Scarcity and multiple stressors in the Mediterranean water resources: The SCARCE and GLOBAQUA research projects

Abstract

The Mediterranean basin is one of the regions of the world most vulnerable to global change and one of the “hot spots” for predicted problems in water availability. Current climate change models forecast that the Mediterranean region will register increased summer drought and stronger rainfall events. Since freshwater ecosystems deliver important services to society, water scarcity affects both ecosystems and humans. �����������������Within this conte􀇆x�����������������������������t, two different research pro􀅩j������������������������������ects have assembled a multidis􀍲 ciplinary team of leading scientists in the fields of hydrology, chemistry, ecology, ecotox􀍲 icology, economy, sociology, engineering, and modeling to study the interaction of multiple stressors with respect to pressure on water resources. SCARCE (2009-2014), with the full title of “Assessing and predicting effects on water quantity and quality in Iberian Rivers caused by global change,” focuses on the Mediterranean river basins of the Iberian Peninsula. GLOBAQUA (2014-2019), with the full title “Managing the effects of multiple stressors on aquatic ecosystems under water scarcity,” expands the area of concern to several Mediterranean basins in Europe. Both research projects link basic research aspects with management practices and policy implications in a single framework. SCARCE is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the Consolider-Ingenio 2010 program (CSD2009-00065), whereas GLOBAQUA has the financial support of the European Communities 7th Framework Programme, under Grant Agreement No. 603629-ENV-2013-6.2.1-Globaqua. [Contrib Sci 10:193-205 (2014)]