Doñana, las aguas superficiales y las subterráneas.

En el ecosistema de Doñana, las aguas superficiales y subterráneas juegan roles fundamentales en la preservación de su biodiversidad única. Las aguas superficiales, provenientes principalmente de las precipitaciones, alimentan los humedales y marismas que son hábitats vitales para aves migratorias y una gran diversidad de especies acuáticas. Estos cuerpos de agua también son cruciales para mantener el equilibrio hídrico de la región, regulando el clima local y proporcionando agua dulce para la flora y fauna.

 

Flamenco común.

Flamenco común.

 

Por otro lado, las aguas subterráneas en Doñana desempeñan un papel igualmente importante. Estos acuíferos son esenciales para el suministro de agua del entorno. Además, actúan como filtros naturales, purificando el agua y manteniendo su calidad. Sin embargo, la sobreexplotación y la contaminación de estas aguas subterráneas representan una amenaza para la sostenibilidad de este frágil ecosistema, destacando la necesidad de una gestión responsable.

 

Doñana.

Doñana.

 

Esquema resumen

 

Finalmente, el movimiento de las aguas en Doñana funciona del siguiente modo:

El agua es aportada mayoritariamente por precipitaciones; estas toman 3 caminos posibles:

  1. Con salida hacia el Tinto donde puede emanar en pequeñas zonas donde forma lagunas temporales o preservarse en los “corrales” dunares.
  2. Permanecer en la Vera, una zona donde el subsuelo se encuentra ligeramente más elevado y zona de contacto entre dos ecosistemas, dando lugar a un ecotono y saliendo por una pequeña rama hacia el Guadalquivir.
  3. Hacia la marisma donde queda semiconfinada y fluir los excesos de cauce hacia la zona del Guadalquivir.

En la zona de marismas podemos encontrar limos y arcillas donde fluye agua dulce; y zonas con gravas y arenas, donde se acumula agua salada. Esto produce el resultado que tenemos hoy: la marisma con su agua salobre.

 

Os animamos a que disfrutéis de nuestras actividades durante la época veraniega y así aprender más sobre nuestro entorno.

 

 

Estos son algunos de los valores y conocimientos que transmitimos en DoñanaTour.

 

 

¡Gracias y hasta nuestro próximo tour con DoñanaTour!

The diversity of Donana’s ecosystems

The diversity of Donana’s ecosystems

 

Between sand and the smell of salt there’s a very particular place; This place is called Donana. A unique place from different aspects, today we are going to talk about:

The diversity of Donana’s ecosystems.

The diversity of Donana’s ecosystems has always been changing; Donana has been different a long the time and the Donana that we know today has only been with us for approximately 6000 years. In geological time it does not even reach the blink of an eye, but in those 6000 years the ecosystems have been formed as we know them today.

The first ecosystem of Donana is the best known and currently used by people, if you think of the beach…

Correlimos tridáctilo "Calidris alba"

Sanderling Calidris alba on Donana’s beach.

Correct!

It is an ecosystem in continuous change due to the action of wind and waves; sometimes with progradation (advance) and other times with retrogradation (retreat) of the coastline.

But… How is this possible?

The wind and waves move the grains of sand (littoral drift movement) molding the coastline with each storm.

Later, at the upper limit of the high tide, remains of bivalves (shells) and remains of fish can be found. The latter can be eaten by gulls (yellowlegs, black-backed gulls, etc.), also, sandpipers are usually found at this limit eating the small invertebrates. The next thing we can find are the embryonic dunes, those are in the upper limit of our ecosystem and in them we find the bravest vegetation, as it fights against the wind that hits the coast and the saline spray that is in the environment. It’s not a super power but you have to be able to. And how she does it? Using adaptations like deep roots, in the case of the marram grass Ammophila arenaria, and other types of adaptations such as coastal bugloss Equium gaditanum, sea holly Eryngium maritimum, sea daffodil Pancratium maritimum and others.

Row of dunes N.P. Doñana

 

The next ecosystem that shows us the diversity of Doñana’s ecosystems, due to proximity, are the dunes; with a close alliance between wind and sand, this ecosystem is formed over thousands of years. It is a dune system (row of dunes) that is carried by the action of the wind towards the interior of the park. The first, mobile dunes, are only retained and formed by the plant like spiny thrift Armeria pungens, helichrysum Helichrysum picardii and other species, some already mentioned above, that mold the landscape. Once we have passed this line, we reach the next dune range where species such as cade juniper Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa or Stone pine Pinus pinea are present. The latter forms part of the interior landscape and the dune corrals, leaving behind the passage of the dune the so-called Doñana crosses or field of crosses.

Corral dunar

Corral dune N.P. Donana

 

This ecosystem gives way to the next: the marshes. But first, as a result of the union of marshes and dunes, the vera is born. La vera is not considered an ecosystem of Doñana, it is even more ephemeral. It is an ecotone, the ecotone is born by the emergence of groundwater, given the limit between clays and sands of the soil layer. This area has incredible biodiversity and is of vital importance for the local wildlife, as it sometimes acts as a watering hole when water is scarce for herbivores and as a camping area for carnivores.

