European topic centre - university of malaga
Meet our team members
David Rodríguez
Senior researcher
David Rodríguez
Senior researcher
davidrr@uma.es
+34 951 953 102
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez holds a European-mention PhD in Conservation Biology, an MSc in Ecological Restoration, two BScs: in Biology and in Environmental Sciences, and one University Specialist Degree in GIS and Remote Sensing.
He is author of 37 indexed articles, 6 books and 4 book chapters on territorial sustainability and biodiversity conservation.
Currently, he works as a Senior Researcher on Biodiversity Conservation and Management at the European Topic Centre, University of Malaga. His work and research interests include: protected area effectiveness evaluation; sustainability assessments at different ecological and spatial scales; environmental and socioeconomic indicator development; impacts of environmental policies and regulations; territorial planning; environmental sociology; and ecological restoration.
RESOURCES
Journal Articles
Martorell-Guerrero, G.; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D.; García-Millán, V. E.
Long-term assessment of the effectiveness of coastal protection regulations in conserving natural habitats in Spain Journal Article
In: Ocean & Coastal Management, vol. 239, 2023.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Geotechnology, Land and soil, Pressures, Tourism
@article{nokey,
title = {Long-term assessment of the effectiveness of coastal protection regulations in conserving natural habitats in Spain},
author = {G. Martorell-Guerrero and D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and V. E. García-Millán},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964569123001266},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106601},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-05-15},
journal = {Ocean & Coastal Management},
volume = {239},
abstract = {Spain has undergone rapid socioeconomic development in the past three decades. This has been linked to massive residential and infrastructural development based on a short-term, profitable and resource-intensive consuming model. As a result, large amounts of agricultural, natural and semi-natural soils have been lost to artificial areas, especially around main cities and on the coast. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of the Spanish Shores Act at preventing land development in two biogeographical regions and three administrative scales between 1988 and 2020 using a BACI design and remote sensing data. We also analysed the combined effect of other regulations to prevent land development on the coast. The Shores Act was effective in reducing land development although moderate to substantial land development occurred in the zones affected by the Law, especially in the Mediterranean region. Adding other sectoral regulations to the Shores Act notably and consistently reduced land development across regions. Among them, cumulative protected area (PA) regulations were most effective in reducing coastal land development. The use of satellite images, especially Sentinel 2A MSI data within a BACI design, proved a useful method for assessing the effectiveness of fine-scale objectives of environmental policies such as the Shores Act.},
keywords = {Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Geotechnology, Land and soil, Pressures, Tourism},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D.; Martínez-Vega, J.
Representation and protection of the threatened biodiversity by the largest Spanish regional network of protected areas Journal Article
In: Endangered Species Research, vol. 35, pp. 125-139, 2018.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Ecosystem services, Pressures, Protected areas, SOSTPARK
@article{Rodríguez-Rodríguez2018e,
title = {Representation and protection of the threatened biodiversity by the largest Spanish regional network of protected areas},
author = {D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and J. Martínez-Vega},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00878},
doi = {10.3354/esr00878},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-03-15},
journal = {Endangered Species Research},
volume = {35},
pages = {125-139},
abstract = {The main global strategy to stop biodiversity loss is the designation of protected areas (PAs). Spain is a highly biodiverse country. It has one of the world's greatest terrestrial PA coverages. However, the status of its biodiversity is delicate as a result of serious pressures, and some important areas for biodiversity are outside PAs. We used official census data to spatially assess how 71 habitats of community interest (HCIs), 126 regionally threatened flora, fauna and fungi species and subspecies (RTSs), and 33 globally threatened species or subspecies (GTSs) are represented in a network of 404 PAs in Andalusia, a region rich in biodiversity in southern Spain. We also assessed the legal and managerial protection afforded to these threatened habitats and species by those PAs. The Andalusian PA network expands across one-third of the region’s territory and includes the threatened species’ richest areas. However, it only covers 57% of the area of occupancy of RTSs, 81% of the regional area of occupancy of GTSs, and 53% of the extent of HCIs. Over 61% of the regional PA network area is assigned more than 1 PA designation category, although cumulative legal protection is marginally related to RTS richness and unrelated to GTS richness. RTSs and especially GTSs occupy the most relative area in Ramsar sites (i.e. wetlands of international importance), although these are of relatively minor importance for threatened habitats. Wetlands and agricultural areas are the broad ecosystem types showing the greatest numbers of RTSs and GTSs. Seven GTSs were not included in the Andalusian Register of Threatened Species. One hundred and eleven unprotected Areas of High Importance for Threatened Species (AHITSs) and one Area of High Importance for Threatened Biodiversity (AHITB) were identified. Those species and sites are good candidates for a targeted expansion of legal protection of biodiversity in the region.},
keywords = {Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Ecosystem services, Pressures, Protected areas, SOSTPARK},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D.; Abdul-Malak, D.; Soukissian, T.; Sánchez-Espinosa, A.
