Por Redaccion 
A multidisciplinary team of researchers led by Eduardo Cires, associate professor of Botany in the Department of Organism and Systems Biology and researcher at the Institute of Natural Resources and Land Management (Indurot) at the University of Oviedo, has published the first comprehensive study on the flora of the Cantabrian mixed forests in the Naturalia Cantabricae journal.
Titled ‘Flora of the Cantabrian Region: a glocal perspective’, the study provides a detailed analysis of the plant biodiversity in this ecoregion and emphasizes the importance of citizen science and the need for scientific validation to enhance the conservation of endemic and threatened species.
A QUARTER CENTURY OF DATA FOR CONSERVATION
The study, which compiles over 200,000 species records from the year 2000 to 2024, highlights the involvement of the public through platforms like iNaturalist. However, the authors caution about biases in data distribution, as more conspicuous and accessible species tend to be overrepresented, while endemic and critically endangered flora receives less attention.
A ‘GLOCAL’ VIEW OF BIODIVERSITY
The concept of a glocal vision applied in the study underscores the need to analyze the flora of the Cantabrian Region from both a global and local perspective. The authors point out that factors such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and human activity influence the composition and distribution of species in this ecoregion, necessitating conservation strategies that integrate local knowledge with global frameworks.
While citizen science has proven to be a key tool for species monitoring, the study emphasizes the importance of supplementing this data with established scientific sources. The researchers urge for stronger collaboration between experts and the public to enhance the accuracy of records and ensure that the collected information can be used in effective conservation policies.
This work lays the foundation for a better understanding of the region’s flora and suggests strategies to optimize the management of forest ecosystems. The conservation of Cantabrian mixed forests is crucial not only for their biological richness but also for the ecosystem services they provide, such as carbon sequestration and hydrological regulation.