Researchers from the University of Seville José Lázaro Amaro Mellado and Emilio Ramírez Juidiasin collaboration with the Remote Sensing Laboratory of the Technological University of Peru, has published a study that warns of the effects of climate change in the Doñana marshes. According to the researchers, the increase in temperatures as well as the decrease in rainfall are seriously affecting the marshes, which could disappear in a period of between 42 and 189 years, that is, between the years 2066 and 2213.
The search results indicate a worrying reduction in the floodable surface and alteration of sediment dynamicswhich endangers the biodiversity and ecological balance of the region.
To reach these conclusions, the multidisciplinary team used latest generation geomatics techniques (advanced remote sensing, Lidar data, climate change models and Big Data analysis) integrated into a geographic information system (GIS) that allowed them to analyze, using a new procedure, what were the main effects of climate change on the marshes in the period between 2009 and 2020. To verify the depth of the flooded area, the researchers 792 satellite images were analyzed.
These technologies have made it possible to carry out a detailed analysis of the behavior of sediments and water flow in the arearevealing a significant decrease in water levels and sediment renewal capacity, key factors for the health of this ecosystem.
More heat, less rain
According to researchers, the aumbetween temperatures Combined with the decrease in rainfall, they are seriously affecting the marshes, which could disappear within 42 to 189 years. On the other hand, the species of flora and fauna that live in Doñana, some of which are in danger of extinction, are seeing their habitat areas reduced due to the loss of wetlands.
Professors from the Department of Graphic Engineering Emilio Ramírez Juidias and José Lázaro Amaro Mellado emphasize that the technology used in the research has made it possible to obtain “high-precision data on the topography of the terrain, accurately reaching the areas most affected by erosion and changes in the flood zone. In addition, geographic information systems have facilitated the integration of these data with climate models that help predict the evolution of marshes in the future under different climate change scenarios.
The study highlights that, without adequate intervention, the reduction of flooded areas will continue to worsen, which could trigger an ecological collapse in one of the richest biodiversity areas in Europe. Thus, the Hispalense researchers insist on the need to adopt urgent measures, including stricter management of water resourcesthe restoration of affected areas and the strengthening of surveillance of illegal farming in the Doñana region. In addition, they propose to continue using advanced technologies to improve the accuracy of long-term studies and thus facilitate decision-making based on scientific evidence.
