The Zrmanja River Estuary (Adriatic Coast, Croatia) – the Need for Interdisciplinary Approach to Protection of Coastal Areas

The Zrmanja River estuary is a semi-enclosed bay immersed in a karstic landscape of the eastern Adriatic coast. It represents a highly indented system which includes part of the Zrmanja River, downstream from the Jankovića Buk, the Novigrad and the Karin Seas, and the strait connecting the Novigrad Sea with the Velebit Channel. The very fact that the estuary of the Zrmanja River is located in the karst area makes this system highly vulnerable and susceptible to possible anthropogenic pressures. Preservation of such and similar water systems relies on the knowledge of the main factors that govern its physical, chemical, biological and geochemical features. Due to the lack of geochemical data for the Zrmanja River estuary, a comprehensive study was carried out to explain sedimentation processes and the origin of the material within this estuary and provide additional knowledge necessary for its sustainable use and preservation. This paper, therefore, attempts to summarize the obtained data, focusing on the main natural and anthropogenic factors that define the geochemistry of the Zrmanja River estuary.

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Influence of Anthropogenic Pressures on Groundwater Quality from a Rural Area

Revista de Chimie ◽

10.37358/rc.17.8.5756 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 68 (8) ◽

pp. 1744-1748

Author(s):

Catalina Stoica ◽

Gabriela Geanina Vasile ◽

Alina Banciu ◽

Daniela Niculescu ◽

Irina Lucaciu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Groundwater Resources ◽

Bacterial Load ◽

Animal Husbandry ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Contamination Level ◽

Anthropogenic Pressures ◽

Limit Values ◽

Physico Chemical

During the past few decades, the anthropogenic activities induced worldwide changes in the ecological systems, including the aquatic systems. This work analysed the contamination level of groundwater resources from a rural agglomeration (Central-Western part of Prahova County) by biological and physico-chemical approaches. The study was performed during the autumn of 2016 on several sampling sites (four drilling wells, depth higher than 100 m supplying three villages; two wells lower than 10 m depth and one spring). The water quality was evaluated by comparison with the limit values of the drinking water quality legislation (Law no.458/2002) and the Order 621/2014 (applicable to all groundwater bodies of Romania). The results showed that phenols and metals (iron and manganese) exceeded the threshold values in all sampling sites. Moreover, the anthropogenic factors including agriculture, use of fertilizers, manures, animal husbandry led to an increase of the bacterial load, particularly at wells sites.

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Subterranean biodiversity in the Serra da Bodoquena karst area, Paraguay river basin, Mato Grosso do Sul, Southwestern Brazil

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/1676-06032014011414 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Lívia Medeiros Cordeiro ◽

Rodrigo Borghezan ◽

Eleonora Trajano

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Karst Area ◽

Karst Aquifers ◽

Effective Protection ◽

Mato Grosso ◽

Base Level ◽

Paraguay River ◽

Mato Grosso Do Sul ◽

Subterranean Species

We present herein a synthesis of faunistic data from caves in the Serra da Bodoquena karst area, middle Paraguay River basin, Mato Grosso do Sul State. Those include phreatic, submerged and dry caves. Emphasis is given to troglobites (exclusively subterranean species), potentially threatened due to their morphological, physiological and behavioral specializations, associated to generally small distributions. The Bodoquena karst area distinguishes as a spot of high diversity of troglobites, such as trichomycterid and heptapterid catfishes, aquatic planarians and gastropods, arachnids (Eusarcus opilionids, ctenid spiders), Polydesmida diplopods, several collembolans, some insects, and Peracarida crustaceans, which include interesting phylogenetic relicts as spelaeogriphaceans. Four geographic compartments corresponding to microbasins, seemingly with biogeographic importance for the subterranean fauna, are recognized. Phreatobic troglobites (Trichomycterus catfishes, aquatic peracarids, planarians) distribute widely across these compartments and some well beyond (the spelaeogriphacean Potiicoara brasiliensis reaches Mato Grosso state), while those living in base-level streams (Rhamdia and Ancistrus catfishes) and the terrestrial ones, that live in the vadose (aerated zone) are generally restricted to one compartment. Many subterranean ecosystems in Mato Grosso do Sul are endangered by several threats described here and urgent actions for effective protection are required to guarantee a sustainable use of the land and the karst aquifers.

