Effects of Anthropogenic Pressures on Dune Systems—Case Study: Calabria (Italy)

Abstract

During the second half of the last century, considerable anthropization processes were observed throughout most of the Italian territory. These processes have altered the equilibrium conditions of several river and coastal ecosystems, causing the destruction of numerous dune systems. This issue is particularly important in territories such as Calabria, a region in southern Italy subject to considerable anthropogenic pressures and characterized by over 700 km of coast. The aim of the paper was to evaluate the effects of anthropogenic pressures on the Calabrian dune systems, especially in regard to the triggering of coastal erosion processes. For this purpose, historical and current cartographic data, such as shapefiles, cartography, and satellite imagery, were analyzed using QGIS. This evaluation was carried out through the comparison between the current extension of the dune systems and their extensions after the Second World War, before the anthropogenic pressures. This evaluation was also carried out through the analysis of shoreline changes in coastal areas, where dune systems are currently present, and in coastal areas where dune systems have been partially or totally destroyed by anthropogenic causes, compared to the 1950s, thus excluding coastal areas without dune systems in the 1950s, and analyzing what was built in place of the destroyed dune systems. Two criteria were defined to identify the levels of destruction of the dune systems and to identify the coastal erosion processes. The analysis showed a strong correlation between the destruction of dune systems by anthropogenic causes and the triggering of coastal erosion processes.

In-Depth Monitoring of Anthropic Activities in the Puglia Region: What Is the Acceptable Compromise between Economic Activities and Environmental Protection?

“…From an ecological point of view, the dunes of the sandy coasts, often associated with wetlands behind, are among the most vulnerable and threatened ecosystems at a global and national level by anthropic pressure [59]. These habitats are destined to disappear if decisive measures are not applied for their survival.…”

Dune movement under climatic changes on the north‐eastern Tibetan Plateau as recorded by long‐term satellite observation versus ERA‐5 reanalysis

“…They react quickly to changes in environmental conditions and were used to reconstruct long‐ and short‐term climatic changes (Forman et al, 1992; Gaylord & Stetler, 1994; Lancaster, 1988; Muhs, 1985; Vimpere et al, 2021). The main controls on dune migration are wind speed and direction (Hesp, 2002; Tsoar et al, 2009), vegetation (Amir et al, 2014; Durán & Herrmann, 2006; Tsoar & Blumberg, 2002; Yan & Baas, 2015) and human impact (Foti et al, 2022; Hesp, 2002; Hesp et al, 2010; Stancheva et al, 2011; Zhang et al, 2018). In order to initiate the movement of sand grains necessary for the formation and migration of dunes, wind speed needs to exceed the threshold of 6 m s −1 at 10 m height above the ground (Fryberger, 1979; Yang et al, 2021).…”

Shoreline Changes Due to the Construction of Ports: Case Study—Calabria (Italy)

“…Since the end of the Second World War, many areas of the Mediterranean have been affected by a process of displacement of a large part of the population from inland to coastal areas [2,3], expanding many existing cities and building new ones, often substituting dune systems and coastal and river areas [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. This strong anthropogenic pressure has caused the expansion of numerous existing ports and the construction of numerous new ports and has also modified not only the landscape but also the coastal dynamics, causing shoreline advancement on their updrift side and triggering shoreline erosion processes on their downdrift side, even at considerable distances from the ports [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27].…”