Nature-based solutions to address water threats in the Mediterranean region. A characterisation of the GIAHS area of Axarquia (Málaga, Spain)

The research has focused on a traditionally agricultural territory that is highly fragile to these processes, namely GIAHS dedicated to the raisin production in the Axarquia. The objective has been to (i) assess the impact of the most important water risks and (ii )identify the main NbS implemented as adaptive mechanisms that have been implemented to ensure food security and the sustainability of these areas. To achieve these objectives, the rainfall dynamics have been statistically analysed with the data downloaded from nine meteorological stations located in the region. In addition, a total of 60 soil samples have been collected and analysed for the estimation of soil water erosion rates, based on the RUSLE model, and for the evaluation of its hydrological dynamics in recent decades. Finally, the NbS identified in the study area have been qualitatively assessed and analysed from an ecosystemic and agricultural approach. The results show an increased water stress in this area according to the projections published by the latest IPCC report for this region. A slight tendency to concentration and increased rainfall erosivity is detected, as well as a lower water availability in soil for crop phenology. Soil erosion rates show very high values. However, agricultural practices and the different structures identified have been determinant in the control of these natural risks, being considered as sustainable adaptation strategies and conforming as NbS.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Influence of the intensity of the forest fire and the effects on the properties of the soil, the case of Sierra Mijas (Málaga).

Fire is the main destroyer of forest areas in Mediterranean ecosystems, in this work we are going to focus on the specific case of Sierra Mijas. The most remarkable thing about it is the climate, since there is a great irregularity in rainfall, with mild temperatures, exchanging dry seasons with warm ones. This makes it one of the municipalities, together with the rest of the corners of the Mediterranean, susceptible to forest fires, due to the dry vegetation in summer, together with its pyrophilic nature, and the appearance of torrential rains from the dry season, eroding large amounts of soil, soils that are more fragile if they have been subjected to combustion, as well as nutrient washing. The short-term effects on the properties of the soil after the forest fire of July 2022 in Sierra Mijas, it has been possible to reach different conclusions, such as that these results have been differentiated by different factors such as lithology, topography, vegetation, land use, intensity and severity of the fire. For this reason, an analysis and knowledge of the affected area is needed, since it is essential to understand the effectiveness of post-fire management treatments and identify the most positive practices in each area. Fire radically transforms the visual aspect of the landscape and the different aspects that make up the eco-geomorphological system. The elimination of the vegetal cover leads it to a rexistatic state, which is also exacerbated by the post-fire management of the burned area, without taking into account, not only aspects related to the hydro-geomorphological dynamics and its direct consequences, but with the visual quality of the landscape and its recovery in the post-fire situation, which could also be a determining factor in the local economic scale. Regarding the most outstanding parameters are the stability of aggregates that has decreased in the samples analyzed, causing a considerable fragility of the soil against erosion.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Algunas afecciones del cambio climático en áreas turísticas insulares. Cuba como caso de estudio

Tourist areas may be especially sensitive to consequences raised in different climate change scenarios analyzed by the IPCC. This article outlines some of these problems and challenges in an area whose main economic activity is derived from tourism, linked to climatic and environmental conditions, the Caribbean. To check if the changes in the pluviometric variable are determined by Climate Change and how these processes are affecting tourism in a Caribbean destination in particular, the island of Cuba.Las áreas turísticas pueden ser especialmente sensibles a las consecuencias planteadas en los distintos escenarios de cambio climático analizados por el IPCC. Este artículo esboza algunos de estos problemas y desafíos en un área cuya principal actividad económica se deriva del turismo, el Caribe, vinculado a condiciones climáticas y ambientales. Se va a comprobar si los cambios en la variable pluviométrica vienen determinados por el cambio climático y de qué forma dichos procesos están afectando a la actividad turística en un destino caribeño en concreto, la isla de Cuba

Effects of the Sierra Bermeja wildfire of 2021 on soil properties and vegetation cover.

