Fernando Condal Domingo

Rambla Prim Institute (Department of Environment; IRP) C/ de Cristóbal de Moura, 223, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Marine Science, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 6   
Received: 17 Oct., 2024    Accepted: 08 Nov., 2024    Published: 10 Dec., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Urban marine environments face unique ecological challenges under anthropogenic pressures. This five-year biodiversity monitoring project conducted at three urban beaches in Barcelona (Spain) evaluated species diversity, abundance, and ecosystem resilience using systematic snorkelling surveys. A total of 38 species were identified (γH'), with notable post-COVID increases in the Shannon biodiversity index (αH'), peaking in 2022 (2.66). Key species, such as Diplodus sargus and Oblada melanura, dominated rocky habitats at Espigó de Sant Sebastià and Espigó de Sant Miquel, while distinct assemblages characterized Espigó and Banys del Fòrum. The presence of artificial barriers and nutrient inflows from the Besòs River further shaped biodiversity dynamics. The study also highlighted the transformative educational benefits of involving students in hands-on research, fostering technical skills and environmental stewardship. These findings emphasize the importance of targeted conservation strategies and continuous monitoring to safeguard urban marine ecosystems.

Urban marine biodiversity; Eenvironmental monitoring; Snorkelling surveys; Species abundance; Shannon biodiversity index; Barcelona beaches; Marine conservation