**3. Natura 2000 network and diversity of habitats in Spain**

Undoubtedly, the most relevant tool in the promotion of biodiversity conservation in Spain has been the approval of the Directive 92/43/CEE (Habitats Directive) and the implementation of the Natura 2000 network. In fact, Spain has been one of the EU member states that has put more efforts on this figure, since it is the country that holds the largest area occupied by Natura 2000 sites (**Figure 2**), with a total amount of 222,276 km2 and 27.3% of its continental area (**Figure 3**). Natura 2000 network in Spain meets, therefore, the 11th Aichi Biodiversity Targets [5].

it should be noted that 1.9% of Spain is included in the Alpine region, delimited around the Pyrenees mountain range, while the remaining 1.4% corresponds to the Macaronesian region

**Figure 3.** Proportion of the terrestrial and inland water areas occupied by Natura 2000 sites in the EU member states

According to distribution analysis of habitat types in the Iberian Peninsula [17], the areas of the highest diversity are concentrated in the Atlantic portion (**Figure 5**). The 10×10 km2

grids with a higher number of habitats are placed mainly in the northern third of the peninsula, highlighting those that host the maximum (more than 25 types) in the NW coastal area

The Spanish Atlantic biogeographical region includes the most diverse areas in Spain and even several of the most diverse habitat areas of the whole Atlantic biogeographical region or of the entire European Union, according to reports on conservation status and trends of habitat types and species, which are developed every 6 years under Article 17 of Directive 92/43/ EEC and Article 12 of Directive 2009/147/EC. The report regarding the last evaluation period

(Galician region) and along the mountain foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains.

**Figure 2.** Total area occupied by Natura 2000 sites in the EU member states (prepared from [14]).

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UTM

represented in the Canary Islands.

(prepared from [14]).

Currently, the Spanish Natura 2000 network includes a set of 1,863 sites, consisting of 1,467 SCI/SAC and 644 SPA, which are distributed among the biogeographical regions represented in Spain, i.e., Atlantic, Alpine, Mediterranean, and Macaronesian (**Figure 4**). 85.7% of the Spanish continental area is included in the Mediterranean region, divided between the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla. The following region by occupation order is the Atlantic region, with 11.0% of the total, present in the NW Spanish mainland. Finally,

**Figure 2.** Total area occupied by Natura 2000 sites in the EU member states (prepared from [14]).

Funding is another key aspect in both models of protected areas. The MAB Programme does not provide any kind of financial aid or credit to the Biosphere Reserves or to the countries that have designated them. On the contrary, the countries are responsible to bear the expenses of the UNESCO and United Nations. Even in most European countries, there is also no spe-

The European Union financing for environment is carried out globally through the ERDF, ESF, and ECF funds. In addition, the EU maintains a successful program for support environmental conservation and restoration activities, the LIFE Programme (acronyms that come from the French l'instrument financier pour l'environnement). This program, mainly focused on the Natura 2000 network, has cofinanced more than 4,600 projects dedicated exclusively to the environment and climate change [13] across the European Union and

Undoubtedly, the most relevant tool in the promotion of biodiversity conservation in Spain has been the approval of the Directive 92/43/CEE (Habitats Directive) and the implementation of the Natura 2000 network. In fact, Spain has been one of the EU member states that has put more efforts on this figure, since it is the country that holds the largest area occupied by Natura 2000

Currently, the Spanish Natura 2000 network includes a set of 1,863 sites, consisting of 1,467 SCI/SAC and 644 SPA, which are distributed among the biogeographical regions represented in Spain, i.e., Atlantic, Alpine, Mediterranean, and Macaronesian (**Figure 4**). 85.7% of the Spanish continental area is included in the Mediterranean region, divided between the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla. The following region by occupation order is the Atlantic region, with 11.0% of the total, present in the NW Spanish mainland. Finally,

Natura 2000 network in Spain meets, therefore, the 11th Aichi Biodiversity Targets [5].

and 27.3% of its continental area (**Figure 3**).

**3. Natura 2000 network and diversity of habitats in Spain**

**Figure 1.** Number of LIFE projects led by the EU member states (prepared from [13]).

cific financial program for Biosphere Reserves.

sites (**Figure 2**), with a total amount of 222,276 km2

beyond (**Figure 1**).

28 Selected Studies in Biodiversity

**Figure 3.** Proportion of the terrestrial and inland water areas occupied by Natura 2000 sites in the EU member states (prepared from [14]).

it should be noted that 1.9% of Spain is included in the Alpine region, delimited around the Pyrenees mountain range, while the remaining 1.4% corresponds to the Macaronesian region represented in the Canary Islands.

