Line of action:

Drivers of biodiversity loss

Status:

En ejecución

Execution date:

2023

Total budget:

€283,990.30

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

198.793,21 €

The Mediterranean is an area that is already suffering the effects of warming, which are mainly translated into changes in the distribution of species, massive mortalities and phenological changes.

This project will consolidate a network for monitoring the effects of climate change along the Mediterranean coast through the Observadores del Mar marine citizen science platform, which has more than 10 years of experience in the implementation of citizen science activities.

This monitoring network will provide information on these effects along the gradient of environmental conditions (NE-SW) existing in the Mediterranean, contributing to obtain a more general vision of the impacts that we currently do not have. This information will be key to guide climate change adaptation measures for coastal marine ecosystems.

The general objective of this initiative is to establish a citizen science network capable of monitoring and tracking the effects of climate change on the marine ecosystems of the Spanish coasts, through standardized protocols.

To achieve this, count on these specific goals:

• Consolidate and expand the network of Sentinel Observatories (diving centers and other entities committed to Observers of the Sea) and encourage the monitoring of climate change indicators.
• Increase the participation of observers and observations related to climate change indicators.
• Transfer of the results of the data obtained from the climate change indicator monitoring network.
• Raise public awareness of the vulnerability, impacts and adaptive capacity of marine ecosystems to climate change.
• Technological development of the Sea Observers platform.

• Dissemination and communication of the project, through the dissemination of activities on the website, social networks, electronic newsletter and podcast; participation in talks and colloquiums and the development of materials and resources.
• Citizen participation and training actions: organization of theoretical and practical workshops on the monitoring of climate change indicators, implementation of protocols for monitoring climate change indicators by the Sentinel Observatories, development of training capsules and distribution of didactic materials.
• Transfer actions: preparation of reports on the evolution of climate change indicators in marine ecosystems in Spanish marine demarcations, communication of results to the administrations in charge of managing the marine environment, presentation of results at congresses, meetings and specialised scientific journals and event for the transfer of results obtained and products generated, aimed at citizens.
• Quality control actions and free access to the data: validation of the observations provided by volunteers and transfer of the data to the European portal EMODNet Biology and to the Spanish Inventory of Natural Heritage and Biodiversity through the Nature Data Bank (BDN).
• Technological updating actions: updating, improvement and development of new functionalities and sections in the Observadores del Mar website.

• The impacts of climate change on the marine ecosystems of the Mediterranean have been assessed through a standardised monitoring network, covering the entire Spanish Mediterranean coast, involving 33 diving centres and clubs, from Cap de Creus in northern Catalonia to Ceuta, including the Balearic Islands.
• More than 1,400 underwater censuses, 40,000 records of marine organisms and the participation of more than 500 people and 33 diving centers and clubs in the 4 projects included in this initiative have been counted.
• The project has generated valuable data for scientific research while demonstrating the transformative potential of citizen science.
• In Fish and Warming, more than 500 censuses were conducted, recording more than 19,000 individuals. A notable increase in thermophilic species, i.e. species that prefer warm temperatures, was identified in western Mediterranean waters.
• In Coral Care, more than 80 censuses were carried out in which more than 6,000 colonies were documented. More than 70% of the censuses indicate moderate or severe impact due to mass mortality events, revealing a high level of affectation in gorgonians and corals.
• In Jellyfish Alert, 120 censuses were completed, with more than 600 observations reporting sightings of 4 different species.
• In Seagrass Meadows , more than 600 squares were counted, registering more than 15,000 bundles and more than 100 flowers. 2024 was a year without notable blooms, unlike what was observed after the intense heat waves of 2022.