Pools, plants and people : challenges for wetland conservation in Malta

Abstract

The Maltese Islands are characterised by the smallest land area (316 km2) and the highest population density (1261 persons km-2) in the European Union. These factors, coupled with intensive anthropogenic disturbance and a strongly biseasonal climate with a long summer drought, interact to present considerable challenges for wetland conservation in Malta. Pool landscapes in the Maltese Islands are generally restricted to karstic terrain on coralline limestone plateaux and slopes. These areas have historically also attracted agricultural, bird-trapping, and quarrying activity, obliterating the pools and their biota. The recent rapid growth of the human population has also created a demand for outlets for waste disposal, a need that is sometimes met by disposing of municipal waste in pools.