species Caulerpa cylindracea.
• Promote actions for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity to actively contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• Advise to promote reef habitat management measures (1170) in the face of extreme processes.
• Increase the involvement of different sectors of society through citizen science actions (fishing, diving, scientific, citizen associations, local, regional and state administration, etc.).

• Study of the effect of extreme storm and low tide events on biogenic Dendropoma sp. reefs and their interaction with eutrophication and the invasive species Caulerpa cylindracea by experimental simulation.
• Comparative study of the results obtained in the previous experiments.
• Coordination meetings and presentation of the results obtained among the project members.
• Transfer of information to the corresponding ministries and at the regional level of the parameters used in the research.
• Dissemination and communication of the project.

• The effects of the impacts caused by the increase in extreme events derived from climate change (specifically storms and low tides) and their possible multiplicative effects with eutrophication and in the expansion of the invasive algae Caulerpa cylindracea in the marine habitat of community interest “Arrecife” (1170) have been studied through field experiments.
• The main results derived from this project point out that:
  • Extreme storms have a modifying effect on the biological community, especially on the reef under moderate anthropogenic pressure and at the subtidal level, and this effect persists even one year after the disturbance.
  • Short-duration but frequent low tides produce more significant and prolonged changes in the reef’s biological community than an extreme low-tide event, regardless of the anthropogenic pressure to which it is subjected, and this effect lasts even one year after the disturbance.
  • The invasiveness of Caulerpa cylindracea increases with storm extremes even eight months after disturbance.