Paper short abstract:

The convergence of data from sedimentary and historical sources has made it possible to understand human-nature interactions in Spanish wetlands. The aim has been to shed light on how the Spanish Empire coped with the droughts of the Little Ice Age by modifying wetlands.

Paper long abstract:

The convergence of data from sedimentary, archaeological, and historical sources provides a corpus of high-quality information that can be used to examine the historical impact of human societies on the environment. It is imperative to identify suitable study areas where methodologies can be skilfully applied to merge sedimentary and historical records over broad temporal scales. Among these remarkable domains, wetlands emerge as a paramount enclave.

The evolution of wetlands is inextricably linked to human behaviour and the construction of hydraulic infrastructures. These changes have led to variations in wetland characteristics. A good example of this is the interplay that occurred during the Little Ice Age, a period characterised by pronounced droughts in Spain.

During this juncture, a paradigm shift unfolded through the formulation of agricultural and hydraulic policies aimed at mitigating the adverse climatic conditions. It was within this context that the concept of "Arid Spain" took root—a political and geographical construct that rationalized endeavours to drain Spanish wetlands, spanning from the early modern period to the contemporary era. One may ponder whether the inception of Arid Spain was a direct consequence of the extreme droughts witnessed during the Little Ice Age or if it was a strategic political manoeuvre aimed at averting the end of Spanish dominance in Europe. Through an exhaustive analysis employing both sedimentary and historical data, this study elucidates that both factors—extreme droughts and geopolitical considerations—were pivotal in the genesis of Arid Spain and the ensuing transformation of numerous wetlands.