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Climate change and tectonic uplift are the dominant forcing mechanisms responsible for the formation of long and narrow terraced landforms in a variety of geomorphic settings, and marine terraces are largely used to reconstruct the Quaternary glacial and interglacial climates. Along the Mediterranean coast, a considerable number of popular scientific articles have acknowledged a range of marine terraces in the form of low-relief surfaces resulting from the combined effects of tectonic uplift and eustatic sea-level fluctuations, as relevant geomorphological indicators of past sea-level high-stands. With the exception of a few recent studies on the significance of submarine depositional terraces (SDT), submerged terraced landforms have been less investigated. By integrating different marine and terrestrial datasets, our work brings together and re-examines numerous terraced landforms that typify the Cilento Promontory and its offshore region. In this area, studies since the 1960s have allowed the recognition of well-defined Middle to Upper Pleistocene marine terraces on land, while only a few studies have investigated the occurrences of late Pleistocene SDT. Furthermore, to date, no studies have consistently integrated findings. For our work, we correlated major evidence of emerged and submarine terraced landforms in order to support an improved understanding of the tectono-geomorphological evolution of the Cilento Promontory and to further clarify the geomorphological significance of submerged terraces.

In the framework of geosite management, specific targeted symbols for geomorphological legends are still lacking. Concerning geosites of geomorphological interest, geomorphological mapping requires targeted symbols in relation to goals and applications, either concerning geomorphic hazards and risk detection or the enhancement of resources, in particular those related to cultural heritage and, hence, geoheritage. A new methodology for mapping geo(morpho)heritage on geomorphological maps is presented in this paper. Nine iconic examples from the Italian landscape, selected in different morphogenetic and morphoclimatic contexts, are proposed to test the methodology in relation to point, polyline and polygon features. Moreover, guidelines for mapping are suggested according to the importance of the site and to the complexity of processes characterizing each case study.

The prediction of the formation, spacing and location of rip currents is a scientific challenge that can be achieved by means of different complementary methods. In this paper the analysis of numerical and experimental data, including UAV observation, allowed to detect the presence of rip currents and rip channels at the mouth of Sele river, in the Gulf of Salerno, southern Italy. The dataset used to analyze these phenomena consisted of two different bathymetric surveys, a detailed sediment 5 analysis and a set of high-resolution wave numerical simulations, completed with satellite and UAV observation. The grain size trend analysis and the numerical simulations allowed to identify the rip current system, forced by topographically constrained channels incised on the seabed, which were detected by high resolution bathymetric surveys. The study evidenced that on the coastal area of the Sele mouth grain-size trends are controlled by the contribution of fine sediments, which exhibit suspended transport pathways due to rip currents and longshore currents. The results obtained were confirmed by satellite and UAV 10 observations in different years.

In this paper, we present the results of a detailed geomorphological and sedimentological study of a coastal sector of southern Italy, the Pineta della foce del Garigliano SCI (i.e. Site of Community Importance), which is largely affected by shoreline retreat and the degradation of dune habitat. The analysis of shoreline evolution demonstrates that severe erosion processes have occurred over the last 50 years. They caused the complete dismantling of the foredune, whereas the anomalous and advanced position of the secondary dune promoted a progressive loss of vegetation habitat of high environmental value such as juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus ssp. macrocarpa). Morpho-sedimentary data and hydrodynamic models suggest that the main climate events promoted a net longshore transport toward the South. Our analyses confirm that erosion processes are linked to natural factors but several negative human practices have contributed to the acceleration of shoreline retreat and degradation of the dune habitat. In addition to its scientific value, the map and data here presented represent an important tool for beach management purposes.

On the continental shelf off the Ciento peninsula (eastern Tyrrhenian Sea) the occurrence of more than 13 km(2) of maerl beds was documented through acoustic surveys. Swath bathymetric data along with a dense grid of chirp-sonar profiles were acquired over more than 180 km(2). The maerl facies was characterized on the basis of the components analysis of 32 grab samples collected at selected sites. Mapped maerl-beds are predominant on submerged terraces located at variable water depth (wd) between 42 and 52 m. This preferred distribution on submerged terraces is probably associated with relatively vigorous bottom currents generated by local circulation that hinders the deposition of terrigenous sediments. Calcareous red algae result to be the most important producers of carbonates from 40 down to 60 m wd. We calculated the coralline carbonate accumulation from the percentage cover of coralline algae (thin section mapping) x 1 cm-thick layer of sediment x measured coralline density. The total coralline cover (living plus dead) in the Cilento area is 13.96 km(2), with a total 316 800 tons of algal carbonate in the surface 1 cm layer, that correspond to 20 430 g m(-2). Living maerl is recorded at a depth of 47 m, with a live coralline cover of about 40% over a minimum area of about 1.2 km(2). This live maerl has a thickness of about 1 cm and is composed mainly of unattached branches of Lithothamnion corallioides (P.L.Crouan & H.M.Crouan) P.L.Crouan & H.M.Crouan, 1867. The molluscan association of the maerl bed is dominated by characteristic species of the Coastal Detritic Biocoenosis. The production of carbonate by living coralline algae has been calculated as weight of live corallines in 1 cm-thick layer x 100 y(-1) x total area(-1) and corresponds to 90.8 g m(-2) y(-1).

