Integrating Different Databases to Offer a Geological Perspective of Coastal Management: A Review Case from the Northern Tuscany Littoral Cell (Italy)

Abstract

A multidisciplinary approach to coastal process research has been increasingly encouraged in the last decade, and it is now widely accepted for a thorough, in-depth analysis of any issue related to such an environment. In this study, we emphasized the need for the integration of different time-scales, not just disciplines. Many geological datasets provided by several sources contribute to the knowledge of coastal processes. We retrieved the available datasets about morphodynamic, geomorphological, and geological aspects of the northern Tuscany (Italy) littoral cell, and we merged all of them with QGIS (Quantum Geographic Information System) applications to provide an assessment of the current situation starting from a geological perspective. Data processing resulted in maps and stratigraphic sections that confirmed that sediment supply is the main factor driving the evolution of the littoral cell. Such a perspective is also useful for the development of reliable coastal evolution future scenarios, not just for a better definition of the present situation. As these datasets are now available for many sectors of coast around the world, this approach may be easily replicated elsewhere to improve coastal management policy making.

Implementing a Vegetation-Based Risk Index to Support Management Actions in Mediterranean Coastal Dunes

“…San Rossore encompasses wide strips of natural, protected beaches with minimal human activity, while the edges near Viareggio and Marina di Pisa experience greater human pressure. This area is a strandplain formed by sediments from the Arno and, to a lesser extent, the Serchio River (Sarti et al, 2022). The delta, resulting from lagoon filling and subsequent progradation due to the Arno River's solid discharge over the last 2500 years, experienced significant growth between the 17th and 19th centuries.…”