Global Change Observatory of Picos de Europa Socio-Ecosystems - Spain

DEIMS.iD

https://deims.org/642846aa-ac83-4faa-a18b-8832d379e458

Basic Information

Site Name

Global Change Observatory of Picos de Europa Socio-Ecosystems

Short name

LTSER-Picos de Europa

Country

Spain

Web Address

Web of the Picos de Europa National Park

Operating Organisation

Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria

Site Manager

Dr. Pepe Barquín Ortiz

Site Description

The Picos de Europa socio-ecosystem research platform (LTSER-Picos de Europa) comprises the catchment areas of the Sella (1,284 km², average annual Q 30 m3/s) and Deva-Cares (1,187 km², average annual Q 40 m3/s) rivers that drain the Cantabrian Mountains towards the Cantabrian Sea. The Picos de Europa National Park is located in this area and it was the first National Park declared in Spain (1918). The LTSER-Picos de Europa has a maximum altitude of 2,648 m (Torres Cerredo). The average annual temperature varies between 6ºC (mountainous areas) and 15ºC (coast), while the average annual rainfall varies between 800 mm (Liébana, Cantabria) and 3,000 mm. It is dominated by broadleaf forests >grasslands>shrublands>rocky areas and contains the bio-climatic floors: Hill (0-700 m, crops and eucalyptus), Montane (500-1,100 m, oak and beech) and Subalpine (>1,100 m, birch, mountain pasture and cryosphere). It is a very interesting biogeographical area as it represents the convergence between the Mediterranean and Atlantic biomes. LTSER-Picos de Europa contains 5 SPAs and 9 SACs (Habitats Directive), where 40 habitats and 80 species of Community Importance have been described. The Picos de Europa National Park is practically the only populated National Park in Spain (20 towns; 1,100 inhabitants), although without large urban centres. LTSER-Picos de Europa contains a great deal of reprensentativity of the rural space of the Cantabrian Mountains. Human activities range from the production of hydroelectric energy, to different activities of the agro-livestock sector, tourism and other services. The history of the LTSER-Picos de Europa is very recent, however, many interdisciplinary teams and national and international researches have been investigating in the area for more than half a century. The main objective of the LTSER-Picos de Europa is to improve our knowledge of the effects of global change on mountain socio-ecosystems. Our more specific objectives are: (1) to Identify mountain socio-ecological dynamics and patterns at large temporal and different spatial scales, (2) identify the main factors of global change that govern these dynamics and patterns, (3) determine the main relationships between the different components that make up mountain socio-ecosystems and (4) predict and model the future responses of the studied components under different scenarios of global change.

Last modified

2025-06-02 10:06:26

General Characteristics and Status

Site Status

Operational

Year Established

2023

Observed properties

Climate

Precipitation Sum: 1132 mm
Temperature Mean: 12.92 °C
Standard Reference Period: 1991 - 2020

Affiliation and Network Specific Information

Affiliation

Projects

Birds Directive (2009/147/EC)

Natura 2000

Site of Community Importance (SCI) of Habitat Directive

Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) of Habitat Directive

Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)

LIFEPLAN

Photos

Forest, pastures and rock formations in Vegabaño in the most occidental massif of Picos de Europa

Large woody debris accumulated on a vegetated sediment bar in the confluence of the Deva and Cares River.

Cattle concentration around water troughs is common during the summer months in pasture areas such as Amuesa.

Hydroelectric production and fishways try to meet energetic societal demands and Atlantic salmon and Brown trout conservation.

The Cimero lake during the summer season

eDNA methodologies have been incorporated in the routine surveys on lake and river habitats

Extensive cattle grazing is a common practice in the Cordillera Cantabrica, as it is in Puertos de Aliva from spring to the autumn months

Small lakes are a rare feature of the Picos de Europa landscape, but they are keystone habitats for amphibians and many other species.

