Global change observatory
Doñana is a protected area located in southwestern Spain, at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River.
It extends over a vast alluvial plain where a seasonal freshwater marsh converges with systems of mobile and stabilized dunes, and an Atlantic coast with sandy beaches. Its geography features a mosaic of habitats including marshes, temporary lagoons, Mediterranean forests and scrublands, and adjacent agricultural areas. This ecological gradient, shaped by interactions between Mediterranean climate, water dynamics and human activity, creates a refuge for exceptional biodiversity including endemic and migratory species.
Meteorology and Climate
Doñana's climate is Mediterranean with Atlantic influence, characterized by mild rainy winters and hot dry summers. Annual rainfall ranges between 500-800 mm, concentrated mainly from October to March, with markedly dry summer months. Average annual temperatures range 16-19°C, with summer highs frequently exceeding 30°C and winter lows rarely below 5°C. Classified as Csa in Köppen-Geiger system (hot-summer Mediterranean climate). This regime determines ecosystem seasonality, particularly in marshes experiencing essential flood-drought cycles for many species, especially waterbirds.
Water and Flooding
Doñana is a wetland mosaic with unique temporal dynamics. Seasonal marshes flood in autumn/winter from rains and local streams. Spring brings nutrient-rich mudflats through evaporation, while summer transforms them into cracked dry plains. Temporary lagoons and some permanent ones like Santa Olalla Lagoon (groundwater-dependent) form on sandy substrates. The system includes streams, tidal marshes, and artificial wetlands like rice fields/fishponds. This complex sustains biodiversity through essential ecological cycles.
Birds and Biodiversity
Waterbirds remain key ecological indicators due to their diversity, abundance, and wetland condition sensitivity. Decades of monitoring have created one of the longest faunal population datasets in the park. Their value lies in reflecting water quality changes, habitat availability and hydrological cycles - serving as ecosystem health bioindicators. While best-studied, mammals, reptiles and fish also play crucial roles in Doñana's functionality.