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Mar Menor’s Fauna Temporarily Averts Oxygen Crisis in Southern Basin

The recent assessment by the Scientific Advisory Committee of Mar Menor indicates a critical situation regarding oxygen levels in the southern basin of the lagoon. Following the passage of the Dana Alice weather phenomenon, anoxia, or low oxygen conditions, has been reported. Despite these alarming conditions, the aquatic fauna, primarily fish, appears to be unaffected as they continue to move freely within the waters.

Evaluation of Environmental Conditions

According to Ángel Pérez Ruzafa, the spokesperson for the committee, the future status of the lagoon depends greatly on various environmental factors. Temperature, wind speed, levels of chlorophyll, and turbidity will influence whether the oxygen-depleted areas can dissipate or shift, potentially trapping fish.

Freshwater Influx and Its Effects

  • Continuous entry of freshwater is bringing nutrients and organic material into the ecosystem.
  • Digestive processes are occurring in deeper layers, impacting water quality.

Recent measurements show a 42% decrease in chlorophyll compared to earlier data taken right after the storm on October 10 and 11. Chlorophyll levels averaged 3.09 milligrams per cubic meter; this is a drop from the peak of 5.4 the previous week.

Improvements in Water Clarity

In terms of visibility, the lagoon has shown improvements, now reaching 2.75 meters. The temperature is within normal ranges for this season, currently at 22.8 degrees Celsius. Turbidity levels remain high but are stabilizing across the measurement points, except in four locations in the southern area, where elevated oxygen levels have been recorded, averaging 7.21 milligrams per liter.

Challenges Ahead

Past experiences suggest that while the Mar Menor can manage certain rain intensities, others have proven more difficult, as seen during the September 2019 storm. Current assessments emphasize the importance of monitoring and modeling to predict the lagoon’s responses under similar conditions in the future.

Future Meetings and Research Directions

The next committee meeting will focus on integrating hydrodynamic models of the catchment area with those of the lagoon. This integration aims to identify knowledge gaps and improve predictive capabilities regarding the lagoon’s ecosystem.

  • Prioritize effective natural wetland management.
  • Evaluate potential artificial wetland creation.
  • Control groundwater levels and runoff inputs.

Coordinated Monitoring Efforts

No discrepancies have been noted regarding data from state and regional organizations. The collaboration between various monitoring systems, including buoy systems for temporal data and spatial sampling techniques, offers a comprehensive understanding of the current conditions.

The low oxygen levels have been particularly pronounced in the region of Los Nietos, attributed to runoff from the nearby rivers, particularly La Carrasquilla and El Beal. Ongoing efforts are crucial to mitigate the impacts of these environmental challenges in the Mar Menor.

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