The mountain landscape of Picos de Europa is heavily shaped by rural activities, pastures, shrubs and young and mature forests are drained by multiple freshwater springs, wetlands and streams

Conservation measures on water bodies in Picos de Europa, exclude cattle from accessing sensible areas

Snow cover in the upper parts of the Picos de Europa karst control water levels in wetlands, lakes and rivers

Picos de Europa harbours important populations of brown bear, wolves and many other relevant large vertebrates

Forest rewilding is an active process in many parts of the Cordillera Cantabrica as a result of land use changes

Surveying Cimero lake in spring

Wetlands and small ponds are a widespread aquatic habitat across the Picos de Europa with different levels of conservation status in relation to human activities

Geographic

View in site map

Centroid/Representative Coordinates

Latitude: 43.253127 Longitude: -4.823341

Size

ca. 248627.19ha

Elevation (average)

650.00msl

Elevation (min)

0.00msl

Elevation (max)

2648.00msl

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Site information [.json]

Centroid/representative coordinates [.shp] [.kml] [.geojson]

Bounding Box [.shp] [.kml] [.geojson]

Boundaries [.shp] [.kml] [.geojson]

Site Details

Ecosystem and Environmental Characteristics

GEO-BON Biome

Fresh water lakes

Fresh water rivers

Terrestrial

Biome

Alpine

Ecosystem Type

Alpine

Forest

Deciduous Forest

Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests

Grasslands

Montane grasslands and shrublands

Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands

Large river headwaters

Small rivers

Biogeographical Region

Atlantic Bio-geographical Region

EUNIS habitat

Grasslands and lands dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens (E)

Grasslands and lands dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens (E) » Alpine and subalpine grasslands (E4)

Grasslands and lands dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens (E) » Alpine and subalpine grasslands (E4) » Alpine and subalpine enriched grassland (E4.5)

Grasslands and lands dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens (E) » Alpine and subalpine grasslands (E4) » Calcareous alpine and subalpine grassland (E4.4)

Grasslands and lands dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens (E) » Alpine and subalpine grasslands (E4) » Vegetated snow-patch (E4.1)

Grasslands and lands dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens (E) » Seasonally wet and wet grasslands (E3)

Grasslands and lands dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens (E) » Seasonally wet and wet grasslands (E3) » Moist or wet eutrophic and mesotrophic grassland (E3.4)

Grasslands and lands dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens (E) » Seasonally wet and wet grasslands (E3) » Moist or wet oligotrophic grassland (E3.5)

Woodland, forest and other wooded land (G)

Woodland, forest and other wooded land (G) » Broadleaved deciduous woodland (G1)

Woodland, forest and other wooded land (G) » Broadleaved deciduous woodland (G1) » Beech woodland (G1.6)

Woodland, forest and other wooded land (G) » Broadleaved deciduous woodland (G1) » Riparian and gallery woodland, with dominant alder, birch, poplar or willow (G1.1)

Air Temperature: Average Annual

12.90°C

Precipitation Annual

1132.00mm

Landforms

Geology

The Sella and Deva-Cares river basins are located in northern Spain and drain part of the Cantabrian Mountains, flowing into the Cantabrian Sea. The Cantabrian Mountains are a 400 km long mountain range that extends from west to east, parallel to Spain’s northern coastline, between the autonomous communities of Galicia and the Basque Country. The Picos de Europa National Park, located in the heart of this range, covers an area of 66,030 hectares, extending across the provinces of Asturias (west; 27,477 ha), Cantabria (east; 14,973 ha), and León (south; 23,580 ha). The Cantabrian Mountains originated during the Alpine orogeny and are flanked to the south by the synorogenic basins of the Duero and Ebro rivers, and to the north by the Cantabrian Sea (Atlantic Ocean). Within the Cantabrian Mountains, three sectors can be distinguished: 1) Basque-Cantabrian Sector, in the easternmost area. It features thick Mesozoic sequences and generally does not exceed 1,500 meters in elevation, 2) Asturian Massif, in the central part of the range. Its highest elevation reaches 2,648 meters (Torrecerredo Peak). In this sector, the Mesozoic cover has undergone intense erosion, exposing a Paleozoic basement uplifted during the Alpine deformation. The Picos de Europa National Park is located in this massif and 3) Western Sector, which has lower elevations and lacks Mesozoic sediments. Alpine deformation is recorded here by some Tertiary basins bounded by faults.

