Line of action:

Terrestrial ecosystems

Status:

Finalizado

Execution date:

2019

End date:

2021

Total budget:

73.929,73 €

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

51.750,81 €

Hydrological regulation by various infrastructures and the proliferation of exotic species in Mediterranean freshwater ecosystems have destructured and deteriorated their biological integrity. The effective protection of river biodiversity in this type of ecosystem requires the implementation of actions that contribute to reducing the negative effects of these impacts.

In this sense, this project has worked to promote ecological restoration in protected fluvial areas of regulated Mediterranean rivers, through different methodologies to undertake conservation actions that promote the improvement of their fluvial biological integrity. The objective is that they can be used in other areas of Spain with similar problems and involving different groups.

The overall objective of the project is to characterize and improve the biological integrity of protected river areas of the Natura 2000 network in regulated Mediterranean rivers.

Among its specific goals are:

• Existing bibliographic review on Mediterranean rivers of the Iberian Peninsula and the study area.
• Evolution of hydrological management in final stretches of Mediterranean rivers.
• Seasonal characterization of aquatic fauna in river areas protected by the Natura 2000 network or the catalog of wetlands.
• Promote in the medium term the creation of controlled protected areas for exotic species.
• Reintroduction of endangered native ichthyofauna specimens.
• Restoration of riparian habitat of community interest.
• Dissemination of the project to various groups.

• Bibliographic compilation and technical analysis of articles and reports in the last 10 years related to the project.
• Hydrological characterization of the final sections of the Ebro (CHE) and Júcar (CHJ) rivers for the last 10 years, including the project execution period.
• Selection and characterization of river study areas.
• Conducting seasonal fisheries sampling and assessing the effect of controlled floods on fish communities.
• Creation of buffer zones for exotic and invasive species in selected river areas for monitoring and control sampling.
• Rescue of endangered ichthyofauna retained in irrigation ponds with custody agreements in force and their translocation to selected protected river areas.
• Repopulation of native fish species from captive breeding centers.
• Restoration of riparian habitat.
• Dissemination and communication of the project.

• Actions have been carried out to improve the biological integrity of river sections of the Ebro and the Sellent river, a tributary of the Júcar, strongly affected by different anthropogenic impacts.
• The hydrological characterization of the last 10 years of the stations of the final stretch of the Ebro River and the Sellent River has been carried out.
• The management and control of 14 invasive exotic species of aquatic fauna has been carried out in 37 samplings.
• Adjacent riparian habitats have been improved by planting endangered species: 1.3 ha of rehabilitated riparian forest, with more than 200 trees, plus 150 riparian shrubs and 2,000 helophytes planted.
• More than 600 specimens of two endangered species, the river whiting and the European eel, have been reintroduced.
• Synergies have been created with fishermen through 136 fishing days, which have provided data on more than 16,000 catches of 23 species of fish, and the creation of a fishing reserve in the Sellent River.