 

Tsunami incidence direction

Tsunami incidence direction

And now, the marsh. The image of the diversity of Doñana’s ecosystems, young, born from tsunamis and made from large floods that were silted up, depositing sediments and closing the ancient lacus ligustinus, an ancient Roman lake. Little by little, the Doñana that we know today will appear, one of the reasons for the greatness and diversity of Doñana’s ecosystems: The birds. Herons, egrets, eagles, bitterns, flamingos, stilts and almost 100 species only in the Doñana marshes; makes this site ideal for birdwatching.

Finally, The “coto” or the forest. Historical area of use, religious worship and tradition. It is also the area where the king of Doñana is found, the Iberian lynx, this being that has been brought to the brink of extinction and rescued after a long process that continues to this day. One of his “noble titles” is being an “umbrella species”; This means saving countless species since a large amount of land is necessary for their conservation and, therefore, all the diversity of the Doñana’s ecosystems found there will also be protected. Trees, lizards, insects and birds could be said to be protected thanks to the Iberian lynx. ​

Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus

 

Those are some of the values and knowledge that we transmit at DoñanaTour.

 

Thank you and until our next tour with DoñanaTour!

 

Information sources:

Doñana and its crucial location.

Donana is a privileged and unique place due to its ‘strategic’ geographical location. Its physical, biological, ecological, and habitat composition is influenced by its position in the map.

The coastal location of Doñana on the Atlantic Ocean and the mouth of the Guadalquivir River creates a series of aquatic ecosystems. Some of these are coastal lagoons, which are fundamental for wildlife and biodiversity in the region. Furthermore, the interaction between fresh and saltwater in these areas contributes to the formation of unique habitats.

The confluence of the Guadalquivir River with the Atlantic Ocean creates a mosaic of ecosystems, from freshwater marshes to coastal dunes. This interaction of different habitat types favors biological diversity and promotes a complex network of ecological interactions.

Doñana has a Mediterranean climate, characterized by dry and hot summers and mild and humid winters. This seasonal variation in climatic conditions influences the diversity of habitats present in the area, such as marshes, dunes, and forests, and determines which types of species can survive and thrive in the region. It is also very close to the Strait of Gibraltar and, therefore, the Mediterranean waters. In this sense, Doñana is situated between both seas: the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, in the ‘East-West axis.’

On the other hand, it serves as a connection between Europe and Africa, that is, the ‘North-South axis.’ A warm continent and a cold continent. Doñana’s strategic location between both continents makes it a key point in the migratory bird route. Millions of migratory birds use Doñana as a resting and feeding area during their seasonal journeys. This contributes to the spectacular diversity of birds found in the area.

All these factors give Doñana its most distinctive characteristic compared to other natural spaces: the great diversity of ecosystems and habitats.

This initial framing and presentation of Doñana are part of what we teach in our Environmental Education Programs.

From Doñanatour, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2020.

It begins a new decade, which will be crucial for Humans’ Future sustainability.

It’s in everyone’s hands.

Doñana National Park’s Anniversary

50 años, 50 premios

The 50 awardered

On the last October’s  16th, it was performed a special gala celebration dedicated to Doñana National Park’s 50 Anniversary, at Almonte (Huelva, Spain).

The Environmental Administration of Andalucia’s Government awarded  50 people, entities, and enterprises, for the 50 years, in order to recognize their compromise and implication on the preservation  of  our loved Doñana.

From Doñanatour, it is an honor for us to have been one of the 50 awardered  and recognonized, for our task and compromise with Environmental Education and Sensitization in Doñana, which we have kept doing for over 30 years.

We want to share this award with all the people who have been part of Doñanatour, and thank everyone who have chosen us to discover Doñana.

The Prize

ROCÍO CHICO 2019 TRANSFER OF THE VIRGIN OF THE ROCÍO

ROCÍO CHICO 2019 TRANSFER OF THE VIRGIN OF THE ROCÍO

ROCÍO CHICO 2019 TRANSFER OF THE VIRGIN OF THE ROCÍO

ROCÍO CHICO 2019 TRANSFER OF THE VIRGIN OF THE ROCÍO

ROCÍO CHICO 2019 TRANSFER OF THE VIRGIN OF THE ROCÍO: The transfer of the Virgen del Rocío to her village of Almonte, known as Rocío Chico, takes place on 19 August 2019. It is a tradition that celebrates only every 7 years. The village of Rocío is three leagues from the town of Almonte. After the transfer the Virgin will remain in Almonte for nine months, just two weeks before the Rocío pilgrimage in 2020.

On Monday 19 August 2019 in the afternoon the Virgin leaves in procession through the streets of the village of Rocio, is the expected jump of the fence. Around 20:00 hours in the afternoon the virgin walks the path of the plains covered with the veil, to protect it from dust. She travels all the way during the whole dawn. Around 06:00 the Virgin arrives at the Chaparral, where she is left on a large altar. When the first ray of the sun comes out (although it is still dark), the Virgin’s maidens removed her veil. Then, at around 7 or 8 in the morning, the procession begins again to the Parish of Almonte. The image of the White Dove arrives in Almonte amidst the cheers and jubilation. The arrival to Almomte is usually around 10 or 11 in the morning. The hours are approximate, due to the stops that are made during the night.

