Fewer fish, less algae, less life: Cabrera loses its marine wealth
A study using data from 2014 to 2022 warns that the national park has lost nearly 40% of its species diversity, a sign that even the most protected areas are not immune to the effects of climate change.
PalmThe Cabrera Archipelago Maritime-Terrestrial National Park, one of the main natural sanctuaries in the western Mediterranean, is losing some of the rich biodiversity that once made it unique. A scientific study with data collected over almost a decade warns that the number and variety of species living on its seabed has declined significantly. The research, conducted by researchers from the Blanes Center for Advanced Studies (CEAB-CSIC) and the University of Barcelona, analyzed the evolution of different seabed communities between 2014 and 2022. Scientists revisited the same sampling points, reaching very deep waters and from shallow areas of sediments and calcareous algae, and observed a progressive loss of life forms. Comparing the first years of monitoring with the most recent data, the decline is clear: the total number of species present in Cabrera has decreased by nearly 40%. A decline has also been detected in the Atlantic Islands National Park in Galicia, but it is especially worrying in the case of Cabrera, due to its key role as a refuge for marine fauna and flora in the Mediterranean. The authors of the study point out that the protection offered by a national park greatly reduces the direct pressure from fishing, anchoring, and other intense human activity. However, they emphasize that these areas are not isolated from the world around them. "They also respond to the effects of global change resulting from human pressures," they note, referring to rising water temperatures, pollution, and other alterations that reach even the most protected areas. To address this scenario, the researchers advocate for strengthening scientific monitoring of the seabed with advanced genetic tools that allow for the detection of changes even in species difficult to observe with the naked eye. Having robust data series over time, they assert, is key to understanding how marine life evolves, anticipating potential impacts, and better guiding protection and recovery policies. Cabrera remains a symbol of conservation in the Mediterranean. But the study highlights that even the most protected areas are not immune to global changes, and that the rich biodiversity they harbor is beginning to show signs of distress.