Sierra Bermeja is one of the most environmentally diverse Mediterranean mountains and one of the most important ultramafic outcrops in the world. Thus, the aim of this work is to analyse the short-term evolution of the area affected by the Sierra Bermeja forest fire (province of Malaga), in order to demonstrate how the regeneration and recovery of this ecosystem, which is key to the management of its territory, is progressing. The fire burned 8,401 hectares, making it one of the most devastating fires in the province in decades. It affected approximately 28% of the area of Sierra Bermeja. Spatial remote sensing techniques, field work, sampling and a search for the main eco-geomorphological characteristics (vegetation and soils) of the study area have been used. The results show that: i) moderate-high and high severity occupies about 57% of the burned area, which has caused serious environmental problems in core sectors ii) however, certain areas have experienced remarkable recoveries, especially in scrubland environments, and iii) the fire caused significant changes in certain soil properties, e.g. structural stability and organic matter.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Estudio geoambiental de la cuenca de Guanabo. Cuba. Aproximación a la problemática del agua

Diagnosis of environmental resources including hydrological, for a country, region or watershed, is a major task, given the importance that have socio-economic development, especially at the present time which relates both certain environmental deficits and own crisis of water, with the direct consequences of global change.In Cuba, watershed management can be divided into two major stages: the first covering the period 1960-1985 was characterized by a particularly directed towards sectors of water resources, extensive agriculture and forestry resources sectorial management. The second stage covers the period 1986-2004, where, without abandoning the sectorial management, it is noted more forcefully the so-called comprehensive management, taking the main spur on the environmental dimension.Coupled with variable rainfall, there is a diverse temporary availability of the resource water, and despite built to meet its deficit hydraulic works, not have been avoided exist in recent years supply problems in many areas of the country.The occurrence of years below the historical average rainfall coupled with bad use, created conditions harmful to society, the economy and the environment.Under these approaches, this article aims to analyze characteristics geoambientales with special interest in the problems of water into a sensitive area as it is basin Guanabo, situated between Cuba and the tourist pole of Varadero.El diagnostico de los recursos ambientales incluidos los hidrológicos, de un país, región o cuenca, es una tarea de primer orden, dada la importancia que tienen para el desarrollo socio-económico, especialmente en los momentos actuales donde se relaciona tanto determinados déficits ambientales como la propia crisis del agua, con las consecuencias directas del cambio global.En Cuba, el manejo de cuencas puede dividirse en dos grandes etapas: la primera que comprende el período 1960–1985 que se caracterizó por un Manejo Sectorial especialmente dirigido hacia los sectores de los recursos hídricos, los recursos agroforestales y a la agricultura extensiva. La segunda etapa, comprende el período 1986–2004, donde, sin abandonar el manejo sectorial, se hace notar con más fuerza el llamado Manejo Integral, teniendo en la dimensión medioambiental el principal acicate. Unida a la variable pluviometría, hay una diversa disponibilidad temporal del recurso agua, y pese a las obras hidráulicas construidas para suplir su déficit, no ha podido evitarse que en muchas zonas del país existan en los últimos años dificultades de abastecimiento. La ocurrencia de años con lluvias inferiores a la media histórica, unido a su mal aprovechamiento, crean condiciones perjudiciales para la sociedad, la economía y el medio ambiente.Bajo estos planteamientos, el objetivo del presente artículo es analizar las características geoambientales con especial interés en la problemática del agua en una zona especialmente sensible como es la cuenca de Guanabo, situada entre La Habana y el polo turístico de Varadero

Adaptación a la dinámica de cambio climático mediante soluciones basadas en la naturaleza (NBS). El caso del área SIPAM de la Axarquía (Málaga).