Achieving Blue Growth through maritime spatial planning: Offshore wind energy optimization and biodiversity conservation in Spain Journal Article
In: Marine Policy, vol. 73, pp. 8-14, 2016.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Biodiversity, Blue Growth, Climate Change, Conservation and management, Pressures
@article{Rodríguez-Rodríguez2016d,
title = {Achieving Blue Growth through maritime spatial planning: Offshore wind energy optimization and biodiversity conservation in Spain},
author = {D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and D. Abdul-Malak and T. Soukissian and A. Sánchez-Espinosa},
url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305824278_Achieving_Blue_Growth_through_maritime_spatial_planning_Offshore_wind_energy_optimization_and_biodiversity_conservation_in_Spain},
doi = {10.1016/j.marpol.2016.07.022},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-11-01},
journal = {Marine Policy},
volume = {73},
pages = {8-14},
abstract = {Spain has a high potential for renewable energy production, being the world's third country by installed on-shore wind power. However, it has not yet fully developed its renewable energy production capacity, with no commercial offshore wind production to date, and remains highly dependent on fossil fuel imports. The country is also one of Europe's most biodiverse, on land and at sea. This study spatially assesses the country's offshore wind energy potential by incorporating the newly designated marine protected areas (MPAs) to the official Spanish strategic environmental assessment for the installation of offshore windfarms (SEA). It also identifies optimal areas for offshore windfarm development according to key physical variables such as wind speed, depth and substrate type. It finally assesses real commercial windfarm projects against current environmental constraints. The results show that nearly 50% of the whole area within 24 nm from the Spanish coast could be suitable for offshore windfarm development at the planning phase. However, only 0.7% of that area is optimal for wind energy production with current fixed turbine technology. Nevertheless, either area would allow Spain to meet its national targets of 750 MW of ocean power capacity installed by 2020 under adequate local wind conditions. Over 88% of all commercial windfarm project area is within the SEA's Exclusion zone, thus unfeasible under current circumstances. Technological breakthroughs like floating turbines may soon make the optimal windfarm area (OWA) less restrictive and reduce current environmental impacts of marine windfarms within a truly sustainable Blue Growth.},
keywords = {Biodiversity, Blue Growth, Climate Change, Conservation and management, Pressures},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D.; Sánchez-Espinosa, A.; Schröder, C.; Abdul-Malak, D.; Rodríguez, J.
Cumulative pressures and low protection: a concerning blend for Mediterranean MPAs Journal Article
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 101, pp. 288-295, 2015.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Climate Change, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures
@article{Rodríguez-Rodrígueza2015,
title = {Cumulative pressures and low protection: a concerning blend for Mediterranean MPAs},
author = {D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and A. Sánchez-Espinosa and C. Schröder and D. Abdul-Malak and J. Rodríguez},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15300540},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.039},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-12-01},
journal = {Marine Pollution Bulletin},
volume = {101},
pages = {288-295},
abstract = {This study classifies Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs) according to the combined result of pressure level and protection. Six major marine environment pressures were considered: pressures from fish farms, fishing, marine litter, pressures from marinas, pollution from maritime transport, and climate change. MPA protection was assessed through legal protection and management effort. Most MPA area in the Mediterranean is under relatively high pressure level and afforded low protection. Inshore areas show higher pressure levels. Five marine ecoregions, nine countries and nineteen MPA designation categories have over 50% of their MPA area under major concern. The mean number of cumulative pressures occurring in priority MPAs ranges between three and four, although the mean combined intensity of those pressures is low. However, these figures are most likely underestimated, especially for the southern Mediterranean. The most concerning pressures to MPAs regarding extent and intensity were: climate change, fishing and pollution from maritime transport.},
keywords = {Climate Change, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Technical Reports
Gomei, M.; Abdulla, A.; Schröder, C.; Yadav, S.; Sánchez-Espinosa, A.; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D.; Abdul-Malak, D.
Towards 2020: how Mediterranean countries are performing to protect their sea Technical Report
2019.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures, Protected areas
@techreport{Gomei2019,
title = {Towards 2020: how Mediterranean countries are performing to protect their sea},
author = {M. Gomei and A. Abdulla and C. Schröder and S. Yadav and A. Sánchez-Espinosa and D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and D. Abdul-Malak},
url = {https://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/towards2020_report_nov2019.pdf},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-11-01},
keywords = {Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures, Protected areas},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {techreport}
}