Did you know that some species in the Pyrenees are changing their behavior and distribution in response, among other factors, to climate change? Through the study of the so-called sentinel species, the INBIOPYR project (Interreg POCTEFA 2021-2027 program) analyzes how the mountain fauna is reacting to the new climatic conditions. On March 11 in Foix (France), some of the first results of this work will be presented in the context of the seminar “Sentinel fauna and climate indicators: tools for analyzing climate change in the Pyrenees”, for which registration is still open.

This space will show clear examples of species that are already being affected by the effects, among other factors, of climate change. One of the clearest cases is the alpine pipit(Anthus spinoletta), a bird characteristic of high mountains that, according to recent studies, is shifting its presence to higher and higher altitudes, possibly in response to rising temperatures. This phenomenon has important consequences for the species. As they move to higher elevations, the alpine pipit finds less available habitat, which may increase their vulnerability in the long term, as shown by phenological studies (which analyze the relationship between climatic factors and the cycles of living beings).

Such changes are detected through the monitoring of sentinel species, organisms that are particularly sensitive to climate variations and act as early indicators of the impacts of climate change on mountain ecosystems.

The Foix seminar, organized by the OPCC together with Aranzadi Zientzia Elkartea, the Conservatoire d’Espaces Naturels d’Ariège, the Institut Català d’Ornitologia (ICO), LPO Aquitaine and the Ordesa-Viñamala Biosphere Reserve, together with the OPCC, will show evidence such as that of the Alpine Pipit and other species.

INBIOPYR: species that help us understand climate change

This analysis is part of the INBIOPYR project (2024-2026), in which the Pyrenean Climate Change Observatory (OPCC) participates. The project studies how 37 sentinel species of the Pyrenean massif are modifying their distribution in space and time in response to climate change.

Based on these scientific data, the project develops key indicators to better understand the evolution of mountain ecosystems and to reinforce adaptation and mitigation strategies to climate change in the Pyrenees.

The seminar on the 11th, “Sentinel fauna and climate indicators: tools for analyzing climate change in the Pyrenees” will bring together researchers, technicians and local organizations to share knowledge and tools to better understand how climate change is transforming Pyrenean ecosystems.

Registration is still open for all those interested in participating in this day dedicated to the observation of biodiversity as an indicator of climate change.