Coastal sand dune restoration with an eco-friendly technique

D’Alessandro, Felice; Tomasicchio, Giuseppe Roberto; Francone, Antonio; Leone, Elisa; Frega, Ferdinando; Chiaia, Giancarlo; Saponieri, Alessandra; Damiani, Leonardo

doi:10.1080/14634988.2020.1811531

Cited by 20 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Vegetation planting has been increasingly used in dune restoration projects that use soft engineering stabilization methods to maximize the resistance and resilience of coastal dunes while at the same time restoring and providing natural habitats and coastal ecosystems (Winters et al 2020). However, soft engineering restoration approaches have not been frequently addressed and still lack insight from research and monitoring activities (D'Alessandro et al 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediterranean developed coasts: what future for the foredune restoration?

Bella

Fantinato

Scarton³

et al. 2021

J Coast Conserv

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The feasibility and efficacy of soft engineering foredune restoration approaches still lack insight from research and monitoring activities, especially in areas where dunes are under persisting human disturbance. We evaluated the efficacy of Mediterranean foredune restoration in dune areas freely accessible to tourists. Foredunes were reconstructed using only sand already available at nearby places and consolidated through the plantation of seedlings of native ecosystem engineer species and foredune focal species. We monitored transplanted and spontaneous seedlings for one year to assess their mortality and growth in relation to the distance from the closest beach access, either formal or informal, as proxy of human disturbance. We also tested whether species differing in their ecology (i.e., affinity to a given habitat) and growth form showed different response to human disturbance. The relationship between seedling mortality and growth and the distance from the closest beach access was tested through Generalized Linear Mixed Models. We found a clear spatial pattern of seedling survival and growth, which decreased as the proximity to the closest beach access increased. Only invasive alien plants and erect leafy species showed to better perform at lower distances from beach accesses. In dune areas with a strong tourist vocation, foredune restoration should be coupled with the implementation of integrated management plans aiming at optimising the relationship between protection and use. Management plans should not only rely on passive conservation measures; rather they should include educational activities to stimulate a pro-environmental behaviour, increase the acceptance of behaviour rules and no entry zones, and actively engage stakeholders in long-term conservation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediterranean developed coasts: what future for the foredune restoration?

Bella

Fantinato

Scarton³

et al. 2021

J Coast Conserv

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“…For example, in two pilot field studies in the Salento coastal area, south of Italy, an innovative mineral grout colloidal silicabased consolidation technique for coastal sand dunes was tested (D'Alessandro et al, 2020). This ecological restoration demonstrated to be more resilient to near-surface wind effects and/or minor storms events, to reduce the volume of dune erosion and the dune scarp retreat rate, to favour the vegetation growth, and to be at zero impact on the environment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to having a high ecological and landscape value (Gracia et al, 2019;D'Alessandro et al, 2020), these environments also play an essential role in the defence of the coasts (Arulmoorthy and Srinivasan, 2017;Tordoni et al, 2018) by increasing their resilience. In particular, they are able to reduce the risk of coastal erosion since they constitute a sediment reserve capable of replenishing the beach (Gracia et al, 2019;Tordoni et al, 2020).…”

Section: An Ecological Restoration Planmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proposed improvement of coastal habitat resilience: The case study of Pantano forest of Policoro in southern Italy

2022

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In the last decades, climate change and the rapid urbanization due to the development of the coastal economy have led to biodiversity loss and the fragmentation of habitat in many coastal zones. The presence of protected areas cannot prevent the progress of land degradation. However, these areas are very important because they provide significant ecosystem services and affect local tourism. With regard to increasing adaptation strategies to human pressures and climate change, the present study proposes a detailed monitoring activity and an ecological restoration plan which could improve the resilience of a protected coastal zone in the Pantano forest of Policoro, located on the Ionian coast (southern Italy). In this area, continuous phenomena of intensive deforestation, hydraulic reclamation actions, and fires have reduced the native species of particular naturalistic value, favouring the advancement of desertification, coastal erosion, and saltwater intrusion. The proposed actions are derived from a preliminary analysis on maps, UAV-images, climate data and from meetings with the local community. The operative process detailed in this article could be applied to other protected areas which are subjected to the same phenomena and problems.

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“…They are an important transitional ecotone between extremely different environments, the sub-continental and the sandy seashores, and play a role in functional connectivity, both from a physical and biotic perspective, between terrestrial and marine ecosystems (Bovina and Sinapi 2009;Carboni et al 2009). Also, the dune ecosystems represent unique habitats for the fauna because of their crucial role as ecological corridors in coastal environments (D'Alessandro et al 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil bioengineering techniques for Mediterranean coastal dune restoration using autochthonous vegetation species

et al. 2022

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Coastal dunes are extremely fragile and threatened ecotones, which play a key environmental role in terms of functional connection between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. To counteract the hydrogeological vulnerability in coastal risk areas, reliance can be made on soil bioengineering techniques, consisting of planting native species in combination with natural inert materials. These interventions involve the use of typical Mediterranean plant species, which are fundamental for increasing soil surface protection as well as for their ecologic function in coastal dune consolidation. Monitoring studies on plant growth parameters are useful to assess the suitability of the different species to be used in soil bioengineering works. Hence, this study aimed to (i) identify some Mediterranean herbaceous and shrubby plant species to be used in coastal interventions, (ii) evaluate different plant propagation methods and short-term growth parameters, and (iii) provide useful insights into field management strategies before and after transplanting.Juniperus phoenicea L., Juniperus macrocarpa Sm., Pistacia lentiscus L., Tamarix africana Poir. and Tamarix gallica L. were the selected shrubs species while Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link, Sporobolus pungens (Schreb.) Kunth., Agropyron junceum (L.) P. Beauv., Eryngium maritimum L., Calystegia soldanella (L.) R. Br., and Pancratium maritimum L. were the selected herbaceous species. As to shrubs, seeds and cuttings proved the best propagation methods with an efficiency of up to 90%. Agamic propagation methods, on the other hand, were the most efficient (80–90%) for the herbaceous species. After transplantation, all the species showed an adaptation period to the new climatic and edaphic conditions. In particular, Pistacia lentiscus L. was found withered with the presence of some radical shoots.

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Coastal sand dune restoration with an eco-friendly technique

Cited by 20 publications

References 14 publications

Mediterranean developed coasts: what future for the foredune restoration?

Mediterranean developed coasts: what future for the foredune restoration?

Proposed improvement of coastal habitat resilience: The case study of Pantano forest of Policoro in southern Italy

Soil bioengineering techniques for Mediterranean coastal dune restoration using autochthonous vegetation species

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