According to distribution analysis of habitat types in the Iberian Peninsula [17], the areas of the highest diversity are concentrated in the Atlantic portion (**Figure 5**). The 10×10 km2 UTM grids with a higher number of habitats are placed mainly in the northern third of the peninsula, highlighting those that host the maximum (more than 25 types) in the NW coastal area (Galician region) and along the mountain foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains.

The Spanish Atlantic biogeographical region includes the most diverse areas in Spain and even several of the most diverse habitat areas of the whole Atlantic biogeographical region or of the entire European Union, according to reports on conservation status and trends of habitat types and species, which are developed every 6 years under Article 17 of Directive 92/43/ EEC and Article 12 of Directive 2009/147/EC. The report regarding the last evaluation period

available [18] includes the information collected for the 2007–2012 period. The list of habitats provided in this report [19] for the Atlantic region includes a total of 121 types, and 30 of them are considered as priority types (those whose conservation supposes a special responsibility for the member states of European Union) in Annex I of Directive 92/43/EEC. In the Spanish Atlantic region, a total of 89 habitat types are considered present, of which 19 are considered priority types [19]. So, Spanish Atlantic biogeographical region plays an important role in biodiversity conservation, since it houses 72% of the variety of habitat types and 63% of the

The analysis of digital cartographic information housed in web servers of [20] and classified

ferent intervals by the number of habitat types (**Figure 6**). The Atlantic region of the Iberian Peninsula concentrates a greater proportion of the top three intervals of the number of habitat

European Union. On the contrary, grids with the lowest number of habitats show a scarcer representation into the Spanish Atlantic region than in the other areas (**Table 2**). The levels of biodiversity of habitats recorded in the grids included into the Spanish Atlantic region are comparable to those that can be identified in the Pyrenees or the Alpine Range (Alpine region), in the Balearic Islands (Mediterranean region), or in small points of the Scandinavian coast (Boreal region). These results are consistent with those obtained by analysis made for

Regarding to the species across the territory, the number of taxa present in the Iberian Peninsula is estimated to amount to a value above 80,000 [22]. In this way, Spain is attributed to be the member state of the European Union responsible for the conservation of the highest species diversity of the continent [23], with more than 60,000 animal and 22,000 plant species. In some of these groups, Spain hosts 80–90% of the total taxa found in the European Union. Within this framework, the portion of the Iberian Peninsula located in the Atlantic biogeographical region plays a key role in the conservation of the main components of biodiversity, since it meets the

The high Spanish biodiversity explains the relevant territorial representation that Natura 2000 sites have achieved within the Spanish national territory. This large area occupied by Spanish Natura 2000 network has allowed the improvement of biodiversity conservation policies and environmental measures at different levels. Inventorying of habitat types and species of community interest

**Table 1.** Comparison of the number of habitats (priority and non-priority) of Annex I of the DC 92/43/EEC present in the

optimum conditions for a significant diversity of different taxon groups [24–28].

**Habitat number**

European Atlantic region 121 30 91 Spanish Atlantic region 89 19 70

European and Spanish Atlantic regions (taken from [19]).

allows to assess the territorial distribution of habitat types in dif-

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with respect to the rest of the Atlantic region or even from the

**Total Priority Non-priority**

priority types present in the Atlantic biogeographical region (**Table 1**).

in LAEA grids 10×10 km2

the period 2001–2006 [21].

types by LAEA grids 10×10 km2

**Figure 4.** Distribution by biogeographic regions of Spanish Natura 2000 network (prepared from [15, 16]).

**Figure 5.** Number of habitats per 10 × 10 km2 UTM grid in Spain (prepared from [17]).

available [18] includes the information collected for the 2007–2012 period. The list of habitats provided in this report [19] for the Atlantic region includes a total of 121 types, and 30 of them are considered as priority types (those whose conservation supposes a special responsibility for the member states of European Union) in Annex I of Directive 92/43/EEC. In the Spanish Atlantic region, a total of 89 habitat types are considered present, of which 19 are considered priority types [19]. So, Spanish Atlantic biogeographical region plays an important role in biodiversity conservation, since it houses 72% of the variety of habitat types and 63% of the priority types present in the Atlantic biogeographical region (**Table 1**).