Las elevadas tasas de pérdida de suelo en la región mediterránea se identifican como uno de los principales problemas a los que se enfrenta la actividad agrícola en la actualidad, especialmente en el contexto de Cambio Climático, en el que las modificaciones en el patrón pluviométrico generan escenarios de gran fragilidad en estas áreas. El Sistema Importante de Patrimonio Agrícola Mundial (SIPAM) de la Axarquía (Málaga), dedicado a la producción de uva pasa, se encuadra como una de estas áreas de gran vulnerabilidad, en donde las Soluciones Basadas en la Naturaleza (NbS) han jugado desde hace siglos un papel fundamental en la adaptación a los procesos de erosión del suelo. Esta investigación pretende estimar las tasas de erosión del suelo en el área SIPAM e identificar las principales NbS utilizadas para la adaptación y mitigación de estos procesos. Los resultados confirman unas elevadas tasas de pérdida de suelo, especialmente en viñedo. Estas tasas de erosión han sido abordadas por los agricultores mediante técnicas ancestrales, que en la actualidad adquieren la denominación de NbS. Se han implementado diferentes estrategias sostenibles de adaptación, la mayor parte de ellas siendo de gran eficacia y obteniendo un claro impacto positivo en la conservación del suelo.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Implicaciones geomorfológica de los cambios de uso en cuencas mediterráneas.

Esta comunicación se centra en el análisis de los riesgos del agua más destacables vinculados con los eventos pluviométricos extremos o por las modificaciones en el ciclo del agua junto con el cambio en los patrones climáticos, resultado de un incremento de la erosión en dos cuencas mediterráneas, durante estos últimos 30 años hasta la actualidad. Para ello, se han analizado los cambios de usos del suelo y sus implicaciones ambientales y ecogeomorfológicas en varias cuencas hidrográficas del mediterráneo, en Málaga. Dichas cuencas se enmarcan en una zona muy intrincada con fuertes pendientes, cercanía al mar y una litología muy erosionable, compuesta por materiales paleozoicos. También se han considerado sus características climáticas y su proximidad a ámbitos turísticos de la Costa del Sol, ya que es un espacio muy codiciado tanto por el sector turístico como por las actividades agrarias. Para abordar este estudio se ha utilizado una metodología basada en técnicas geomáticas, SIG, análisis de imágenes satelitales y manejo de bases de datos climáticos. Los resultados demuestran la afección en los procesos geomorfológicos tras los cambios de los usos del suelo hacia una agricultura más competitiva pero dependiente de unos recursos hídricos muy variables.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Land use changes and spatial susceptibility in small Mediterranean basins

Soil erosion is one of the most recurrent environmental problems of public interest today. The western Mediterranean is an area sensitive to the effects of Climate Change, according to the latest IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, due to the proven increase in extreme events such as heat waves, extreme rainfall and droughts. Within this, the importance of competition in the territory between tourism and agriculture will be the result of radical changes in land use that are affecting the ecomorphological system to the point of making it even more susceptible due to the emergence and increase of high risks in the Mediterranean basins. Therefore, it will be essential to determine the levels of susceptibility of the basins under study with respect to erosive processes in order to create new mitigation measures to improve soil management and reduce these risks. Through this study we intend to analyze changes in land use and territorial susceptibility in several basins in southern Spain, in Malaga. The main objective is to determine the incidence and susceptibility of these basins and to analyse how they have been affected by land use changes through an observation of land use changes and the application of the RUSLE model. This project will look at the differences between two contrasting basins. One basin with steep slopes and the emergence of more sensitive crops, such as vineyards, which will increase the fragility of Mediterranean basins after torrential events, causing the appearance of a higher risk of erosion, while the other basin will be differentiated with the appearance of clearings that decrease the steep slopes together with changes to more competitive crops, such as subtropical crops. The results demonstrate the correlation between land use and torrential events in Mediterranean basins with respect to their susceptibility in their ecogeomorphological system.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Modelización del aprovechamiento de la precipitación en los embalses de la provincia de Málaga

