Morpho-sedimentological and vegetational characterization of Grande beach at São Francisco do Sul Island (Santa Catarina, Brazil)

A multidisciplinary study based on several digital (geology, lithology, shoreline evolution, photo-interpretation of aerial and ortho-photographs) and field (topographic and vegetational surveys, grain-size analysis) datasets prompted new insights to a better definition of the processes in action at the Grande beach at Sao Francisco do Sul Island (Santa Catarina, Brazil). The resulting data enabled us to produce a multi-thematic map at 1:50,000 scale that might be useful in assisting decision-makers to manage the coastal system, taking into account involved factors at once and not separately. In addition, the map may be implemented and integrated with new information, since the database is provided in geographical information system. The results confirmed the importance of addressing coastal systems with a multi-faceted approach that can be applied everywhere, not only in settings similar to Sao Francisco do Sul Island

Integrating field survey on geo-environmental factors and orthophoto information to monitor coastal dune habitats – A pilot study to evaluate coastal dune vulnerability

Plants play a crucial role in coastal sand dune development, because they interact directly with wind action, preventing sand movement. Vegetation works like an obstacle, in fact it deforms air flow and prevents sediment transport causing the decrease of the energy transfer. The interaction between vegetation, sand and wind shapes the coastal landscape, which is characterised by a sequence of different plant communities in accordance to a sea-inland ecological gradient mainly determined by salt spray, substrate incoherence, nutrient scarcity, water deficit, and high irradiance. Coastal ecosystems can be difficult to monitor effectively in the field because of the heterogeneity and discontinuity of these habitats. Integrating field analysis on several environmental variables with vegetation coverage obtained by orthophotos can be a challenging method to monitor coastal dune habitats. In particular, the aim of the present research is to integrate abiotic and biotic information to develop a vulnerability index in order to determine the conservation status of coastal dunes. This study has been planned in two pilot sites: Migliarino - San Rossore - Massaciuccoli Regional Park in Italy (Mediterranean Sea), and Acarai National Park in Brazil (Atlantic Ocean). In both sites, the following data will be collected: a) distribution and coverage of the different plant communities classified in three natural cover types (pioneer annual vegetation, herbaceous vegetation growing on embryonic and mobile dunes, shrub and woody vegetation of fixed dunes); b) geomorphological and sedimentological information (such as topography and sediment transport rate); c) acquisition of a set of environmental parameters (wind speed and direction, ground temperature and humidity) by means of wireless sensor technology. Relationships between plant communities coverage, geomorphological and sedimentological data, and environmental variables are investigated through Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). An index of coastal dune vulnerability will be built integrating vegetation condition, geomorphological and sedimentological information, wind influence, and soil parameters. Results from the two pilot studies can be used for management and conservation planning

Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Network for Real Time Remote Monitoring of Sand Dynamics on Coastal Dunes

In this paper the authors describe the architecture of a heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) to be deployed on coastal sand dunes: the aim is to provide real time measurements of physical parameters to better define sediment transport in connection with aeolian processes. The WSN integrates different typologies of sensors and is provided with both local and remote connection. In particular, three different typologies of sensors are integrated in the network: a multilayer anemometric station, a sensor developed ad-hoc to measure the sand dune level and a sand collector capable of measuring the weight of trapped sand and its quantity. Each sensor node is composed at least by an XBee Series 2 transmission module that is able to transmit the data collected by the sensor at a distance of about 100 meters: while the sand level sensor and the sand collector are provided only with this transmission module, the anemometric station also integrates an Arduino Uno board in charge of data processing. A Gateway node composed by an Arduino Uno Board integrated with a GMS Shield for remote data transmission and an XBee transmission module for Local Area communication has also been developed: this node is in charge of collecting all the data packets sent by the Sensor Nodes and transmit them to a remote server through GPRS connection. A Glassfish server has been set up to collect these packets and store them in a MySQL database. The anemometric station is composed by three anemometer/anemoscope couples positioned 40cm, 120cm and 200cm from the ground. During the tests, the station data were sampled every 20 minutes, wind speed and direction was calculated directly on the Arduino Uno Board and then a packet composed by the six data (three speeds and three directions) was sent to the Gateway. The sand level sensor is composed by an array of 24 photo resistors (LDRs) mounted on a plastic tube 5cm apart from each other (reaching a total length of 120cm). Sunk LDRs do not sense sun light and send a 0 value. Surfacing LDRs detect sunlight and send a higher value. By counting sunk LDRs it is possible to measure the current level of the dune. During the tests, the sensor was sampled once per hour, three data packets were sent every time, each packet with the reading of 8 LDRs; the level value was calculated on the Gateway before being transmitted to the remote server. The sand collector is mainly a plastic cylinder about one meter high, able to orientate according to the wind direction. The wind-blown sand flows inside the cylinder and is collected on its bottom, where the load cell can measure weight variations. During the tests, the sensor was sampled once per hour, the value of the Load Cell was transmitted to the Gateway that calculated the sand weight before transmitting this value to the remote server. The proposed WSN can provide both a static and a dynamic framework of sand transport processes acting on coastal dunes

