Climate Change and the Mediterranean Southern Coasts

This chapter deals with climate change effects in the Mediterranean littoral of Morocco, which is one of the most vulnerable countries within the Mediterranean region, especially the low-lying areas located in the eastern, i.e., Nador and Saidia areas, and western parts, i.e., Tangier and Tetouan areas. The different aspects of climatic change characteristics and impacts are also analysed, including: sea level rise (SLR) trend in the Mediterranean littoral of Morocco; coastal erosion and flooding hazards; water management problems; and agricultural and tourist activities. It is established that appropriate vulnerability assessment and adaptation strategies to SLR and climate change are required at regional and national scale in Morocco, to improve the tools for correct coastal zone management

Coastal vulnerability in the Mediterranean sector between Fnideq and M’diq (North of Morocco)

This study assessed coastal vulnerability to erosion processes along a 24- km-long littoral with different levels of human occupation. An aerial photogram- metric flight and a Quickbird satellite image were used for mapping land uses and reconstructing coastal evolution from 1986 to 2003. Maximum erosion (- 2.48 myr−1) was recorded south of Marina Kabila port and maximum accretion (+2.25 myr−1) south of Marina Smir port. Erosion/accretion rates have been divided into five categories and land uses have been mapped and divided into three categories. Coastal vulnerability has been assessed by combining coastal trend with land-use categories: 10% of the littoral recorded “very high” vulner- ability, 29% recorded “high” vulnerability, and 61% of the investigated littoral presented “null” and “low” vulnerability. The “Imminent Collapse Zone”, i.e. the littoral zone threatened by imminent erosion, presented mean values of 10.34 m, with maximum and minimum values of 15.3 and 7.6 m, respectively. Several human structures and activities are located within the imminent collapse zone and consequently will be threatened by severe erosion in near future

Coastal Scenic Quality Assessment of Moroccan Mediterranean Beaches: A Tool for Proper Management

This paper focuses on the study of landscape quality of Moroccan Mediterranean coastal areas, with a view to distinguishing exceptional beaches with high scenic value. The main characteristics of 50 beaches along the studied coast were assessed using a coastal scenic evaluation system based on a set of 26 selected parameters, including physical (18) and human (8) parameters. Each parameter was examined via a five-point rating scale, ranging from presence/absence or poor quality (1) to excellent quality (5). A decision index (D) is afterward obtained and used to classify sites into five classes: Class I: D >= 0.85, which included 9 sites (18%); Class II: 0.85 > D >= 0.65, 10 sites (20%); Class III: 0.65 > D >= 0.40, 8 sites (16%); Class IV: 0.40 > D >= 0.00, 16 sites (32%); and Class V: D < 0.00, 7 sites (14%). The sites of Belyounech 2, Maresdar, El Hwad, and Dalya are the best examples of Class I and represent extremely attractive coastal landscapes. The sites of Ghandouri, Tangier Municipal, M'Diq, Martil, and Tangier Malabata are examples of degraded urban sites that are very unattractive due to high human pressures. Management efforts in Moroccan coastal landscapes can strengthen the control of human activities and improve the scenic value of the sites. Class II beaches, such as Mrisat, Souani, Taourirt, and Sfiha, could improve and upgrade to Class I through litter cleaning and a regular maintenance program. Using the same principle, Class III sites, such as Sidi Amer O Moussa and Sidi Driss, could improve and upgrade to Class II. Indeed, litter and sewage appear as the main factors of degradation of Moroccan coasts, and many excellent beaches are strongly affected by them. This should be a wakeup call to the Moroccan authorities to take urgent and appropriate management measures

Using remote sensing indicators to investigate the association of landings with fronts: Application to the Alboran Sea (western Mediterranean Sea)

This study examined links between the variability of coastal front features and composition of fisherylandings. Satellite-derived sea surface temperature data allowed the detection of thermal fronts and calculation of front metrics that account for gradient, persistency, and vicinity. Landings data were clustered by functional group (according to habitat use, size, morphology), and trophic level (TL). Three independent time series analyses, based on two different classes of statistical methodologies, were carried out: 1) correlation analysis performed on species aggregated by functional groups; 2) compositional analysis performed on the top-5 species landed and on species aggregated by trophic level. Analyses were carried out for the Moroccan coast of the Alboran Sea (western Mediterranean Sea). Results of the proposed type of application were discussed with respect to their potential for improving scientific knowledge and management of fisheries in data-poor areas. Pelagic landings were associated with front indicators in two-thirds of tested cases. The results demonstrated a markedly different association between landings and front features in the Nador fishing zone, relative to M'diq and Al Hoceima. Improved performance of the front gradient and persistence indicator was detected, with respect to the front gradient only for flatfish and demersal landings. Compositional data regression outlined a different role for Sardina pilchardus and Trachurus trachurus in the Al Hoceima and M'diq landings, and in the latter case the dominance of these two species in the landings seemed to respond to the front density indicator. A decreasing trend in TL>3.5 landings was detected with increasing front distance

The upper Pliocene lacustrine ostracodes of Saïss Basin (N of Morocco): Main palaeoenvironmental features