Ponencia presentada en: XII Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología celebrado en Santiago de Compostela entre el 19 y el 21 de octubre de 2022.[ES]En este trabajo, partiendo de la modelización hidrológica, hemos elaborado un modelo de aprovechamiento de la lluvia en las cuencas vertientes de los embalses de la provincia de Málaga. Para ello hemos utilizado los datos de las aportaciones mensuales de los siete embalses de la provincia de Málaga, suministrados por la Red SAIH-Hidrosur, así como la precipitación y temperatura diaria de las estaciones de AEMET asociadas a las cuencas de cada uno de estos embalses. Hemos supuesto que la aportación a un embalse en un mes determinado debe depender de la temperatura de ese mes, de la lluvia de ese mes, la cantidad que ha caído y la intensidad con la que ha caído, así como la lluvia caída los meses anteriores, y la forma en que ha caído en esos meses anteriores. De esta forma, para cada embalse, planteamos un modelo en el que suponemos que hay tres factores de aprovechamiento de la lluvia, inferior, medio y superior, que dependen de que la precipitación diaria quede por debajo, entre o por encima de dos niveles determinados de precipitación, inferior y superior, así como del nivel de evapotranspiración en esa zona y en ese mes. Este modelo utiliza 23 parámetros, entre niveles de aprovechamiento, evapotranspiración y precipitación en los meses anteriores, que se ajustan a sus valores óptimos mediante un algoritmo de inteligencia artificial, que maximiza la correlación entre la aportación real y la simulada. Finalmente, se analizan los resultados para los distintos embalses.[EN]In this work, based on hydrological modeling, we have elaborated a model of rainfall use in the catchment basins of the reservoirs of the province of Malaga. For this purpose, we have used the monthly inflow data of the seven reservoirs of the province of Malaga, supplied by the SAIH-Hidrosur Network, as well as the daily precipitation and temperature of the AEMET stations associated with the catchment areas of each of these reservoirs. We have assumed that the contribution to a reservoir in a given month should depend on the temperature of that month, the rainfall of that month, the amount that has fallen and the intensity with which it has fallen, as well as the rainfall in previous months, and the way it has fallen in those previous months. Thus, for each reservoir, we propose a model in which we assume that there are three rainfall utilization factors, lower, middle and upper, which depend on the daily rainfall being below, between or above two given levels of rainfall, lower and upper, as well as the level of evapotranspiration in that area and in that month. This model uses 23 parameters, including levels of utilization, evapotranspiration and precipitation in previous months, which are adjusted to their optimal values by means of an artificial intelligence algorithm, which maximizes the correlation between the real and simulated contribution. Finally, the results are analyzed for the different reservoirs

Soil erosion susceptibility assessment in Mediterranean areas through the analysis of soil quality. A test in the Guadalmedina watershed (Málaga, Spain).

Soil erosion is one of the most relevant environmental problems facing society today. Thus, climate change has a direct impact on these processes through a feedback loop, especially in the Mediterranean region, where the situation is conceived as one of maximum fragility and sensitivity. The increase in extreme precipitation and temperature events, together with differential human land use, lead to an intense impoverishment of Mediterranean soils. In this sense, it is essential to determine the levels of susceptibility of the territory to erosive processes in order to create strategies aimed at improving the management of the territory and reducing the possible existing risks. Specifically, this work has focused on the Guadalmedina river basin in the province of Malaga (Spain), which is representative of the current dynamics of the Mediterranean landscape. To achieve this, a soil quality index based on a multi-criteria analysis of different soil indicators (water, physical and organic) has been applied in this work, using a total of 132 soil samples. In addition, the results of this analysis have been compared with soil erosion values derived from the application of the RUSLE model. On a general level, lower soil erosion rates clearly correspond to those areas where soil quality indicators show optimal values. Likewise, the results obtained show how soil organic indicators play a decisive role in water erosion processes in the Mediterranean area.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech