Climate change threatens Ibiza and Formentera especially intensely, where traditional crops such as vines or almond trees could be “in question in the medium term” if temperatures continue to rise. This was warned by Jaume Vadell, professor of Biology at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) during his speech at the Commission on Climate Change in Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Parliament.
Vineyards and almond trees, among the most vulnerable crops
Vadell explained that woody crops, including vineyards and almond trees, depend on a minimum number of hours of cold to maintain their productivity. With increasingly warmer winters, that need would no longer be guaranteed in much of the archipelago. “If the temperature increases too much, yields go down,” he warned.
In his opinion, the scenario forces to rethink the agricultural zoning and to evaluate which areas of the Balearic Islands -and especially of the Pitiusas- can continue to host with guarantees these crops in the coming decades.
He also pointed out that products very present in Ibizan orchards, such as tomato, melon or watermelon, could be compromised by heat stress.
Ibiza and Formentera, the most affected in the archipelago
The biologist stressed that the impact of climate change is not uniform in all the islands. While in Menorca it is “less extreme” and in Mallorca it is “variable according to areas”, in Ibiza and Formentera the situation is “more critical”.
Vadell presented a comparison between Es Mercadal (Menorca) and Santa Eulària, based on rainfall data, plant regeneration and aquifer capacity. The projections show that, with increases of one and two degrees, the vegetation reserve of Santa Eulària suffers much more, due to the increase in evapotranspiration and the lower water resilience of the Pitiusan terrain.
This fragility is aggravated by increasingly frequent episodes of torrential rains, which cause runoff, loss of fertile soil and discharges of clay water into the sea. “That land is a non-renewable resource and has been lost forever,” he warned.
Olive and carob trees, better adapted; corn and alfalfa, with limits
Despite the adverse outlook, Vadell pointed out that some crops could be better adapted to the future climate of the Pitiusas. Among them, the olive tree and the carob tree, which he described as “all-terrain” species.
On the other hand, corn or alfalfa, although tolerant of heat, see their growth limited from 36-37 ºC, an increasingly common figure in Ibizan summers.
Proposals to mitigate the impact on the Pitiusas islands
To slow the deterioration of agricultural soil and increase its resilience, Vadell proposed measures such as:
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Increase organic matter by plant covers when possible.
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Use of green manure.
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Better use of crop residues.
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Adjustments in soil tillage to reduce erosion.
The scientist recalled that global warming, driven by the intensive use of fossil fuels, has multiplied the frequency of extreme episodes: from one every ten years “in a world without human intervention” to more than one per year today.
A scenario that, according to their analysis, places Ibiza and Formentera in the front line of agricultural vulnerability and requires quick decisions to protect the viability of their crops and the stability of their aquifers.