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A Landscape Study of Sediment Formation and Transport in the Urban Environment

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11121320 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 1320

Author(s):

Ilia Yarmoshenko ◽

Georgy Malinovsky ◽

Elena Baglaeva ◽

Andrian Seleznev

Keyword(s):

Environmental Management ◽

Urban Environment ◽

Urban Landscape ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Residential Areas ◽

City Life ◽

Sediment Formation ◽

Survey Results ◽

Landscape Survey ◽

Sedimentation Processes

Background: Sediment deposition in the urban environment affects aesthetic, economic, and other aspects of city life, and through re-suspension of dust, may pose serious risks to human health. Proper environmental management requires further understanding of natural and anthropogenic factors influencing the sedimentation processes in urbanized catchments. To fill the gaps in the knowledge about the relationship between the urban landscape and sedimentation, field landscape surveys were conducted in the residential areas of the Russian cities of Ekaterinburg, Nizhniy Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Tyumen, Chelyabinsk, and Murmansk. Methods: In each city, six elementary urban residential landscapes were chosen in blocks of multi-story apartment buildings typical for Russian cities. The method of landscape survey involved delineating functional segments within the elementary landscapes and describing each segment according to the developed procedure during a field survey. Results: The complexity of sedimentation processes in the urban environment was demonstrated. The following main groups of factors have significant impacts on sediment formation and transport in residential areas in Russian cities: low adaptation of infrastructure to a high density of automobiles, poor municipal services, and bad urban environmental management in the course of construction and earthworks. Conclusion: A high sediment formation potential was found for a considerable portion of residential areas.

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Heavy metals in sediments—problems concerning determination of the anthropogenic influence. Study in the Krka River estuary, eastern Adriatic coast, Yugoslavia

Environmental Geology and Water Sciences ◽

10.1007/bf01664699 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 145-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Esad Prohić ◽

Mladen Juračić

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

River Estuary ◽

Anthropogenic Influence ◽

Adriatic Coast

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Evidence of Coastal Changes in the West Coast of Naxos Island, Cyclades, Greece

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse9121427 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1427

Author(s):

Niki Evelpidou ◽

Alexandros Petropoulos ◽

Anna Karkani ◽

Giannis Saitis

Keyword(s):

Coastal Zone ◽

Coastal Lagoons ◽

Sand Dunes ◽

Aegean Sea ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Anthropogenic Pressures ◽

Sea Levels ◽

Rising Sea Levels ◽

Ecological Importance ◽

Definition Of

Coastal lagoons and dunes are of great ecological importance, not only for providing habitats for rare flora and fauna, but also for protecting coastal areas from rising sea levels and storms, etc. Even though these features are unique for sustainable development and are extremely important to the natural environment and economy, they are one of the most vulnerable and threatened ecosystems due to their small size. The western coasts of Naxos (central Aegean Sea) represent an example of such phenomena, with various wetlands bordered by low-lying sand dunes. The aim of our study is to assess the vulnerability and pressures of the western coasts of Naxos Isl. by taking into consideration both natural and anthropogenic factors. We used a variety of approaches for the environmental and geomorphological study of the coastal zone to achieve this goal, including: (a) study of aerial photography from 1960 until today, (b) systematic seasonal aerial monitoring by drone, since 2015, (c) use of DGPS for the mapping of the coastal zone and for obtaining detailed topographic sections, and (d) dune mapping. Our findings reveal the vulnerability of the western coasts of Naxos due to sea level rise, tectonic subsidence, and a variety of anthropogenic pressures, such as uncontrolled parking, vegetation uprooting, sand extractions, and heavy touristic traffic. Therefore, the protection of the sand dunes, their restoration where they have been eroded, the definition of a zone of control, and restriction of human activities must be a key priority.

