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Resedaercvhelo&pment

New technologies for the detection
of natural and anthropic features
in coastal areas

Some results of the sub project GE.RI.N (Natural Resources Management) conducted in the Marine Protected
Area of Egadi Islands (Western Sicily) are presented. Coastal and seafloor morphology has been investigated
integrating different data sources and using remote sensing data acquired by the Ministry of Environment during
the MAMPIRA Project. This approach allowed us to recognize the real extent and distribution of several rocky
outcrops emerging from the sandy bottom, south of Favignana Island (known as “I Pali”), and the anthropogenic
features generated by the effects of traps, trawling and anchor on the Posidonia oceanica meadow that,
within the Egadi Archipelago, is the largest in the Mediterranean Sea [1] (www.ampisoleegadi.it). Unpublished
and detailed characterization of the seafloor and assessment of human impacts are the main results of the present
study, which demonstrate how remote sensing technologies have a great potential and relevant management
implication for Marine Protected Areas and the preservation of emerged and submerged environment

DOI 10.12910/EAI2015-066

QS. Cappucci, M. Del Monte, M Paci, E. Valentini

Introduction

The management of natural resources is particularly Diving (http://favignana.santateresa.enea.it/) and it has
important in coastal environments, especially in Marine been colonized by the most extensive Posidonia oceanica
Protected Areas (MPA), where human activities and meadow of the Mediterranean Sea (~7,700 hectares) [2].
conservation of natural habitats have to be balanced From the geological point of view, the island of Favignana
according to a sustainable development. has a N-S oriented synformal ridge (known as Montagna
To achieve this objective, direct and indirect environmental Grande), formed by a continuous succession of Mesozoic
investigations were carried out in order to characterize and limestone and dolostone. Its slopes are quite steep and,
monitoring the emerged and submerged environment with affected by landslides (especially in the eastern sector).
innovative technologies. Among the many activities of the Part of the ridge is lowered by extensional tectonic
GE.RI.N project,the morphology of the coastal environment elements and covered by two more recent (Pliocene and
(both emerged and submerged) was investigated with Pleistocene) flat arenaceous deposits that, in the eastern
GIS and remote sensing tools. The seafloor of the Egadi part of the island, are improperly called “tufi” [3].
archipelago (~54,000 hectares) hosts several itineraries for Many gravelly and sandy pocket beaches are spread
along the coast belt,often bordered by steep calcareous/
Contact person: Sergio Cappucci arenaceous cliffs [4]. Sedimentological characteristics
sergio.cappucci@enea.it and organogenic content of these deposits suggest an
infra-littoral origin [5]. Some of these cliffs, (e.g. Cala
Rossa, Bue Marino and Cala Azzurra) are affected by
significant slope instability [6].

12 EAI Energia, Ambiente e Innovazione 4/2015