First observations about morpho-sedimentological and vegetational aspects of the dune field of S.Ena – Sa Chitta and Iscra Ruja coast (NE- Sardinia)

The aim of this project is the study of the evolution of the dune field of Capo Comino, between S.Ena-Sa Chitta and Iscra Ruja, by the integration of sedimentological, morphological and vegetational data. This approach has been already used in northern Sardinia (Platamona –SS) where we obtained very good results to understanding the evolution of the dune field and also to establish also the quality and naturality of this area (Balduzzi et al., 2004; Vagge et al., 2007). The target is to fix the elements for a future monitoring. Our idea is to test the model in a non-anthropized coastline, that presents different local conditions. In the first phase of this work we will analyze the general characteristics of the area like the bioclimate, the wind-wave climate, the mapping of the dune field by aerial photography analysis and their final cartographic representation. The second phase will imply several field measurements to study vegetational aspects (by phytosociological methods) in order to establish the present phytocenosis, their ecology and dynamic. It will be also possible to obtain several morphological and sedimentological data in order to highlight the characteristics of the sedimentary environment and the aeolian transport. The integration of vegetational, sedimentological and morphological data will be obtain by the analysis of several transects carried out along the lines of dominant winds, that will outline the dune field. Vegetational data and sedimentological samples will be collect along these transects to allow a correct interpretation about coastline evolution. The previous vegetational and sedimentological data, the satellite and cartographic reliefs and field measurements have already allowed to establish that, even if the anthropic impact is not so considerable, the dune field had some modifications and a considerable erosive process due to several factors (not in the least the natural sea ingression due to storm events). Erosion processes seem to hit the beach, in particular in the central sector that is subjected to the storms coming from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The most wide and high dunes are located in the southern sector of the beach where the dune field have its maximum extension and the phytocenosis have good quality and naturality. The back dune is occupied by some agricultural land uses that sometimes were be taken from the levelling of the dune field and were cultivated in the last few years. Balduzzi I., Bozzano A., Corradi N., Mariotti L.M., Vagge I., 2004 - The evolution of the dune fields of Platamona-Marritza (Northern Sardinia) using remote sensing and aerial imagery. Chemistry&Ecology Vol. 22 N° 4 (1): 371-381. Vagge I., Corradi N., Ferrari M., Balduzzi I. & Mariotti L.M., 2007 - Aspetti vegetazionali e morfo-sedimentologici dei campi dunari di Platamona-Marritiza con particolare riguardo all'area di Marina di Sorso (Sardegna settentrionale). Fitosociologia 44 (1): 33-48.