Medina and Puerto Real lagoons (1860)
Spain, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1c, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Lagunas de Medina y de Puerto Real
Central coordinates: Latitude: 36.6167, Longitude: -6.0500
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 20 to 117
Area of KBA (km2): 49.96137
Protected area coverage (%): 29.97
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A complex of lagoons with fluctuating water-levels. Some become dry in summer. There are several areas of dense Tamarix, Juncus, Typha and Phragmites-dominated vegetation. The marshland is surrounded by scrub, grassland and cereal cultivation.
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: An important site for wintering and non-breeding wildfowl and also for dispersing Aquila adalberti.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (55%) | not utilised (10%) | tourism/recreation (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 15 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 55 | |
| Grassland | 25 | |
| Shrubland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threat is sedimentation as a result of agricultural intensification. The presence of Oxyura jamaicensis is a threat to O. leucocephala population.