The EU-funded project FutureMARES, which is funded by H2020 programme and seeks to provide socially and economically viable solutions based on ecosystems and the services they provide for the adaptation and mitigation of the effects derived from climate change in marine ecosystems, started on September 1.

The MER-CLUB Project, in which the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC) is involved, aims to develop a marine bacteria-based technology to degrade a toxic mercury compound and thus to improve the quality of the marine environment. This compound, monomethylmercury, accumulates in marine sediments and enters the food chain.

A study led by scientists at the CEAB-CSIC and the CREAF warns about the need of measures for protecting the Montseny newt. They say, in a study recently published, that climate change and changes in vegetation cover in the Montseny Natural Park, jeopardize the long-term viability of this species indigenous from Montseny, which is at risk of extinction.

A project led by the Instituto de Diagnóstico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua of the CSIC seeks to respond to the sustainable urban development queries and improve the water resources of the city. Knowing the concentration of Emerging Organic Pollutants of the water table in Barcelona and its evolution during time are some of the goals.

A work by CSIC and CREAF scientists highlights that wild plants are more fertile and more resistant to pests than traditional crop varieties because their roots release substances that help them to capture more nutrients and fight pathogenic bacteria and fungi in the soil. If these natural properties were transferred to conventional cultivated varieties, agricultural yield could be improved and the ecological impacts of pesticides and industrial fertilizers reduced.

A research led by the Instituto de Diagnóstico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua (IDAEA-CSIC) reveals how pollution levels vary in a city. The study, which has been carried out in Barcelona, analyses the quality of air, taking account of factors such as distances to the roads and building heights.

The IMAQUA Project is aimed at improving the control of the quality and quantity of water throughout the supply network. A real-time system for monitoring pollutants and helping the decision-making will be developed. Also, tools for display and simulation will be developed, to give managers an easy access to the whole information. It is a European RISCAT Project, and will be tested in Sabadell and Barcelona.

The MITICAP Project, which seeks to mitigate the impact of artisanal fishing in the Cap de Creus (Girona), starts its second phase after a successful first year. The initiative is a collaboration between the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC) and the fishermen guilds of Port de la Selva and Cadaqués. It has the support of the Fundación Biodiversidad from the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition.