Relationship between vegetation dynamics and dune mobility in an arid transgressive coastal system, Maspalomas, Canary Islands

Hernández‐Cordero, Antonio I.; Hernández‐Calvento, Luis; Espino, Emma Pérez Chacón

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.03.012

Cited by 42 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This ravine was modified by the diversion of its riverbed and partial channeling. The average annual rainfall is 81 mm (period 1952–2008) with large annual and interannual variability, and an average annual temperature of 21°C (1997–2007) (Hernández‐Cordero et al ., ). Sand input to the system is from the east coast (El Inglés beach), where free dunes (barchan dunes and barchanoid ridges) are formed that advance due the trade winds to the south coast (Maspalomas beach).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 97%

“…However, transgressive dune systems have variable rates of dune movement, depending on different environmental factors (climatic characteristics, vegetation cover, sand volume, progradation rates, etc.). The transgressive systems in arid regions tend to be more highly dynamic due to the minor role played by the vegetation, and by the limitations imposed by scarce and irregular rainfall (Cabrera‐Vega et al ., ; Hesp, ; Jackson et al ., ; Hernández‐Cordero et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Geomorphological changes in an arid transgressive coastal dune field due to natural processes and human impacts

Hernández‐Cordero

Hernández‐Calvento

Hesp

et al. 2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Geomorphological changes in recent decades in an arid transgressive coastal dune system (Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands) are analyzed. The methodology used is based on the generation of two geomorphological maps (1961 and 2003) by interpretation of digital orthophotos. The overlay of both maps in a geographic information system (GIS) enabled the spatial and surface changes of the landforms to be determined, and the processes that generated these changes. Twelve cultural and geomorphological processes were identified from highest to lowest importance, namely: anthropization by urban occupation (114 ha changed), stabilization (92.5 ha), barchanization (37 ha), salinization/halophytication (15 ha), anthropization (12.4 ha), deflation (11.8 ha), dune loss/beach gain (11.3 ha), dune formation (9.6 ha), progradation (8 ha), retrogradation (7.7 ha), destabilization (2.7 ha) and flooding (0.7 ha). Geomorphological changes are associated with a combination of five main factors, three of anthropogenic origin and two natural ones. The natural factors are: (1) the arid climate, which favors changes occurring at high speed;(2) the existence of a progressive sedimentary deficit. Anthropogenic factors are: (3) construction of tourist urbanizations, infrastructures and facilities; (4) installation of equipment or infrastructure on the beaches; (5) the activities carried out by users. These human factors have altered the aeolian dynamics and reduced the area occupied by vegetation in some areas, causing changes in aeolian sedimentary processes. The geomorphological processes identified can be used as indicators of environmental change, allowing us to synthesize the changes in landforms detected, and group all combinations derived from the analysis by GIS and analyze them spatially. Thus, the environmental changes in the transgressive coastal dune systems could be interpreted more effectively.

show abstract

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Geomorphological changes in an arid transgressive coastal dune field due to natural processes and human impacts

Hernández‐Cordero

Hernández‐Calvento

Hesp

et al. 2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…dune fields such as Maspalomas (Hernández-Cordero et al, 2015b) and elsewhere in transgressive dunefields (Hesp et al, 2011;Hesp, 2013). However, since the 1970's and more clearly during the 1980s, dense vegetation began to colonize other areas closer to buildings.…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of this could be related to aeolian deflation and dune erosion because these result in the local groundwater table being relatively closer to the surface hence increasing moisture availability to plants. A reduction in the process of plant burial has also likely favored plant colonization, since high rates of dune migration and arid climates are the main constraints of vegetation growth in mobile dunes at Maspalomas (Hernández-Cordero et al, 2015b;Hernández-Cordero et al, 2017). Additionally, human activities such as garden irrigation and/or the presence of adjacent golf courses could also have favored vegetation growth similar to other sites in Argentina and…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeomorphological processes in an arid transgressive dunefield as indicators of human impact by urbanization