PENNETTA, M., CORBELLI, V., ESPOSITO, P., GATTULLO, V and NAPPI, R., 2011. Environmental Impact of Coastal Dunes in the Area Located to the Left of the Garigliano River Mouth (Campany, Italy). In: Micallef, A. (ed.), MCRR3-2010 Conference Proceedings, Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 61, pp. 421–427. Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy, ISSN 0749-0208. The dune zone included in the coastal area located to the left of the Garigliano River mouth has been studied. It plays a key role in the balance of a coastal environment for its positive effect on the beach and back beach. The studies have allowed us to conclude that the analyzed coastal area is affected diffusely by erosion processes linked to natural factors as well as to anthropogenic activities of various kinds; as a result the almost complete erosion of foredune occurred. The foredune play a crucial role in the dynamic relationship with the beach and sediment supply of the other dunes. The erosion processes resulted in a significant retre...

In the Northern Campanian coastal zone, over 150 km long, three geomorphic units are recognised: (1) sandy beaches that are well developed in the northern area, where a prominent river mouth (Volturno River) is also present; (2) steep and rocky shores, often with gravelly beaches or debris cones at their base, are mainly diffuse in the southern area (Sorrentine Peninsula); and, lastly, (3) “techno coast”, shorelines stabilized with revetments and seawalls as well as former natural environments no longer clearly operational because of urbanization, as is visible in Naples and in the Vesuvian coast. Six primary hazards are considered in this investigation: shoreline erosion, riverine flooding, storms, landslides, seismicity and volcanism, and man-made structures. These hazards do not have a uniform distribution along this coast in terms of their frequency and intensity; moreover both their interaction and the intensive action of humans, often uncontrolled, makes it difficult to assess the overall coastal hazard. In this paper a semiquantitative method with which to quantify, rank and map the distribution of hazard is applied along this particular stretch of coast. In such a stretch, previously characterized in terms of types and processes and compartmentalized into geomorphic units, the effect of individual hazards, based on their magnitude and recurrence, is evaluated. Dominant and subordinate hazards for each geomorphic unit are identified, assigning a rank that is also a weighting. Comparison of each weighting through an interaction matrix permits the calculation of a resultant, which is the overall hazard assessment and which can be expressed cartographically. The results obtained for a coastal zone with one of the highest pressures from urbanization in the world, help us to recognise that this approach could become a useful tool to aid decision-making regarding coastal land-use and planning. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of morphological, geological and environmental characteristics of the Fusaro Lagoon has shown the present degraded condition of the lagoon and the perilagoon area. The lagoon developed during the mid-Holocene within a wide marine bay confined between the coastal volcanic structures of Mt. Cuma to the north and Torregaveta to the south in the western part of the Phlegrean Fields. Subsequently, the bay was gradually filled with pyroclastic materials from phlegrean eruptive vents and sediments carried by the rivers Volturno and Clanis, thus, creating an open lagoon. It then evolved into a partially closed lagoon due to the formation of a continuous littoral spit during the late Holocene, probably wider than the present-day one and surrounded by marshlands. Finally, the total closure of the lagoon took place in the Graeco-Roman period, following the stabilization of the dune ridge, and it assumed a shape similar to present-day one only towards the end of the 18th century.Between the Roman period and 1941, three lagoon channels were opened in order to avoid the frequent environmental crises which continue to affect, although for different reasons, this salt-water basin. The basin has been exploited for more than 2000 years not only for mollusc culture and pisciculture, but also for the maceration of hemp and flax. In the 1980s, in order to reduce the effects of the environmental crises, dredging of the lagoon bottom has been carried out, altering the hydrogeological equilibrium and that of the ecosystem. Over the past 30 years, the supply of raw sewage of domestic, agricultural and industrial origin has ensured the presence of a high concentration of pollutants, including heavy metals.On the basis of the data obtained and in order to restore this sensitive transitional environment, eco-compatible interventions are proposed which aim at morphological and hydrologic resettlement, abatement of pollutants on the bottom of the basin, reintroduction of endemic molluscs, together with monitoring the quality of sediments and both sea-lagoon waters and groundwater. Keywords: Lagoons, Environmental geology, Holocene, Phlegrean Fields, Italy