Vegetation

The potential natural vegetation of this area corresponds to a mixed deciduous forest. The most common tree species are characteristic of the Cantabrian-Atlantic phytogeographic province (Euro-Siberian region): beech (Fagus sylvatica), oak (Quercus robur), chestnut (Castanea sativa), elm (Ulmus spp.), hazel (Corylus avellana), and ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Vegetation formations are distributed in altitudinal belts (bioclimatic zones) depending on climatic conditions, slope orientation, and soil characteristics. The main zones in this area are the colline, montane, and subalpine belts: 1) Colline zone: Ranging from the coastal strip up to 700 meters in elevation. This zone includes cultivated lands and eucalyptus plantations (Eucalyptus globulus), while natural forests have been significantly reduced due to human activity, 2) Montane zone: Located between 500 and 1,100 meters above sea level. This is where native forests of oak (Q. robur) and beech (F. sylvatica) are found. Oak forests are mostly found on sunny, south-facing slopes and are characterized by a very diverse understory due to high light penetration. In contrast, beech forests tend to grow on shady slopes, forming monodominant stands with sparse understory, due to both the north-facing orientation and the dense canopy, which blocks light from reaching the forest floor. This zone also includes successional stages such as meadows, shrublands, and heathlands and 3) Subalpine zone: Above the montane zone, birch trees (Betula alba) dominate the highest forest formations. From about 1,600 meters upward, the vegetation is primarily composed of low-growing plants, with legumes and grasses forming the so-called mountain pastures.

Soils

The soils in the Sella and Deva-Cares river basins are largely shaped by the region’s mountainous terrain, humid climate, and varied geology. Most soils are acidic, with low to moderate fertility, due to high rainfall and intense leaching. In higher elevations, shallow, stony soils predominate, often classified as Leptosols or Cambisols, developed over Paleozoic rocks like slates, quartzites, and limestones. These soils tend to have poor organic matter retention and are vulnerable to erosion on steep slopes. In valley bottoms and lower altitudes, more developed soils such as Luvisols or Umbrisols may appear, with greater organic content and better structure, supporting mixed deciduous forests and pastures. The soil texture varies from loamy to silty-clay, and water retention is generally good in flatter areas, but drainage can be limited in compacted or clay-rich zones. Land use, especially agriculture and forestry (e.g., eucalyptus plantations), has modified natural soil profiles in colline areas, contributing to compaction and nutrient depletion in some sectors.

Hydrology

Within the Asturian Massif lie the basins of the Sella and Deva-Cares rivers, whose headwaters originate in the upper areas of the Cantabrian Mountains. After a short course, these rivers flow into the Cantabrian Sea, resulting in rivers with very steep gradients. The Sella River basin has a drainage area of 1,284 km². Its main tributary is the Piloña River, with a basin area of 509 km². The Sella River is 66 km long and has an average annual discharge of approximately 30 m³/s at its mouth. On the other hand, the Cares River flows into the Deva River, joining it in the lower part of the basin with an average annual discharge of 22 m³/s. The Cares River is 55 km long and has a basin area of 534 km². The Deva River is 72 km long, with a basin area of 644 km², and has an average annual discharge of 18 m³/s upstream of the Cares confluence. Therefore, the combined average annual discharge of the Deva-Cares basin before reaching the Cantabrian Sea is approximately 40 m³/s.

Protection Level and Land Use

Protection Level (IUCN category)

Category II – National Park

Category IV – Habitat/Species Management Area

Category VI – Protected Area with sustainable use of natural resources

Land Use

primary production

primary production » agriculture

primary production » agriculture » agricultural production for own consumption

primary production » agriculture » commercial agricultural production

primary production » agriculture » farming infrastructure

primary production » forestry