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A municipal greenhouse in Torre de Benagalbón (Rincón de la Victoria) on the eastern Costa del Sol, is the setting for a scientific project which, in addition to being unprecedented, could mean a significant improvement for the ecosystems of the Mediterranean. This work began in Carboneras in Almeria province, some 250 kilometres away, in the port of the Holcim cement factory. The project, which prevents the recreational use of this part of the Almeria coastline, keeps these waters in optimal conditions for the growth of the 'cymodocea nodosa', a plant that was common off the Malaga coastline.
Some 150 samples were collected to study and reproduce them in six saltwater tanks that simulate their environment. Its growth is being observed by Esther Delgado Salas, Laura Pardo Canales and Marta Domínguez Maqueda, the three technicians of the chair of coastal sciences participating in this initiative. Elena Bañares España, lecturer in the department of botany and plant physiology of the Costa del Sol chair of coastal sciences and principal investigator of this experience, explained that this flora has been lost, among other causes, due to human impact. This and other factors mean a growth of nutrients and less light, which prevents seagrass plants from photosynthesising and leads to their disappearance.
Another factor is the presence of Asian algae, (rugulopteryx okamurae), which, although it does not settle on the sand, like the 'cymodocea nodosa', it alters all the flora in the areas that it grows, of which there are already many in Spain. "For those who go to the beach every day, the consequences of the presence of these exotic varieties are clear, but we must also take into account what happens with fishing activity. On many occasions, when the nets are thrown out, instead of fish, what the boats collect is tons of Asian algae," Bañares explained. "If we keep the ecosystems in optimal conditions, we will have more fish and a more attractive offer for tourism," he said.
Now the plan is to reintroduce the 'cymodocea nodosa', firstly, in a controlled manner in El Cantal, between La Cala del Moral and Rincón de la Victoria and, later, if the first project is successful, to introduce it to other places on the Costa del Sol. "In our sea beds the problem is that, with their recession, there are direct consequences for biodiversity," explains Francisco Franco Duro, professor in the department of inorganic chemistry, crystallography and mineralogy and director of the Costa del Sol chair of coastal sciences.
And why cymodocea nodosa? It is much more stable than others typical of underwater areas, such as Posidonia oceanica, which is key to introducing a systematic recovery strategy, since, with a greater presence of the former, it is easier for the latter to arrive, which, in turn, should lead to improved sandy areas, something which can slow down the effects of storms.
"Marine phanerogam forests improve water quality through increased oxygenation and the retention of clays and silts that generate turbidity, i.e. they make the water crystal clear. All of this results in greater biodiversity," Franco explains. All this work, moreover, is coordinated with one of the actions promoted by the town hall, including the creation of an artificial reef in El Cantal, a place that could be ideal for the 'cymodocea nodosa' to thrive. "We have started in Rincón de la Victoria, but what we want is for it to reach the whole of Malaga province coastline," said the councillor for beaches, Sergio Díaz, who is convinced that projects which are good for the environment have clear economic benefits. "We must collaborate with the sea if we want to continue to enjoy it," he said.
Gustavo Calero, director of Sustainable Development and Innovation at public water company Hidralia, highlights that this project, "shows how a water company is able to contribute to the improvement of nature. We are funding talent, an investment that has a great impact," he argued.
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