A report by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography has confirmed that the Mar Menor is showing early signs of recovery for the first time since its ecological collapse in 2016. The study, which updates the long-term mapping of seagrass meadows in the lagoon, highlights modest improvements in two key angiosperm species: Cymodocea nodosa and Ruppia cirrhosa. Severe turbidity in 2016 caused the loss of 85% of benthic vegetation, leaving the ecosystem in a prolonged state of decline.

According to the latest mapping, Caulerpa prolifera remains the dominant species, covering 86% of the lagoon floor, although this is slightly less than in 2022. Researchers note this reduction coincides with the continued presence of the “white spot” phenomenon, linked to large-scale calcite precipitation, which has left 711 hectares without any vegetation. Despite this, Cymodocea nodosa has regained 175 hectares since 2022, mainly along the eastern shore and parts of La Manga.

Ruppia cirrhosa has also shown promising growth. After shrinking to just three hectares between 2017 and 2022, it now spans 32.5 hectares, although this remains well below pre-crisis levels. Researchers describe its recovery as fragmented but encouraging.

Despite these improvements, the report stresses that the Mar Menor remains extremely vulnerable. High nutrient loads, the dominance of opportunistic algae, the ongoing impact of the “white spot”, and warming waters continue to hinder full ecological restoration. Scientists warn that, even at the current annual expansion rate of 7.08%, Cymodocea nodosa could take more than a decade to recover fully unless nutrient inputs are significantly reduced.