Ebro delta (1811)
Spain, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1c, A1d, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2018
National site name: Delta de l'Ebre
Central coordinates: Latitude: 40.7167, Longitude: 0.7333
System: freshwater, marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 185
Area of KBA (km2): 344.18492
Protected area coverage (%): 39.07
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A large delta that protrudes into the Mediterranean Sea forming a complex of shallow brackish lagoons, saltmarshes, salt-lakes and sand beaches with dunes. The site includes approximately 1,500 ha of rice cultivation. Human activities include hunting, fishing, reed-harvesting, arable cultivation and livestock-farming.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: One of the most important sites in the Mediterranean for breeding, passage and wintering waterbirds˜27,000 pairs of breeding waterbird occur in the summer and up to 180,000 waterbirds winter at the site. The site holds more than 60% of the world population of Larus audouinii.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (70%) | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting (65%) | nature conservation and research (25%) | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 6 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 6 | |
| Forest | 6 | |
| Marine Neritic | 6 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 75 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The delta is poorly protected outside the Natural Park and suffers from a large number of competing interests for using the land. Threats include: increasing urban development; disturbance of waterbird colonies by tourists; a high hunting pressure and lead poisoning of birds from spent shot (`Other' threats, above); pollution from chemicals used in rice production; and a decline in sedimentation rates as a result of dams along the River Ebro. Bird monitoring is carried out by the regional government.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Large dams | Only in the future |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Sewage | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Seepage from mining | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Herbicides and pesticides | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Excess energy | Noise pollution | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Excess energy | Light pollution | Only in the future |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Only in the future | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Utility & service lines | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing | |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Introduced genetic material | Ongoing | |
| Pollution | Garbage & solid waste | Ongoing | |
| Geological events | Avalanches/landslides | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Temperature extremes | Ongoing |