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Spatiotemporal evaluation of the geomorphological state of beach‐dune systems using management criteria
Author(s) -
RoigMunar Francesc X.,
GarciaLozano Carla,
Pintó Josep,
MartínPrieto José A.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.3677
Subject(s) - coastal management , sand dune stabilization , mediterranean climate , bay , geography , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , environmental resource management , oceanography , geomorphology , archaeology , geotechnical engineering
This article analyses the spatiotemporal evolution (spanning 1956 to 2016) of two large bays located on the Costa Brava coast: the Gulf of Roses and Bay of Pals (NW Mediterranean, Spain). This research demonstrates how the status of dunes is related to management measures. For this purpose, a matrix of 11 variables was used to assess the management procedures and geo‐environmental conservation status of each sector. The 12 beach‐dune systems assessed have been classified into four stages according to their degree of degradation over time: 1—systems in a natural state (two beaches), 2—very altered or disappeared dune systems (three beaches), 3—remaining systems (three beaches), and 4—systems in recovery state (four beaches). The results show that well‐conserved and recovered dunes are strongly associated with management measures such as rope off dunes, managed paths, and lack of mechanical cleaning. On the contrary, remaining and beaches where dunes have disappeared are located in urban or semiurban areas associated with a lack of management measures. The sustainable and soft management actions applied during the recent years in the studied area have led the dunes toward their recovery after degradation caused by visitors.