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| 7ES002 |
Las
Tablas de Daimiel |
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| Coordinates: |
39º09'N
003º40'W |
Elevation:
600-620 m |
Area:1,928
ha |
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| Location:
|
The
site is located at the confluence of the Rivers Guadiana and Gigüela,
about 10 km northwest of the town of Daimiel and 20 km northeast of the
city of Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real province, in the extreme southwest of
the autonomous region of Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain. The Ramsar
site Laguna del Prado (7ES022) lies about 20 km to the north-northeast. |
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| Criteria:
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1a,
2b, 2c, 3b
The area consists of a complex of shallow pools and associated marshland,
which lies in the great plain of La Mancha. The combination of plant communities
makes the area a characteristic Iberian wetland. The vascular plant Limonium
longibracteum is an endemic species of saline sites in La Mancha.
The area supports a diverse fauna, including the mammals Lutra lutra,
Meles meles and Vulpes vulpes, 13 reptile species, amongst
them Mauremys (or Clemys) caspica and Emys orbicularis, the amphibian
Hyla arborea and the fish Cyprinus carpio. The area is also
very important for nesting waterbirds. The international (1% population)
criterion is met by Ixobrychus minutus, Ardea purpurea, Marmaronetta
angustirostris, Circus aeruginosus, Grus grus, Himantopus himantopus and
Chlidonias hybridus. Counts of wintering waterbirds regularly exceed
10,000 individuals, the most common species being Anas strepera and
Netta rufina.
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| Wetland
Types:
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Tp, M, N, Ss, W (dominant type listed first)
The vegetation formations of the shallow pools and the surrounding marshland
are laid out like a mosaic, according to variations in water levels, salinity
and other parameters. |
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Biological/
Ecological notes
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In
the past the wetland was surrounded by dense oak wood of Quercus rotundifolia.
Most of it is cleared, but traces remain on the right bank. The left bank
has completely been turned into agricultural fields. The Tablas support
a rich aquatic vegetation, with submergent species including Zannichellia
pedunculatus, Ceratophyllum demersum, Ruppia maritima and Chara aspera.
The emergent vegetation was once dominated by Cladium mariscus, but this
has gradually been displaced by Phragmites australis and Typha sp. Tamarix
canariensis, a halophylic species, is the most common bush/tree. Netta
rufina, Anas crecca, Aythya nyroca, A. ferina, Ardeola ralloides, Nycticorax
nycticorax, Podiceps cristatus, P. nigricollis, Panurus biarmicus and
Acrocephalus melanopogon also breed here. |
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|
Hydrological/
Physical notes
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La
Mancha is a depressed basin which was formed during the process of geologic
uplifting. It filled up during the Tertiary Period. The resulting formation
consists mainly of limestone and calcareous clays. The site receives floodwater
from the permanent freshwater R¡o Guadiana and the seasonal brackish R¡o
Gigüela, and groundwater from an underground water basin known as
Aquifer 23. The climate is warm Mediterranean, with a continental character.
The annual average rainfall is about 450 mm. Extreme summer droughts are
common. |
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| Human
uses
|
The
reserve is almost completely owned by the state (98.3%). Bordering the
reserve is another, partly state-owned, protected area of over 5,000 ha.
The site is used on a small scale by the local inhabitants, for hunting,
fishing and the collection of reeds and rushes. These activities have
been conducted since the first settlers came to the area during the Bronze
Age (1,500 BC, Las Motillas culture). Remnants of such a settlement have
been found inside the park. The surrounding area is used for agriculture.
Recently irrigation with water taken from the underground aquifer has
expanded enormously. About 100,000 people of foreign nationalities visit
the site each year, so tourism is becoming socio-economically important
for the area. Conservation Measures: The site was designated a National
Park (Parque Nacional) in 1973. This was enlarged in 1980. It is also
a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve and an EU Special Protection Area for
wild birds. The site was included in the Montreux Record in 1990, with
the aim of restoration of the hydrological functioning of the upper Guardiana
River, notably the sustainable use of Aquifer 23 (the "Mancha Occidental"
aquifer). This implies improvements in the amounts, quality, and seasonal
timing of water for the site. To this end, an Expert Commission was established
in 1998 by the Central Spanish Government and the Autonomous Government
of Castilla-La Mancha. The Ramsar Bureau has been invited to participate
in this Commission, which will report in 1999. |
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|
Conservation
Measures
|
The
groundwater underlying the plain of La Mancha (i.e. Aquifer 23) has been
subject to over-exploitation. As a result, the Tablas started to dry out.
There have also been changes in the water quality at the site, owing to
the differences in chemical composition between groundwater and surface
water supplies. High rainfall since 1997 has improved the short-term hydrological
and ecological situation, and steps are being taken to ensure adequate
long-term improvements |
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Adverse
Factors |
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| References |
{a16} |
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