Three main environment types have been distinguished in the Upper Pliocene deposits ofSaiss Basin (N of Morocco) on the basis of the ostracod fauna! assemblages. Fluvio-lacustrine in the northern edge, with oligohaline to mesohaline NaCI-dominant water. Lacustrine to palustrine at the top, in the central area of the basin and palustrine to the western, with oligohaline bicarbonate-rich wate

Terminal Miocene lacustrine Ostracoda from Salar (NW edge of the Granada Basin, Spain)

Three main episodes have been distinguished in the late Turolian lacustrine deposits of Salar (Granada Basin, Spain) on the basis of the ostracod faunaI assemblages. The first episode corresponds probably to a deep lacustrine (sublittoral) environment, with oligohaline and relatively cold waters. The second corresponds to a shallow (littoral) environment, with oligohaline to mesohaline waters, recording a chloride character. The late episode is that of a very shallow environment, partially of palustrlne type, with mesohaline to polyhaline waters and strong variations of salinit

An overview of Neogene brackish leptocytherids from Italy and Spain: Biochronological and palaeogeographical implications

An overview of the Neogene euryhaline leptocytherids from Italian and Spanish basins is reported, together with their chronological and geographical distributions. Eight genera (or subgenera) have been considered: Mediocytherideis s.s., M. (Sylvestra), Chartocythere, Leptocythere, Tavanicythere, Amnicythere, Euxinocythere s.s. and E. (Maeotocythere). The study has shown that these leptocytherids could be a valuable biochronological tool in both marginal marine and the athalassic saline environments, since, even at generic level, they show separate temporal distributions. For example, the presence of Chartocythere and Euxinocythere s.s. in the Mediterranean seems to be limited to the Late Serravallian; Tavanicythere seems to have been exclusively distributed during the Late Miocene, with different species spanning the Late Tortonian and Early Messinian; M. (Sylvestra) seems to attain its maximum diversity in the same time-interval; the widespreading of Amnicythere and E. (Maeotocythere) in the Mediterranean marks the Latest Messinian lago-mare event (about 5.5–5.3 Ma); the important radiation of Leptocythere characterises the Pliocene. Moreover, a comparative analysis between Neogene Mediterranean and Paratethyan leptocytherids has shown that the geographical and stratigraphical distribution of the eight genera analysed matches the palaeogeographic events that affected the Peri-Tethyan realm during Neogene

Morphological characteristics and volumetric variability of the beaches between Ceuta and Cabo Negro (Morocco)

A beach monitoring program was carried out along the littoral between Ceuta and Cabo Negro (NW Morocco). The beaches studied showed reflective profiles that recorded little seasonality and the most notable morphological changes (about 20 m3 m–1) were related to storm waves. Morphological parameters highlighted the existence of intermediate and reflective beach states, which are characterized by plunging breakers. Dissipative conditions were observed only in a few cases, after severe storms. The beaches that showed the most variability were usually those located close to human structures

Benthic foraminifers from the Tahadart estuary (NW Morocco)

Foraminifer assemblages from several surface samples of the Tahadart estuary, in the Atlantic coast of Northwestern Morocco, have been analysed for the first time. A total of seventy seven species have been taxonomically identified, fortytwo of which contained live specimens in the time of sampling. Dominant assemblage is composed of the species Ammonia tepida and Haynesina germanica, which are accompanied by Lobatula lobatula and Bolivina pseudoplicata in the mouth of the estuary and by Jadammina macrescens in the middle and higher marsh areas. The high diversity index and the great number of species coming from the marine shelf are indicative of the strong energy of this estuary, with an open connection to the sea, even in channels far from the coastal are

The lagoon of Nador (Morocco): Geochemical and petrographic analysis of sediments and environmental conditions

The Nador lagoon is one of the most important ports on the coast of Morocco, and the second lagoon in North Africa by extension (1115Km 2 ). The lagoon is bordered to the north-west by the volcanic products of the Gourougou volcano complex (887 m asl) and south-east by the Jurassic carbonate succession of marine environment belonging to the Complex of Kebdana (932 m asl); the rest of the area around the lagoon is flat and is characterized by arenaceous-pelitic deposits linked to the Miocene and Quaternary magmatic activities. The rocks outcropping in the hinterland are generally characterized by low concentrations of metals, and are no exception most of the volcanic rocks of the Gourougou Complex, constituted mainly by latitic tuffs and trachytes, and rare basalts and andesite of the promontory of Atalayoum that are not volumetrically significant. A natural potentially impacting source of heavy metals is located in the northwestern part of the lagoon, where outcrops skarn with magnetite mineralization, widely exploited since ancient times (EL ALAMI et alii, 1998; EL RHAZI & HAYASHI, 2002; GILLA et alii, 2004). To fully describe the quality of Nador lagoon sediments, 49 samples along the banks and on the bottom of the lagoon were gathered and their distribution was analysed and compared with the patterns of water circulation in the lagoon. The samples were subjected to petrographic and geochemical characterization by x-ray Fluorescence (XRF) by means of an ARL Advant X Spectrometer model. Furthermore, data distribution was obtained using GIS tools (ArcGis software, version 9.3) and thematic maps were created. The data showed that, despite the prevalence of contributions from the Miocene-Quaternary sedimentary sequences, characterized by low content of heavy metals, the samples contained high quantities of heavy metals, evidencing diffuse human related pollution problems. © 2012 Società Geologica Italiana, Roma