In 2023, a call for collaboration was sent to vegetation experts of the Italian Society of Vegetation Science (SISV) to join the ReSurveyDune project, aimed at resurveying Italian coastal dune areas [1]. In line with this objective, the present study resurveyed two coastal areas in northern Tuscany (Italy), within the province of Pisa. The first is located inside the Migliarino – San Rossore – Massaciuccoli Regional Park and includes a 12 km stretch of coastline between the Serchio River to the north and the Arno River to the south. The second area corresponds to the 3.5 km Calambrone coastline, which lies adjacent to the park and is subject to regulatory constraints. It is situated between Tirrenia and the mouth of the Scolmatore d’Arno. While the San Rossore coastline is closed to the public and severely threatened by coastal erosion, the Calambrone coastline is characterized by numerous bathing establishments and remains relatively stable [2]. In spring 2024, we resurveyed 23 historical plots in San Rossore [3] and 28 in Calambrone [4], following the same methodology used for the historical plots, namely the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological method. [A1.1][A1.2]The presence of all vascular plant species was recorded, and species abundance was visually estimated using the Braun-Blanquet percentage cover scale. Each relevé was assigned to a specific EU habitat type, as defined by the 92/43/EEC Habitats Directive, focusing on the following herbaceous habitats: 1210, 2110, 2120, 2210, and 2230. To analyze shifts in species richness and diversity over time, we calculated Hill numbers (the exponential of Shannon diversity and the inverse of Simpson diversity) for each habitat. Differences between habitats were assessed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Additionally, rank-abundance curves were constructed to illustrate the relative abundance of species within each habitat, allowing for temporal comparisons. The resurvey revealed three key findings: (i) Species richness declined along the San Rossore coastline but showed a slight increase in Calambrone. (ii) The number of historical plots decreased, particularly for habitat 1210 (annual vegetation of drift lines), which disappeared in Calambrone and was reduced by half in San Rossore. (iii) While the dominant species in each habitat remained the same, their overall abundance significantly declined. In conclusion, the study highlights an ongoing regression and fragmentation of dune habitats in both areas, driven by different threats: coastal erosion in San Rossore and human disturbance linked to tourism in Calambrone. In both cases, targeted conservation and management measures are urgently needed to mitigate the degradation of these environments, preserve biodiversity, and ensure the long-term sustainability of these coastal areas.
RESURVEYDUNE PROJECT: ASSESSING COASTAL DUNE CHANGES IN THE SAN ROSSORE ESTATE AND CALAMBRONE (TUSCANY, ITALY)
Ciccarelli D.
Primo
;Orazi D.;Bertacchi A.Ultimo
2025-01-01
Abstract
In 2023, a call for collaboration was sent to vegetation experts of the Italian Society of Vegetation Science (SISV) to join the ReSurveyDune project, aimed at resurveying Italian coastal dune areas [1]. In line with this objective, the present study resurveyed two coastal areas in northern Tuscany (Italy), within the province of Pisa. The first is located inside the Migliarino – San Rossore – Massaciuccoli Regional Park and includes a 12 km stretch of coastline between the Serchio River to the north and the Arno River to the south. The second area corresponds to the 3.5 km Calambrone coastline, which lies adjacent to the park and is subject to regulatory constraints. It is situated between Tirrenia and the mouth of the Scolmatore d’Arno. While the San Rossore coastline is closed to the public and severely threatened by coastal erosion, the Calambrone coastline is characterized by numerous bathing establishments and remains relatively stable [2]. In spring 2024, we resurveyed 23 historical plots in San Rossore [3] and 28 in Calambrone [4], following the same methodology used for the historical plots, namely the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological method. [A1.1][A1.2]The presence of all vascular plant species was recorded, and species abundance was visually estimated using the Braun-Blanquet percentage cover scale. Each relevé was assigned to a specific EU habitat type, as defined by the 92/43/EEC Habitats Directive, focusing on the following herbaceous habitats: 1210, 2110, 2120, 2210, and 2230. To analyze shifts in species richness and diversity over time, we calculated Hill numbers (the exponential of Shannon diversity and the inverse of Simpson diversity) for each habitat. Differences between habitats were assessed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Additionally, rank-abundance curves were constructed to illustrate the relative abundance of species within each habitat, allowing for temporal comparisons. The resurvey revealed three key findings: (i) Species richness declined along the San Rossore coastline but showed a slight increase in Calambrone. (ii) The number of historical plots decreased, particularly for habitat 1210 (annual vegetation of drift lines), which disappeared in Calambrone and was reduced by half in San Rossore. (iii) While the dominant species in each habitat remained the same, their overall abundance significantly declined. In conclusion, the study highlights an ongoing regression and fragmentation of dune habitats in both areas, driven by different threats: coastal erosion in San Rossore and human disturbance linked to tourism in Calambrone. In both cases, targeted conservation and management measures are urgently needed to mitigate the degradation of these environments, preserve biodiversity, and ensure the long-term sustainability of these coastal areas.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