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Transformation and resilience processes in mountain oases at the High Atlas (Morocco) – the case of Aït Mrau, Mgoun Valley

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development ◽

10.1108/jchmsd-06-2021-0104 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Jorge Asencio Juncal ◽

José Manuel López-Osorio ◽

Carlos Rosa-Jiménez

Keyword(s):

Local Population ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Extensive Study ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

High Atlas ◽

Content Type ◽

Conservation Policies ◽

The Status ◽

Economic Imbalances ◽

Social Environmental

PurposeThis study aims to present the uniqueness of the mountain oasis at the High Atlas (Morocco) and is part of a more extensive study about the landscape, the architecture and the tourist development in the Mgoun Valley. Several natural and anthropogenic factors, such as new environmental conditions and socio-cultural realities, are testing the balance of the system and its adaptive capacity. A sustainable use of water, a key element of the oasis and source of life in the region, and an optimal management of farmland will allow this culture to be perpetuated. The study of the values of this territory and its transformation vectors constitute a first step for valuing this ecosystem and being able to establish management and conservation policies.Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on the fieldwork carried out over six campaigns, between September 2011 and January 2020, when interviews to the local population and graphic and photographic records of the Aït Mrau oasis were carried out. The work started from the literature review and the study of the origin of the settlement, analyzing the transformation processes, both in the cultivated plots and in the built habitat, where the urban evolution of the settlements and the characteristics of the architecture have been analyzed.FindingsThe study has revealed the existence of social, environmental and economic imbalances that affect the status of the oasis, the landscape and the architecture of the study area. The research has characterized the habitat and has identified those elements that must be preserved to guarantee the permanence of the heritage values in a way that the future development of the region was not conditioned.Originality/valueThe research delves into the study of a case that is paradigmatic in the context of the Moroccan High Atlas, since it shows the dynamics of transformation of a region directly affected by the climate change and by the abandonment of the traditional habitats.

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Toward Realizing the Sustainable use of and Healthy Marine Environments in an Open-Type Enclosed Bay

Integrated Coastal Management in the Japanese Satoumi ◽

10.1016/b978-0-12-813060-5.00002-x ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 15-57

Author(s):

Teruhisa Komatsu ◽

Shingo X. Sakamoto ◽

Shuhei Sawayama ◽

Hiroki Murata ◽

Shuji Sasa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Use ◽

Marine Environments ◽

Open Type ◽

Enclosed Bay

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Pore water geochemistry and diagenesis of estuary sediments—an example of the Zrmanja River estuary (Adriatic coast, Croatia)

Journal of Soils and Sediments ◽

10.1007/s11368-018-2179-9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 2048-2060 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Željka Fiket ◽

Tomislav Fiket ◽

Maja Ivanić ◽

Nevenka Mikac ◽

Goran Kniewald

Keyword(s):

Pore Water ◽

River Estuary ◽

Water Geochemistry ◽

Pore Water Geochemistry ◽

Adriatic Coast

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A comparative approach to the Croatian and Montenegrin small-scale fisheries (SSF) in the coastal eastern Adriatic Sea

Acta Adriatica ◽

10.32582/aa.58.3.5 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 58 (3) ◽

pp. 459-480 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sanja Matić-Skoko ◽

Pero Tutman ◽

Ana Pešić ◽

Nika Stagličić ◽

Olivera Marković ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fisheries Management ◽

Adriatic Sea ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Comparative Approach ◽

