🌱 We will continue sharing knowledge and promoting the conservation of our biodiversity.

#Wetlands #Biodiversity #Mediterranean #Conservation #Science #Flora #IslandEcosystems

This research reinforces the urgent need to study and protect island wetlands, among the most vulnerable and least known ecosystems in the Mediterranean.

The study also exposes major assessment gaps in several Mediterranean regions and highlights the vulnerability of island endemics, often confined to tiny habitats and highly exposed to environmental change.

Findings show a large share of wetland flora is threatened, especially species in temporary wetlands and small inland humid zones—microhabitats with huge ecological value.

In this work, Miquel Capó (@miquelcapo.bsky.social), #BOTLAND member, participated as the person responsible for the Balearic Islands dataset.

An international study reviews the conservation status of 275 wetland plant species across 2,217 islands and islets—the most comprehensive assessment of these fragile ecosystems to date.

🌸 With this work, we aim to deepen our understanding of this unique species and contribute to its conservation. Follow along as we share new findings from Project MalMen!

#MalvaMinoricensis #ProjectMalMen #BOTLAND #IME #Menorca #Biodiversity #Conservation

🏝 Earlier this year, we surveyed several populations across Menorca, georeferenced individuals, and collected seeds now used in our germination studies.

Malva minoricensis is legally listed as endangered, the most critical conservation category, highlighting the urgent need to better understand and protect it.

The project focuses on the floral ecology, seed germination, and demography of the Menorcan #endemic Malva minoricensis — a species restricted to a handful of coastal populations on Menorca and its islets.

In addition, the development of this work has contributed over 5,500 new records of vascular plants to the #Biodibal platform. This study represents a significant increase in the floristic knowledge of the park and a key tool for the conservation of this natural area of great ecological value. 🌱

This publication systematically records the presence of 632 taxa of vascular plants, with more than 4,600 floristic data entries, as well as informative fact sheets on species of special interest, such as #endemic, #range-restricted or #threatened species within the park.

The study, titled “Flora vascular en l’àmbit terrestre del Parc Natural Maritimoterrestre d’es Trenc – Salobrar de Campos”, is the third volume in the #Biodibal monograph series.

This finding was made during a field campaign within the framework of the BRICONMEN project, funded by the Consell Insular de Menorca’s 2023 Grants for Environmental Studies and Research in the Menorca Biosphere Reserve

The species was found in southern Menorca, at the Santa Ponça quarry, growing on calcareous soils. Given its small size and the difficulty of identification, it’s likely that this bryophyte has gone unnoticed and may occur in other parts of the island. 🔍

In the Balearic Islands, it was only known from old records in Mallorca, so this finding not only represents a novel record for Menorca, but also a confirmation of the species’ presence in the archipelago. 🌍

It has been a pleasure having you on our team, and we’re very happy to see your hard work and dedication recognized. 🌱

🎉 Congratulations, Fernando! 🌿✨

Among the awardees, Fernando Cortés Giménez received the runner-up prize for Best Master’s Thesis for his research on floral visitors and their pollination efficiency of Silene mijornensis, supervised by Dr. Joana Cursach.

It was a very enriching experience to share knowledge, build new connections, and continue working for the conservation of Balearic and Mediterranean flora 🌿