García‐Romero

Delgado‐Fernández

Hesp

et al. 2019

Science of The Total Environment

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Urban and tourist developments can have long-lasting impacts on coastal environments and fundamentally alter the evolution of coastal dune systems. This is the case of the Maspalomas dunefield (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands), hosting one of the largest tourist resorts in Spain. The resort was built on top of a sedimentary terrace at 25 m above sea level (El Inglés) in the 1960s, and has subsequently affected local winds and therefore aeolian sediment transport patterns. Buildings on the terrace deflect the winds to the south of the dunefield, where the rate of sediment transport accelerated. A shadow zone appeared to the lee side of the resort with a consequent decrease in wind speed and aeolian sediment transport and an increase in vegetation cover. In this paper, first we characterize the environmental changes around El Inglés terrace in recent decades, and describe the changes in the shadow zone through an analysis of the evolution of sedimentary volumes and vegetation characteristics (density, spatial patterns, and plants communities). A series of historical aerial photographs, recent orthophotos and digital elevation models obtained by digital photogrammetry and LiDAR, as well as fieldwork were used to characterize plant communities and spatial-temporal changes in erosive landforms. Results show changes in the pattern and migration rates of dunes located at the southern edge of the urbanization, as well as the formation of blowouts and large deflation areas, where the vegetation increases in density and number of plant communities. We discuss eco-anthropogenic factors that have produced these environmental changes.

show abstract

“…However, some hydrophilic species can be found next to the lagoon. Some representative plants living in the dune system include Tamarix canariensis , Juncus acutus , Launeaea Arborecens , Traganum moquinii or Cyperus laevigatus [30]. …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Atmospheric Algorithms to Retrieve Vegetation in Natural Protected Areas Using Multispectral High Resolution Imagery

Marcello

Eugênio

Perdomo

et al. 2016

Sensors

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The precise mapping of vegetation covers in semi-arid areas is a complex task as this type of environment consists of sparse vegetation mainly composed of small shrubs. The launch of high resolution satellites, with additional spectral bands and the ability to alter the viewing angle, offers a useful technology to focus on this objective. In this context, atmospheric correction is a fundamental step in the pre-processing of such remote sensing imagery and, consequently, different algorithms have been developed for this purpose over the years. They are commonly categorized as imaged-based methods as well as in more advanced physical models based on the radiative transfer theory. Despite the relevance of this topic, a few comparative studies covering several methods have been carried out using high resolution data or which are specifically applied to vegetation covers. In this work, the performance of five representative atmospheric correction algorithms (DOS, QUAC, FLAASH, ATCOR and 6S) has been assessed, using high resolution Worldview-2 imagery and field spectroradiometer data collected simultaneously, with the goal of identifying the most appropriate techniques. The study also included a detailed analysis of the parameterization influence on the final results of the correction, the aerosol model and its optical thickness being important parameters to be properly adjusted. The effects of corrections were studied in vegetation and soil sites belonging to different protected semi-arid ecosystems (high mountain and coastal areas). In summary, the superior performance of model-based algorithms, 6S in particular, has been demonstrated, achieving reflectance estimations very close to the in-situ measurements (RMSE of between 2% and 3%). Finally, an example of the importance of the atmospheric correction in the vegetation estimation in these natural areas is presented, allowing the robust mapping of species and the analysis of multitemporal variations related to the human activity and climate change.

show abstract

Relationship between vegetation dynamics and dune mobility in an arid transgressive coastal system, Maspalomas, Canary Islands

Cited by 42 publications

References 31 publications

Geomorphological changes in an arid transgressive coastal dune field due to natural processes and human impacts

Geomorphological changes in an arid transgressive coastal dune field due to natural processes and human impacts

Biogeomorphological processes in an arid transgressive dunefield as indicators of human impact by urbanization

Assessment of Atmospheric Algorithms to Retrieve Vegetation in Natural Protected Areas Using Multispectral High Resolution Imagery

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About