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Prioritizing the
conservation of coastal
dunes in Northern Spain
FELPETE, J. I. & FERNÁNDEZ IGLESIAS, E.
Dunes in the Atlantic Biogeographic Region:
some controversial questions (…to discuss)
1. The Atlantic Biogeograhical Process is fine but, what about
the differences within this Biogeographical Region?
2. Does it make sense to prioritize the conservation of dunes
in northern Spain? (most of you know how they are)
3.Are we conserving something with a few value (in N
Spain)? Sites of Conservation Importance (SCI) or Sites with
Restoration Needs (SRN)?
12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 2
TALK OVERVIEW
1.Life+ARCOS (overview)
2.Caracterization of cantabrian dunes (european context)
3. Understanding the origin of sediments
4. Facing the loss of biodiversity
5.How to prioritisize
12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 3
Project Life+ARCOS actions (overview)
12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 4
PARTNERS (6) SITES (10)
Duration: 2014-2018 (2019)Coordinating: University of Oviedo (INDUROT)Partners typology: Universities, Regional authorities, National authorities responsable formanagement of the coasts, Private sector
Project Life+ARCOS actions (overview)
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• Elimination of pine trees
10 sites included in Natura 2000
• Elimination of AIS
• Improve sand acumulation (sand traps)
• Physical protection (fencing)
• Plantation of structural plants
• Plantation of non structural species
Some characteristics of Cantabrian coast
and dunes
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1.Coastal landscape is dominated by large to small cliffs
2.Dunes are small (on this occassion size matters!)
3.Dunes are not abundant (really scarce)
4. Small river basins for dune nourishment (Cantabrian range
is quite close to the sea)
5. Coast is settled on diverse lithologies
6. Dunes include an important number of protected species
Erosional (rocky) vs Depositional (sedimentary) coasts
12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 7
Littoral of Northern Spain is characterized by an erosional and rocky coast (red line), where cliffs are
dominant. Yellow lines represent depositional coasts. See the differences!!
Zoom in to Spain and the Cantabrian coast12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 8
In Basque Country, Cantabria and the Asturian Regions only about 292 hectares are still occupied by
dune habitats 2110, 2120 and 2130*; meaning about 16% of the dune habitats occurring in the Atlantic
Bioregion in Spain. The remaining 84% of the Atlantic Spanish dunes are located in the Galician Region.
Even in Northern Spain differences in dune habitats occurrence are significant
16%
84 %
AtlanticBiorregion in Spain
Regional setup: small river basins12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 9
The rivers in the Northern slope of the Cantabrian range drop by 2600 m in as much 70 km horizontal to
its base level in the Bay of Biscay. This fact gives rise to high gradient river channels with an important
contribution of coarse bedload transport in their sediment transfer dynamics.
Rainfall average
Cantabrian Sea
Cantabrian range
85 Fluvial systems
85 small river basins ends in the Cantabrian sea
99% of the Cantabrian dunes are located in these river mouths
But nol all river mouths have dunes
12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 10
Lithology also matters!
12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 11
Western coast
Siliciclastic lithologisCentral coast
Mixed lithologies
Easter coast
Calcareous lithologies
Valdés Ribadesella Llanes
Region of Asturias
Three main lithologies are
present.
1. Siliciclastic
2. Mixed
3. Calcareous
RIVERS. Rivers are an essential
source of sediments towards the
coast.
Largest coastal sites where sand isacumulated occur in the East
acumulaciones arenosas en el
litoral cantábrico aparecen al E de
las desembocaduras fluviales.
Mesotidal (<4 m)
Origin of sediments: rivers
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Case study: Barayo (W cantabrian coast)12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 13
EVOLUTION
Since 1956 to
present
Historical review of dune dynamics (Barayo)12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 14
1956 to 2006
Dune’s front moves forward
about 30 m
2006 to 2014
Dune’s front moves backward
about 30 m
Erosion rates: Barayo (W cantabrian coast)12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 15
20062014
Embryonic
White
Pine trees
Region of Asturias: target site Barayo
In 2014 essential embryonic and white dunes were destroyed by destructive storm surges
Trend analysis of storm surges
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The loss of dunes is not homogeneous
12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 17
Managing pine trees, a common issue
Asturias CantabriaBasque
CountryGalician
BARAYO LIENCRES
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Almost any dune species was found!12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 19
115 m
DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO
TALK ABOUT CONSERVATION?
MAYBE, IT SHOULD BE BETTER
TO TALK ABOUT RESTORATION
Loss of dune habitats
Facing the protection of dune species12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 20
Glaucium flavum Otanthus maritimus Medicago marina Chamaesyce peplis
Halting against the loss of biodiversity also means fighting against the loss of
genetic diversity
PROTECTED IN ALL THE
ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS
PROTECTED IN ONE OR
MORE
ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS
Dune loss could lead to regional extinction
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SEED COLLECTION
EX SITU CONSERVATION
PLANT PRODUCTION
REINTRODUCTION
Prioritisation needs information
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1. In 2003 a cartographic and thematic database was developed by
INDUROT
2. 85 fluvial systems were characterized (estuarines and dunes)
3. Objective: give support to decision makers (prioritize)
Cartography12/06/2018International Workshop -Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy beaches 23
Base map
Habitats / Environmental Units
Aereal image
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Database
Geological / Geomorphological
Images
Land use
Vegetation / plants occurrence
Animals
Rating the interest for conservation
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• 38% of dunes and 48% of estuaries were
destroyed by human impacts: landfill and
buidings.
• 1150 hectares are still occupied by dunes
Assesing the importance of human impacts
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Absence < 0 Compatible 1-3 Moderate 3-5 Severe 5-7 Cirticial 7-10
Serantes
Esteiro
Barayo
Guadamía
La Huelga
Poo
Penarronda
Porcía
Frexulfe
Esva
San Pedro
Artedo
Ñora
Merón
Niembro
Purón
Cobijero
Tapia
Sta Mª Mar
Verdicio
Bañugues
Perán
España
La Griega
Espasa
La Vega
Cuevas del Mar
San Antolín
La Franca
Navia
Nalón
Villaviciosa
Ribadesella
Tina Mayor
Viavélez
Luarca
Avilés
Aboño
Piles
Llanes
Main conclussions
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1. There are important differences in the way we have to
manage the dunes in the Cantabrian area. Actions over
the small river basins could be included to improve the
sediments feeding.
2. The Atlantic dunes have to cope with the same problems
but the working scales are so different that the solutions
should be different, and also te priorization.
3.Same impacts on the cantabrian dunes could result in the
loss the entire dune system with strong consequences on
the biodiversity.
Aknowlegments
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T.E. Díaz A. Bueno C. Ley J.I. FelpeteJ. Varas
L. Oreja E. IglesiasL. García
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!
J.L. Tejerina J. Marquínez
Life+ARCOS staff
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