Major Excursion: Mallorca's Physical Geography

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Exploring Mallorca from a physical geographer’s perspective: During this major excursion, led by David Gampe and Thomas Mayer, our students (Bachelor and teaching programs) experienced the island’s geologic history, examined the dynamics of water scarcity and wildfires, and discussed Mallorca’s ongoing transition from a party tourism hotspot to a more sustainable travel destination.

Some highlights from the field

Coastal geomorphology
Mallorca’s calas, long, narrow bays carved into steep valleys, are former river valleys that were flooded by post-glacial sea-level rise. While calas, or rias, occur across the Mediterranean, they are especially pronounced on Mallorca.

Karst systems
Mallorca is a showcase for Karst landscapes. Through weathering and dissolution, the limestone across the island is constantly modified and result in the typical Karst formations, sinkholes and caves across the island.

Wetland ecosystems
The nature reserve S’Albufera is the largest wetland on the Balearic Islands. Past attempts to drain its nutrient-rich soils for agriculture failed – and today, its many different saltwater, freshwater and brackish water habitats is now home to a large bird population.

Water scarcity challenges
Mallorca has virtually no permanent surface water, aside from two small reservoirs and intermittent streams that only flow episodically after heavy rainfall. Tourism significantly intensifies water demand, leading to recurring shortages during peak seasons. Therefore, Mallorca tries to combat overtourism and promote more sustainable practices.

Fire-adapted ecosystems
Holm oak and Aleppo pine are prominent species in Mallorca’s landscapes. Both trees are highly adapted to wildfire regimes: Holm oak is highly fire-resistant, while Aleppo pine relies on heat to open its cones and release seeds. These ecosystems rely on the occurrence of wild fires as part of their regeneration. However, increasingly frequent, human-induced fires are disrupting this natural balance, destroying the seedbed and posing a serious threat to the ecosystem.

Geographical excursions are always a great opportunity to experience regions from new perspectives. On Mallorca, an island many of us have visited before for holidays, getting to know the impacts of tourism firsthand and learning about its unique and threatened ecosystems made this excursion particularly special.