An endangered ecosystem is finding new hope thanks to technology.

The Mar Menor, one of the Mediterranean’s most fascinating and vulnerable lagoons, has become the symbol of an ecological crisis that requires immediate and innovative responses. Agricultural pollution, tourist pressure, and climate change have driven this extraordinary ecosystem toward collapse for years.

Today, there is renewed hope. Thanks to a project combining science, technology, and international collaboration, the Mar Menor can not only be saved but can also become a model for environmental conservation worldwide.

Challenge & Context

Saving a natural treasure

Challenges faced

In recent decades, the Mar Menor has faced serious problems:

• Eutrophication caused by agricultural nutrients has promoted uncontrolled algae growth, suffocating the ecosystem and drastically reducing oxygen in the water.
• Anthropic pressure, with ever-increasing urbanization and tourism, has aggravated the situation, especially during the summer months.
• The lagoon has lost its natural regenerative capacity, becoming vulnerable to pollution events and ecological crises.

The Context

The Mar Menor, located in the Spanish region of Murcia, is the largest saltwater lagoon in Europe. Due to its immense biodiversity and crucial role in the local economy, it has always been a natural treasure. However, years of pollution and poor management have increasingly compromised its integrity, creating an unprecedented urgency to find an innovative solution.

Solution

Technology, innovation and collaboration

A system designed to support a fragile ecosystem.

To address this crisis, a consortium led by the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), together with Libelium and Fundación Séneca, has developed an advanced technological system.

The solution is based on:

• Continuous monitoring to collect real-time data on water quality.
• Advanced data analysis to predict and prevent ecological crises.
• A digital twin that simulates future scenarios, helping to plan effective and proactive interventions.

Combining expertise

The project combines the work of researchers, technology experts and sustainability underwriters. UCAM coordinated the project, Libelium provided the IoT devices for environmental monitoring, and Fundación Séneca provided financial and strategic support.

How it works

A digital approach to conservation.

The system uses a network of floating buoys equipped with Libelium One devices. These sensors constantly monitor crucial parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity and turbidity. The collected data is sent to a cloud platform where artificial intelligence algorithms analyze lagoon conditions in real-time, identifying warning signals or critical trends.

The role of the digital twin.

The digital twin of the Mar Menor is a virtual model that integrates all the data collected. This tool allows future events such as floods or tourist peaks to be simulated, helping managers to predict and mitigate damage before it occurs.

FIWARE is an essential component.

FIWARE plays a crucial role by providing open-source components and a technology framework that:

• Integrates and manages data from IoT sensors.
• Supports advanced analysis and simulations of the digital twin.
• Ensures the project’s scalability and replicability in other ecosystems.

Benefits

A significant impact on the Mar Menor.

The project is already showing positive results:

• Water quality is improving thanks to preventing critical incidents such as oxygen depletion.
• Local authorities can better manage the lagoon using real-time data for faster, more targeted decisions.
• Tourism and fishing, pillars of the local economy, have been protected, ensuring a positive impact on the communities around the lagoon.
• The solution provides a replicable model that can be adapted to other vulnerable ecosystems, offering a sustainable approach to environmental conservation.

FIWARE Value

A platform for fostering innovation.

Thanks to FIWARE, it was possible to realize an integrated and efficient technological system that brought several advantages, such as:

• A scalable infrastructure that allows the project to be replicated in other contexts.
• The ability to manage and analyze complex data from multiple sources./li>
• A strategic support to digital twin simulations, improving the ability to predict and manage environmental crises.

Next Steps

Towards a more sustainable future.

The project’s success in the Mar Menor begins a broader change. The next objectives include:

• Expanding the digital twin with new climate and environmental parameters for even more precise simulations.
• Adapting and replicating the technological system in other lagoons, rivers, and nature reserves at risk.
• Engaging local and global communities to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our ecosystems with the help of technology.

Conclusion

A tale of hope and innovation.

The Mar Menor is not just a lagoon but a symbol of what we can achieve when science, technology and collaboration work together.

This project shows that tackling even the most complex environmental crises with innovative and sustainable solutions is possible. Thanks to FIWARE and the shared vision of its partners, the Mar Menor is now an example of environmental renaissance and a model for the future of our planet’s conservation.