1210 | 988 | The endangered coastal dune plant Stachys Maritima: current distribution and socio-environmental conflicts in its range located in Costa Brava region | Carles Barriocanal, Magdalena Migacz, Cristina Durà-Lahoz, Gemma Díaz-Martínez

Stachys maritima is a species commonly found in coastal zones throughout the Mediterranean Basin. However, over the past century, the population of this species has significantly decreased due to habitat fragmentation caused by tourism activities and urban pressure. In the Catalonia region, the degradation of this herb plant has been noticed since the early 20th century when it started to disappear from its most common locations. To investigate the current status of Stachys maritima in Iberian populations of this threatened coastal dune plant, a study was conducted in known localities in Catalonia, mainly in the Costa Brava region and Delta del Llobregat. The study tracked the evolution of the species from 2001 to the present, and the results showed a significant decline in the Stachys maritima population each year due to tourism and the lack of adequate conservation strategies. However, the investigation encountered an obstacle due to missing data. Stachys maritima was regularly monitored in some protected areas where it is present but not in all of them. Moreover, there is no monitoring of those populations outside of the protected areas. Thus, local governments should invest in monitoring initiatives and establish regulations to reduce the scale of degradation of Stachys maritima, which is a regionally protected species.

Carles Barriocanal, Magdalena Migacz, Cristina Durà-Lahoz, Gemma Díaz-Martínez
University of Barcelona

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ID Abstract: 988