Análisi y consecuencias de la modificación artificial del perfil playa-duna provocado por el efecto mecánico de su limpieza

Tot i que molts d'agents socio-econòmics íntimament lligats amb l'explotació de les platges com a recurs turístic (i econòmic) s'esforcin en desmentir-ho, la mala praxis en tant a la gestió de les platges com a recurs natural pot tenir conseqüències molt desfavorables per a la seva conservació i estabilitat. Aquí deix un article, publicat ja fa uns anys, que demostra empíricament els efectes desastabilitzadors de la neteja de platges a través de la utilització de maquinària pesada en platges de Menorca. Molt recomanable!!!

Resum:

Los métodos tradicionales de limpieza de playas han contribuido considerablemente a la destrucción de los sistemas playa-duna. Este trabajo presenta los efectos geomorfológicos de diferentes limpiezas mecanizadas sobre una playa. En Menorca se están aplicando criterios geomorfológicos y ambientales en gestión litoral, con el objetivo de reducir el impacto que la limpieza mecánica genera. El resultado obtenido ha sido la recuperación de vegetación de playa, la preservación de foredunes, la reducción de la modificación del perfil de playa y la reducción de los balances sedimentarios negativos.

http://rua.ua.es/dspace/bitstream/10045/306/1/Roig%20i%20Munar-Analisis%20y%20consecuencias.pdf

Roig-Munar, F.X. (2004) "Análisi y consecuencias de la modificación artificial del perfil playa-duna provocado por el efecto mecánico de su limpieza". Investigaciones Geográficas 33, 87-103.

Miquel Mir Gual

Risk Assessment of Beach–Dune System Erosion: Beach Management Impacts on the Balearic Islands

The beach–dune system is a sedimentary environment that is fragile and dynamic. Any change to it can have potential adverse effects on its stability. In recent decades, this environment has been heavily exploited for recreation with management practices that do not have enough consideration of protective and aesthetic values. As a result, erosion has increased—mainly in the foredunes—and upset the balance of the beach–dune system. The assessment of the morphoecological conservation state plays a major role in forecasting natural hazard impacts. This paper correlates the most frequented sectors with the most eroded parts in four beach–dune systems of the Balearic Islands (two in Majorca and two in Minorca) through the Digital Shoreline Analysis System. The four beaches show that the coastline retreats at locations with the highest attendance. Two situations may arise as a function of the management practices employed: (1) the beach and foredune area is eroded or (2) the beach–dune system recovers. The paper also describes appropriate beach and foredune management practices that allow recovery of a system degraded by human activity. We compare these practices with strategies adopted at beaches solely for commercial gain in the Balearic Islands. A space–time evolution, from 1956 to 2008, of 78 beaches of the Balearic Islands was carried out through multivariate analysis of a checklist of beach–dune features and management measures. The results show that beach–dune management based on geomorphological criteria improves conservation of the natural system and minimises risk of erosion. Recovery of vegetation is also encouraged.

http://www.jcronline.org/doi/abs/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-11-00187.1

F.X. Roig-Munar, J.A. Martín-Prieto, A. Rodríguez-Perea, G.X. Pons, B. Gelabert, and M. Mir-Gual (2012) Risk Assessment of Beach–Dune System Erosion: Beach Management Impacts on the Balearic Islands. Journal of Coastal Research (In-Press).

Miquel Mir Gual

Bartomeu Barceló, geógrafo, editor y promotor de la UIB

Fallece Bartomeu Barceló, Catedrático de Geografía y uno de los impulsores de la Universidad de las Islas Baleares (UIB)

Font: elpais.es

Enllaç de la notícia:

http://cultura.elpais.com/cultura/2012/10/12/actualidad/1350074953_477911.html

Miquel Mir Gual

El grup de recerca BIOGEOMED-UIB en acció.

Imatges sobre la campanya de camp duta a terme a Cala Tirant (Menorca) per part dels membres del Grup d'Investigació BIOGEOMED de la Universitat de les Illes Balears el passat mes de septembre. Es tracta d'una primera campanya per estudiar la dinàmica eòlica i sedimentaria en els sistemes dunars de les Illes Balears.