A wireless sensor network for the real-time remote measurement of aeolian sand transport on sandy beaches and dunes

Direct measurements of aeolian sand transport on coastal dunes and beaches is of paramount importance to make correct decisions about coast management. As most of the existing studies are mainly based on a statistical approach, the solution presented in this paper proposes a sensing structure able to orient itself according to wind direction and directly calculate the amount of wind-transported sand by collecting it and by measuring its weight. Measurements are performed remotely without requiring human action because the structure is equipped with a ZigBee radio module, which periodically sends readings to a local gateway. Here data are processed by a microcontroller and then transferred to a remote data collection centre, through GSM technology. The ease of installation, the reduced power consumption and the low maintenance required, make the proposed solution able to work independently, limiting human intervention, for all the duration of the expected experimental campaign. In order to analyze the cause-effect relationship between the transported sand and the wind, the sensing structure is integrated with a multi-layer anemoscope-anemometer structure. The overall sensor network has been developed and tested in the laboratory, and its operation has been validated in field through a 48 h measurement campaign

Morpho-sedimentological and vegetational characterization of Grande beach at São Francisco do Sul Island (Santa Catarina, Brazil)

A multidisciplinary study based on several digital (geology, lithology, shoreline evolution, photo-interpretation of aerial and ortho-photographs) and field (topographic and vegetational surveys, grain-size analysis) datasets prompted new insights to a better definition of the processes in action at the Grande beach at São Francisco do Sul Island (Santa Catarina, Brazil). The resulting data enabled us to produce a multi-thematic map at 1:50,000 scale that might be useful in assisting decision-makers to manage the coastal system, taking into account involved factors at once and not separately. In addition, the map may be implemented and integrated with new information, since the database is provided in geographical information system. The results confirmed the importance of addressing coastal systems with a multi-faceted approach that can be applied everywhere, not only in settings similar to São Francisco do Sul Island

A technical solution to assess multiple data collection on beach dunes: The pilot site of migliarino San Rossore regional park (Tuscany, Italy)

A technical solution to assess multiple data collection on beach dunes: The pilot site of Migliarino San Rossore Regional Park (Tuscany, Italy). Coastal dunes are a complex environment characterized by several biotic and abiotic factors that concur to their evolution and development. A whole comprehension of the interplay between those factors is paramount to a wider definition of dune systems: In some cases focusing on a factor at once is not suffice to get satisfying insights. Here is proposed an integrated solution involving different disciplines in order to collect in-depth datasets within a short span of time on a selected site located in the Migliarino - San Rossore - Massaciuccoli Regional Park (Tuscany, Italy). Geological (geomorphology, sedimentology, and geophysics) and biological aspects of the coastal dunes will be assessed using traditional survey analyses and integrated with state-of-the-art technologies (UAV flights, wireless sensors) to get an all-around characterization of the ecosystem. A Wireless Sensor Network will be set up on the selected site to measure in real-time physical parameters such as wind speed and direction, soil moisture and sand dune volume and height variations. The ensuing data will be stored to create a database that might be used for management purposes. The aim of the paper is to provide a modern, inexpensive, and easy to reproduce system to monitor the evolution of any coastal dune field

Vulnerability Assessment of a Coastal Dune System at São Francisco do sul Island, Santa Catarina, Brazil

In this paper a Coastal Dune Vulnerability Index (CDVI) has been applied on a beach located in the eastern side of Sao Francisco do Sul Island (Brazil). The aim of this study is to assess the vulnerability of a coastal dune system and to identify the areas that result most sensitive to environmental changes. The CDVI has been applied along six transects traced out on two sectors that have been selected based on dune characteristics: Zone A is characterized by well developed parabolic dunes, whereas Zone B is characterized by transverse dunes. The analysis involved 51 quantitative and qualitative variables, divided into five groups: geomorphological dune system condition, marine influence, Aeolian effect, vegetation condition and human effect. The total CDVI was computed as the unweighted average of the partial vulnerability indices. In summary, the total vulnerability can be classified as medium: the geomorphological factor must be monitored at Grande beach, in particular the blowouts in Zone A and the frontal dune retreat in Zone B. The results of the study confirm that the management of coastal areas might be improved using a tool such as the CDVI, which can be easily applied on a regular basis to take under control the factors that mostly affect the evolution of the site