Small Scale ◽

Marine Resources ◽

Small Scale Fisheries ◽

Adriatic Coast ◽

Basic Characteristics ◽

Future Management

Small-scale fisheries (SSF) in Croatia and Montenegro have a long tradition, similar to those of SSFs in other parts of the coastal Mediterranean. In order to improve fisheries management and save the cultural heritage of fishing traditions on the eastern Adriatic coast, scientists and fisheries managers, from these two countries, made an effort, to gain a better understanding of fishing activities and targeted stocks. This is a complex research topic, due to the high and increasing fishing pressure on marine resources as well as the fact that fisheries management throughout the Mediterranean region remains conventional in its nature. Basic characteristics of SSFs in each country are presented. Specific conclusions related to improvement of coastal resources state in term of sustainable use are suggested together with proposal for additional conservation measures and actively involving fishermen in the management process. Finally, guidelines for future management in terms of monitoring and data collection framework (DCF) are proposed for both countries.

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Seabed geomorphology of the Prokljan Lake – a Krka River estuary on the eastern Adriatic coast (Dalmatia)

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-11320 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ozren Hasan ◽

Slobodan Miko ◽

Dea Brunović ◽

Natalia Šenolt ◽

Martina Šparica Miko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Size ◽

Sea Level Rise ◽

Sea Level ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

River Estuary ◽

Lake Area ◽

Fine Silt ◽

The Holocene ◽

Sediment Size ◽

Adriatic Coast

Vast areas of the shallow Adriatic shelf were exposed at the time of the Last Glacial Maximum lowstand. This enabled formation of lakes, river valleys and river floodplains that were submerged during the Holocene transgression. Here we present a study of the karst estuary of the Krka River located in central Dalmatia on the eastern Adriatic coast. The Krka River creates a 23 km long estuary extending north from the &#352;ibenik Channel, over the Prokljan Lake, up to the tufa waterfall Skradinski buk. We used high resolution acoustic methods including sub-bottom profiler (SBP) coupled with multibeam echo sounder (MBES) (MBES bathymetry and MBES backscatter) and side-scan sonar (SSS) to investigate the submerged karst river valley and lake system that existed before the Holocene relative sea level rise. A total of 70 km of SBP profiles and a point cloud of 241 991 638 points in the area of 6.2 km2 were collected during the surveys. Water depth ranges from 5 m b.s.l. in the most northern part of the study area, to 25 m b.s.l. in the southern part of the Prokljan lake.To create a better geomorphological and geological classifications of the seabed, we made a network of 36 ground truthing stations where we sampled sediments with Van Veen grab sampler and obtained underwater images. Sediment samples were analyzed for grain size, bulk density, carbon and nitrogen concentrations, as well as mineralogical XRD analysis and magnetic susceptibility. We combined gathered data with GIS classification tools to create accurate seabed maps of the area. Our results also showed that well-defined submerged river canyon in the Prokljan Lake area was filled with three sedimentary units: fluvial, brackish and marine. Quaternary sediment thickness is up to 15 m. Seabed geomorphology of the investigated area is characterized by many submerged tufa barriers. They are similar to present barriers upstream of the Skradinski buk waterfall. These unique karst geomorphological features, that grow as algae and mosses are encrusted by carbonate, enabled formation of lakes, as well as prevented a marine flooding during the Holocene sea-level rise. The depth of each barrier (4.5 to 12 m b.s.l.), in connection to the onset of marine sedimentation within the estuary, can be used as an indicator of sea level. Barriers are emphasized on the MBES backscatter data as strong reflectors. Grain size of sampled sediments ranges from poorly sorted sand and gravel on underwater barriers to fine silt sediments in the deeper parts of Prokljan Lake. Larger sediment size on barriers is caused by tufa debris while fine silt is sedimented in the deeper parts of the basin. Grain size results vary for different geomorphological provinces, allowing for a more precise (GIS) classification and description of the seabed.This work was supported by the Croatian Science Foundation Project &#8220;Sediments between source and sink during a late Quaternary eustatic cycle: the Krka River and the Mid Adriatic Deep System&#8221; (QMAD) (HRZZ IP-04-2019-8505).

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