Foto: F.X. Roig-Munar

Enllaç del video (minut 39:19)

http://goo.gl/jFwLs

Miquel Mir Gual

Nou article del grup de recerca BIOGEOMED-UIB a la xarxa.

Es tracta del darrer article que ha estat publicat pel Grup de Recerca BIOGEOMED-UIB. Aquest estableix una primera aproximació  a l'erosió dels sistemes dunars a les Illes Balears, experimentant en aquest cas amb el sistema d'es Comú de Muro (Mallorca). El link per ser consultat en pdf és el següent:

http://goo.gl/Ga9ca

Mir-Gual, M., Pons, G.X., Martín-Prieto, J.A., Roig-Munar, F.X., Rodríguez-Perea, A. 2012. Geomorphological and ecological features of blowouts in a western Mediterranean coastal dune complex: a case study of es Comú de Muro beach-dune system on the island of Mallorca, Spain. Geo Marine Letters (in press)

Miquel Mir Gual

Foredunes and blowouts: initiation, geomorphology and dynamics

I post a new article for the people interested on coastal geomorphology. This paper reviews the initiation, dynamics, geomorphology and evolution of incipient foredunes, established foredunes, and blowouts. Incipient foredunes may be initiated in a variety of ways leading to the formation of ramps, terraces or ridges depending on progradation rates, vegetation type and cover, sediment transport rates and scale of erosional processes. Vegetation cover, morphology, growth rates, and types combine with aerodynamic processes to determine dune and swale morphology. Established foredunes are classified into five morpho-ecological types, and the flow behaviour over two types is detailed. A new model of foredune evolutionary paths at various possible time scales is presented. Blowout initiation, dynamics and sediment transport, and evolution is examined. Throughout the review, the gaps in present understanding of dune processes and a range of ideas for new research possibilities are provided. D 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Hesp, P. (2002). Foredunes and blowouts: initiation, geomorphology and dynamics. Geomorphology, 48: 245-268.

http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0169555X02001848/1-s2.0-S0169555X02001848-main.pdf?_tid=03a67568-16d8-11e2-927d-00000aacb35d&acdnat=1350312960_c13adf4b2f500a36a6a069b0255ac58f

Miquel Mir Gual

New article: "Risk Assessment of Beach–Dune System Erosion: Beach Management Impacts on the Balearic Islands"

The beach–dune system is a sedimentary environment that is fragile and dynamic. Any change to it can have potential adverse effects on its stability. In recent decades, this environment has been heavily exploited for recreation with management practices that do not have enough consideration of protective and aesthetic values. As a result, erosion has increased—mainly in the foredunes—and upset the balance of the beach–dune system. The assessment of the morphoecological conservation state plays a major role in forecasting natural hazard impacts. This paper correlates the most frequented sectors with the most eroded parts in four beach–dune systems of the Balearic Islands (two in Majorca and two in Minorca) through the Digital Shoreline Analysis System. The four beaches show that the coastline retreats at locations with the highest attendance. Two situations may arise as a function of the management practices employed: (1) the beach and foredune area is eroded or (2) the beach–dune system recovers. The paper also describes appropriate beach and foredune management practices that allow recovery of a system degraded by human activity. We compare these practices with strategies adopted at beaches solely for commercial gain in the Balearic Islands. A space–time evolution, from 1956 to 2008, of 78 beaches of the Balearic Islands was carried out through multivariate analysis of a checklist of beach–dune features and management measures. The results show that beach–dune management based on geomorphological criteria improves conservation of the natural system and minimises risk of erosion. Recovery of vegetation is also encouraged.

http://www.jcronline.org/doi/abs/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-11-00187.1

F.X. Roig-Munar, J.A. Martín-Prieto, A. Rodríguez-Perea, G.X. Pons, B. Gelabert, and M. Mir-Gual (2012) Risk Assessment of Beach–Dune System Erosion: Beach Management Impacts on the Balearic Islands. Journal of Coastal Research (In-Press).

Miquel Mir Gual