The adornments of the step is tradition that they are taken by the old almonteñas, known popularly like “the almonteñas grandmothers”. The way out is nocturnal, it is dotted with bonfires and it is made field through previously determined places, that every seven years constitute the same itinerary.

The exorns of the streets are authentic ephemeral cathedrals, executed by local artists to receive the Virgen del Rocío, giving greater solemnity to the transfers. The exorns are an ephemeral architecture based on wood and paper that represent triumphal arches and temples on columns of the most varied architectural styles.
Curiosities
– The transfers of the Virgen del Rocío to her village of Almonte have been carried out for centuries, but the tradition of the 7 years is relatively recent, dating from 1949.
– Whenever events such as epidemics, wars, droughts, bad harvests or famine occurred in Almonte, the Virgen del Rocío (Virgin of the Rocío) was brought here, where she stayed for the necessary time in the parish of the village, where cults and mass were celebrated, to be returned later to the hermitage of El Rocío.
– Tradition tells us to remove the veil, when the first ray of sunlight illuminates the Virgin’s face. At that moment hundreds of trabucos and shotguns fired salvoes in honour of the Virgin.
– The last time a transfer was held the Virgin of the Rocío remained in Almonte from August 19, 2012 to May 12, 2013.
Origin
The first written document about a transfer is in 1607, where the transfer of the Virgin to the village of Almonte is told due to drought, on April 21, 1607. The Virgen del Rocío was moved long before 1607, but today there are no written documents on these transfers.

Subsequently the Virgen del Rocío has returned on numerous occasions to Almonte. It is worth mentioning one year, in which it was moved on three occasions. This occurred in 1738, when it was recorded in a document.

 

The voices of Autumn

The arrival of wintering birds in Doñana

THE AUTUMN VOICES

Hello World!
From Doñana awaiting the much-desired rains that will flood the marsh, greening the forest and quenching the thirst of life.
And between looks towards a cloudless sky, comes the sound of autumn to Doñana, which is broadcast by hundreds of geese that will turn into thousands, filling the air with their voices and painting the blue sky with their silhouettes in formation. The geese that like every year have been announcing, always, the arrival of autumn rains.
For those who have lived the passage of time in Doñana and have learned to love their landscapes, these birds, which like many others come from the far north, initiate one of the most vibrant seasons of the marsh and fill the heart with a special emotion, that in passion becomes to observe, learn and learn from the rich and diverse winter fauna of Doñana.
But this year the squawking of the geese and the parpar of the anatidae that always accompany them, have not been accompanied by the rains, not even the cold, rather it seemed an arrival of birds in spring but with the characters changed.
These situations of lack of rain and high temperatures in the autumnal months are not new and are even repeated cyclically in the south, although perhaps they are increasingly frequent and intense in terms of dryness and heat.
Even so, the marshes of Doñana are the most important wintering place for geese in Europe, each year hosting more than one hundred thousand specimens. They come mainly from the south of Scandinavia and the Baltic countries, accustomed to wet and flooded areas where they feed on tubers and rhizomes, hence they find in the marshes of Doñana an ideal place to spend the winter that has frozen their northern lands.
It is at dawn, when the screaming of the geese is heard among the mists of the marsh in search of their first meal, the rhizome of the castanet, perennial grass, endowed with a deep system of roots, rhizomes and underground tubers. But in order to better digest these foods the geese begin their morning walk in the dunes of Doñana where they swallow sand and pebbles that in their gizzards will serve to crush better the castanet.
This peculiar custom gives its name, between the complex of mobile dunes, to one of the most emblematic places in Doñana: Cerro de los Ánsares, the ideal place to tell you about the next world!

BLOG DOÑANATOUR PRESENTATION

 PRESENTATION BLOG DOÑANATOUR

Presentation Blog Doñanatour about the Doñana Natural Area

Presentation Blog Doñanatour

 

 HELLO!! We would like to translate this welcoming or greetings to all the existed languages from our Planet. This is our MOTHER EARTH ,  common home for mankind and all human beings living here.

This presentation try to be a declaration of intentions. We are encouraged by the desire of sharing and involving  others who  wants to express sensations, emotions, feelings, ideas or thoughts. Every reflections about the relation between human beings and their global environment and particularly DOÑANA.

Because this page, and embryo of Forum, is born in the heart of the Natural Space of Doñana, unique, diverse, special and privileged place, from which we want to share experiences that have helped us to feel, know, understand and protect this natural place and also to protect  Nature in general in all its diverse manifestations.

We invite you, therefore, that from the divulgation of news of interest, we are able to establish and link, from tolerance and respect, experiences and opinions that help us grow and mature as sensitive and intelligent beings. People capable of making Our Common Home, The Earth, a place of coexistence, peace, freedom and well-being, sustainable in the present and in a future time.