The analysis of digital cartographic information housed in web servers of [20] and classified in LAEA grids 10×10 km2 allows to assess the territorial distribution of habitat types in different intervals by the number of habitat types (**Figure 6**). The Atlantic region of the Iberian Peninsula concentrates a greater proportion of the top three intervals of the number of habitat types by LAEA grids 10×10 km2 with respect to the rest of the Atlantic region or even from the European Union. On the contrary, grids with the lowest number of habitats show a scarcer representation into the Spanish Atlantic region than in the other areas (**Table 2**). The levels of biodiversity of habitats recorded in the grids included into the Spanish Atlantic region are comparable to those that can be identified in the Pyrenees or the Alpine Range (Alpine region), in the Balearic Islands (Mediterranean region), or in small points of the Scandinavian coast (Boreal region). These results are consistent with those obtained by analysis made for the period 2001–2006 [21].

Regarding to the species across the territory, the number of taxa present in the Iberian Peninsula is estimated to amount to a value above 80,000 [22]. In this way, Spain is attributed to be the member state of the European Union responsible for the conservation of the highest species diversity of the continent [23], with more than 60,000 animal and 22,000 plant species. In some of these groups, Spain hosts 80–90% of the total taxa found in the European Union. Within this framework, the portion of the Iberian Peninsula located in the Atlantic biogeographical region plays a key role in the conservation of the main components of biodiversity, since it meets the optimum conditions for a significant diversity of different taxon groups [24–28].

**Figure 4.** Distribution by biogeographic regions of Spanish Natura 2000 network (prepared from [15, 16]).

UTM grid in Spain (prepared from [17]).

**Figure 5.** Number of habitats per 10 × 10 km2

30 Selected Studies in Biodiversity

The high Spanish biodiversity explains the relevant territorial representation that Natura 2000 sites have achieved within the Spanish national territory. This large area occupied by Spanish Natura 2000 network has allowed the improvement of biodiversity conservation policies and environmental measures at different levels. Inventorying of habitat types and species of community interest


**Table 1.** Comparison of the number of habitats (priority and non-priority) of Annex I of the DC 92/43/EEC present in the European and Spanish Atlantic regions (taken from [19]).

**4. Biosphere Reserves in Spain**

from [15, 16]).

Spain has been one of the countries in the world that has bet more decisively for Biosphere Reserves model, becoming a benchmark on the development of the objectives of the Seville Strategy [31, 32], while the promotion of new designated Biosphere Reserves has placed Spain at the top of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). After the last meeting of the UNESCO International Coordination Council held in Paris in June 2017, WNBR is made up of 669 designated Biosphere Reserves distributed in 120 countries around the world [33]. In Spain, a total of 48 Biosphere Reserves have been designated, 7% of the WNBR, which makes the country with the highest number of Biosphere Reserves, ranking above countries with a

Biological Conservation and Nature Protection Strategies in Spanish Atlantic Region

The numerous and large set (**Figure 7**) of Spanish Network of Biosphere Reserves (SNBR) houses a wide variety of habitats, ecosystems, and socioeconomic and population realities. From a geo-statistical point of view, SNBR has been delimited fundamentally around the Mediterranean biogeographical region. A total of 29 Biosphere Reserves are included totally

in absolute value with respect to the Biosphere Reserves delimited totally or partially in the Atlantic region, which brings together a set of 18 Reserves, including a total area of 12,446 km2

These differences are even greater with respect to the Biosphere Reserves in the Spanish Macaronesian or Alpine regions. However, if the analysis is relativized from a biogeographi-

**Figure 7.** Distribution of the Spanish Network of Biosphere Reserves with respect to biogeographical regions (prepared

. This area is appreciably higher

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much larger territorial scope, such as the United States, Russia, or China.

cal point of view, the values indicate a completely different reality (**Table 3**).

or partially within this region, with a total area of 40,139 km2

**Figure 6.** Number of habitats per LAEA grid 10 × 10 km2 in the European Union, with respect to biogeographical regions (prepared from [15, 20]).


**Table 2.** Comparison of the number of habitats per grid 10 × 10 km2 and percentages in the European Union, the Atlantic region, the Spanish Atlantic portion, and the Spanish Atlantic Biosphere Reserves (prepared from [15, 16, 20]).

and delimitation of the Natura 2000 areas have allowed increasing the knowledge on Spanish interesting areas for biodiversity conservation, strengthening, and consolidating the national and regional networks of natural protected areas [29]. On the other hand, the provision of an extensive Natura 2000 network has allowed Spain to lead 821 projects and to participate in 903 projects of the LIFE Programme in 25 years [13]. This means an average participation in 34 LIFE projects per year, making Spain one of the leader countries in terms of the implementation of these initiatives for nature conservation. Finally, it is worth mentioning the establishment of strong synergies with other protection figures, especially the Spanish Network of Biosphere Reserves, whose core areas have been delimited fundamentally around the Spanish Natura 2000 network [30].
