Article

The Territory of Doñana covers c. 230,000 ha mainly to the West side of the Guadalquivir river mouth. It includes the National and Natural Parks of Doñana and two other protected areas: Estero de Domingo Rubio and Laguna de las Madres, as well as the surrounding unprotected areas. A checklist published in 1980 covering the National park and part of the Natural Park listed 15 naturalized species. A checklist published in 2007 that covers the territory of Doñana, increased this number to 86. But new naturalized xenophytes have since been recorded in this territory raising the number to 99, 38 of which are native to the Old World and 61 to America. One of them, Carpobrotus edulis, is a harmful invader and at least two more, Cortaderia sellowiana and Lantana strigocamara, may become invaders in this area in the near future. The continuous population increase in the cities and villages around the territory, the presence of two tourist resorts within the territory (Matalascañas and Mazagón), the annual pilgrimage to El Rocio chapel and the increase in the roads net-work in the territory likely constitute the main factors responsible for this increased naturalization of introduced plants.