On 25 September, a new edition of ICRA’s Flash Seminars took place, focusing on the phenomenon of drought. The session featured talks by Josep Mas-Pla, Warren Meredith, Ariadna Gabarda-Mallorquí, Laia Estrada, Sergi Sabater, and Javier Ortiz-Rivero, who presented different research lines currently being developed at the centre.

The presentations showed how climate change is making droughts increasingly frequent and severe in the Mediterranean region, and highlighted the need to measure them with appropriate indicators, while ensuring water security for both society and ecosystems. Studies were presented on the patterns and trends of river flows in Catalonia, the impacts of extreme events on biodiversity and aquatic ecosystem functioning, and the role of microbial biofilms as sensitive indicators of water stress.

Overall, the talks highlighted the importance of better understanding how drought affects both ecosystems and society to advance new adaptation strategies. During the discussion, it was also noted that concepts traditionally seen as closely linked, such as meteorological drought and water scarcity, may no longer be as tightly connected in the future thanks to the development of water reuse technologies and desalination.

The six presentations are available on ICRA’s YouTube channel.