Use of Xeromorphic Succulents in Green Spaces in the South of Portugal (Algarve), in a Scenario of Water Scarcity

Taking into account the current climate situation and the climate change scenarios, it is required a proactive conduct in order to mitigate its destructive ecological, economic and social effects. The Algarve, like the Mediterranean Basin, is particularly vulnerable to these effects. Increasingly frequent and severe periods of drought, as well as low water availability, are among the main consequences of climate change in this southern region of Portugal. Thus, socio-economic activities that are highly dependent on water, such as green spaces, many of which are associated with the region's tourism sector, must undergo a severe change in their practices, with the aim of promoting a set of sustainable practices and strategies to manage water resources, whether through the application of xeromorphic vegetation, such as xeromorphic succulents, or through sustainable landscaping practices that promote the resilience and adaptability of these spaces. In the particular case of Algarve, there has been a predominance of conventional landscaping practices, where the current conceptual model of landscaping does not clearly conform to the promotion of sustainability and resilience of green spaces, through the selection of plant species adapted to the edaphoclimatic conditions of the site, where most of the vegetation applied does not reflect the local climatic reality. This is a paradigm that we must overcome in the context of adapting to climate change, since water will become an increasingly scarce resource, and the introduction of non-invasive xeromorphic succulents in xerophytic gardens is a balanced and sustainable option.