Search results for " coastal"

CONSERVATION NEEDS FOR THE VERMETID REEFS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

2015

Vermetid reefs are intertidal bioconstructions typical of many subtropical and temperate coastal areas worldwide. Distributed in the warmest waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the reefs are built by the vermetid gastropod Dendropoma petraeum and the coralline alga Neogoniolithon brassica-florida, two species included in the annexes of the Berna Convention. Vermetid reefs provide a wide set of ecosystem services, such as coastal protection from erosion, regulation of sediment transport and accumulation, serving as carbon deposit and increasing biodiversity at the intertidal level. Despite its vulnerability to several threats, such as pollution, spread of invasive species, ocean acidification a…

Modelling biogeochemical processes in sediments from the north-western Adriatic Sea: response to enhanced particulate organic carbon fluxes

2018

This work presents the result of a study carried out in the north-western Adriatic Sea, by combining two different types of biogeochemical models with field sampling efforts. A longline mussel farm was taken as a local source of perturbation to the natural particulate organic carbon (POC) downward flux. This flux was first quantified by means of a pelagic model of POC deposition coupled to sediment trap data, and its effects on sediment bioirrigation capacity and organic matter (OM) degradation pathways were investigated constraining an early diagenesis model by using original data collected in sediment porewater. The measurements were performed at stations located inside and outside the ar…

Temporal evolution of heavy rainfall in the southern West Africa coastline belt.

2018

The Southern Coastalbelt of West Africa (SCWA) is exposed to recurrent flooding. The two objectives of the study are to show thespecificity of SCWA to heavy rainfall occurrence and to determine the trends of the latter. Daily rainfall data of41 stations in the southern parts of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin for the period 1951–2015 and ClimateHazards Group InfraRed Precipitation data were used. The approach is based on the determination (for eachstation and grid point) of the 95th centile (P95) of precipitations greater than or equal to 1 mm. Results indicatethat rainfall is heavier on the coastal belt than inland (average P95 is 65,4 and 45,5 m/day for coastal and inlandstations res…

ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTIONS IN COASTAL AREAS. PALERMO’S SEASIDE

2012

Strategies to qualify coastal settings must be focused on the evaluation of seaside even in terms of sustainable tourism increasing. Projecting and operating to realize these aims means: to stimulate an eco-compatible behaviour even through new law instruments aimed to reach quality standards, to activate an ecological net of receptive structures, to realize suistable instruments to periodically monitor places the control the environmental impact. In this way, the present study analyzes the problems of Palermo’s seaside, attacked by urbanization and wild speculation, expressing on the forecast of urban plans and on eco-compatible usage strategies

THE BIO-PROTECTIVE ROLE OF A BIOLOGICAL ENCRUSTATION

2014

Benthic organisms can form a persistent biological layer that mediates processes of rock deterioration and limits the degradation of the underlying surface. In this study we investigated the bioprotective potential of barnacle encrustations against salt weathering processes, and discuss their possible role in enhancing the durability of coastal engineering structures

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments of Marine Coastal Lagoons in Messina, Italy: Extraction and GC/MS Analysis, Distribution and Sources

2004

The content of 21 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been determined in 16 samples of sediments collected from Ganzirri and Faro marine coastal lagoons in Messina (Italy). Analysis was performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The total concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) ranged from 74 to 5755 ...g/Kg of dry matrix. The resulting distributions and molecular ratios of specific compounds have been discussed in terms of sampling location and origin of organic matter. The results obtained show that levels of contamination are not homogeneous throughout the stations, while the relative distributions of PAH are…

Climatic changes and coastal erosion in Sicily

2009

The mediterranean coast of Andalusia (sw spain): the impacts of human coastal structures

2015

Spanish coasts, especially the Andalusia Mediterranean one, were affected over time by progressive urbanization and associated construction of defense structures. Such structures protected small coastal sectors but at places triggered processes of coastal erosion and associated degradation of habitats and ecosystems. A correct management of coastal areas must be based on the monitoring of coastal evolution and human pressure. A useful tool to evaluate the level of human anthropization is the estimation of the "Coastal Armouring", e.g. the quantification of coastal defense structures, infrastructures, ports, etc. In this study, available aerial photographs and satellite images from 1956 to 2…

Medium-term shoreline evolution of the mediterranean coast of Andalusia (SW Spain)

2015

Coastal environment is a dynamic system in which numerous natural processes are continuously actuating and interacting among them. As a result, geomorphologic, physical and biological characteristics of coastal environments are constantly changing. Such dynamic balance is nowadays seriously threatened by the strong and increasing anthropic pressure that favors erosion processes, and the associated loss of environmental, ecologic and economic aspects. Sandy beaches are the most vulnerable environments in coastal areas. The aim of this work was to reconstruct the historical evolution of the Mediterranean coastline of Andalusia, Spain. The investigated area is about 500 km in length and includ…

Limited Stress Response to Transplantation in the Mediterranean Macroalga Ericaria amentacea, a Key Species for Marine Forest Restoration

2022

In the Mediterranean Sea, brown macroalgae represent the dominant species in intertidal and subtidal habitats. Despite conservation efforts, these canopy-forming species showed a dramatic decline, highlighting the urge for active intervention to regenerate self-sustaining populations. For this reason, the restoration of macroalgae forests through transplantation has been recognized as a promising approach. However, the potential stress caused by the handling of thalli has never been assessed. Here, we used a manipulative approach to assess the transplant-induced stress in the Mediterranean Ericaria amentacea, through the analysis of biochemical proxies, i.e., phenolic compounds, lipids, and…