Urban growth and diachronic analysis of shoreline change – Bagnara Calabra and Favazzina case study (southern Italy)

Abstract

Historically, human populations have mainly settled along the coast. In Europe, around 200 million people, almost a third of the total population, live within 50 km of the sea. This high population density, coupled with intense human activity, has played a key role in the degradation of the natural coastal environment. In these vulnerable areas, a serious issue is coastal erosion, driven by natural forces and human actions. Considering these dynamics, proper coastal management requires identifying the adverse factors that could compromise the use of coastal resources for future generations. In this context, the beach's evolution and the potential impact of urban expansion over the last century were examined through a diachronic analysis. To this end, a semi-quantitative approach integrating the Digital Shoreline Analysis System and GIS-based spatial analysis algorithms was implemented. The study focused on the territories of Bagnara Calabra and Favazzina sites in the Calabria Region (southern Italy), which are characterized by long-term urbanisation and ongoing coastal erosion. The study also classified shoreline sectors according to their physical vulnerability, combining indicators of beach width and rate of shoreline change to highlight the most susceptible areas. These results shed light on the interactions between natural processes and human activities that affect the coastline evolution. They provide decision-makers with a valuable tool for implementing sustainable coastal protection and management strategies.

Keywords

Beach vulnerability / Historical map / Satellite image / Indicator maps

References

[1] Addo KA, Walkden M, Mills LP. Detection, measurement and prediction of shoreline recession in Accra, Ghana. ISPRS J Photogramm Remote Sens, 2008, 63: 543-558

[2] Alberico I, Amato V, Aucelli PPC, D’Argenio B, Di Paola G, Pappone G. Historical shoreline evolution and recent shoreline trends of Sele plain coastline (southern Italy). The 1870–2009 time window. J Coast Res, 2012, 28(6): 1638-1647

[3] Alberico I, Cavuoto G, Di Fiore V, Punzo M, Tarallo D, Pelosi N, Ferraro L, Marsella E. Historical maps and satellite images as tools for shoreline variations and territorial changes assessment: the case study of Volturno Coastal Plain (Southern Italy). J Coast Conserv, 2018, 22: 919-937

[4] Alberico I, Casalbore D, Pelosi N, Tonielli R, Calidonna C, Dominici R, De Rosa R. Remote Sensing and Field Survey Data Integration to Investigate on the Evolution of the Coastal Area: The Case Study of Bagnara Calabra (Southern Italy). Remote Sens, 2022, 14: 2459

[5] Alberico I, Iavarone R, Angrisani AC, Castiello A, Incarnato R, Barrra R. The potential vulnerability indices as tools for natural risk reduction. The Volturno coastal plain case study. J Coast Conserv, 2017, 21: 743-758

[6] Alberico I, Matano F (2024) Subsidence and recent landscape evolution at Volturno Coastal Plain (Italy). Quat Int 712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2024.11.002

[7] Alberico I, Petrosino P. Mapping Environmental Risks - Quantitative And Spatial Modelling Approaches Territorial evolution and volcanic hazard, Ischia Island (Southern Italy). J Maps, 2014, 10(2): 238-248

[8] Alexander D. The reclamation of Val-di-Chiana (Tuscany). Ann Assoc Am Geogr, 1984, 74(4): 527-550

[9] Alharbi OA, Phillips MR, Williams AT, Thomas T, Hakami M, Kerbe J, Niang AJ, Hermas E, Al-Ghamd K. Temporal shoreline change and infrastructure influences along the southern Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Arab J Geosci, 2017, 10: 360

[10] Al-Kofahi SD, Jamhawi MM, Hajahjah ZA. Investigating the current status of geospatial data and urban growth indicators in Jordan and Irbid municipality: implications for urban and environmental planning. Environ Dev Sustain, 2018, 20: 1067-1083

[11] Amrouni O, Hzami A, Heggy E. Photogrammetric assessment of shoreline retreat in North Africa: anthropogenic and natural drivers. Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 2019, 157: 73-92

[12] Anthony EJ, Marriner N, Morhange C. Human influence and the changing geomorphology of Mediterranean deltas and coasts over the last 6000 years: from progradation to destruction phase?. Earth-Sci Rev, 2014, 139: 336-361

[13] Atzberger C, Rembold F (2012) Portability of neural nets modelling regional winter crop acreages using AVHRR time series. Eur J Remote Sens. 45: 371-392. https://doi.org/10.5721/EuJRS20124532.

[14] Auddino M, Dominici R, Viscomi A (2015) Evaluation of yield sediment in the Sfalassà fiumara (south-western, Calabria) by using Gavrilović method in GIS environment. Rend Online Soc Geol It. 33:3-7. 10.33.01/ROL.2015.01.

[15] Awad M, El-Sayed HM. The analysis of shoreline change dynamics and future predictions using automated spatial techniques: case of El-Omayed on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. Ocean Coast Manage, 2021

[16] Awange JL, Saleem A, Sukhadiya RM, Ouma YO, Kexiang H. Physical dynamics of Lake Victoria over the past 34 years (1984–2018): is the lake dying?. Sci Total Environ, 2019, 658: 199-218

[17] Balenzano A, Satalino G, Lovergine F, Rinaldi M, Iacobellis V, Mastronardi N, Mattia F. On the use of temporal series of L- and X-band SAR data for soil moisture retrieval. Capitanata plain case study. Eur J Remote Sens, 2013, 46: 721-737

[18] Barazzetti L, Scaioni M, Gianinetto M. Automatic coregistration of satellite time series via least squares adjustment. Eur J Remote Sens, 2014, 47(1): 55-74

[19] Barbaro, G.; Bombino, G.; Foti, G.; Barillà, G.C.; Puntorieri, P.; Mandalari, M. (2021) Coastal flooding: Case studies in Calabria (Italy). In Planet Care from Space, AIT Series: Trends in Earth Observation; Dessena, M.A., Melis, M.T., Rossi, P., Eds.; AIT: Cagliari, Italy, 67–71. 10.978.88944687/00.

[20] Benedetti AC, Costantino C, Gulli R, Predari G. The Process of digitalization of the urban environment for the development of sustainable and circular cities: a case study of Bologna. Italy Sustain, 2022, 14: 13740

[21] Bohnet IC, Pert PL. Patterns, drivers and impacts of urban growth—a study from Cairns, Queensland, Australia from 1952 to 2031. Landsc Urban Plann, 2010, 97: 239-248

[22] Bombino G, Barbaro G, D'Agostino D, Denisi P, Foti G, Zimbone SM (2024) Relationships between torrent check dam systems and shoreline dynamics in semi-arid Mediterranean area: A sub-regional focus in Calabria, Italy. Geomorphology 458,109259,ISSN 0169–555X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109259.

[23] Bonavina M, Bozzano F, Martino S, Pellegrino A, Prestininzi A, Scandurra R. Le colate di fango e detrito lungo il versante costiero tra Bagnara Calabra e Scilla (Reggio Calabria): valutazioni di suscettibilità [Mud and debris flows along the coastal slope between Bagnara Calabra and Scilla (Reggio Calabria): susceptibility evaluations. Giornale di Geologia Applicata, 2005, 2: 65-74

[24] Borzì L, Marino M, Stagnitti M, Di Stefano A, Sciandrello S, Cavallaro L, Foti E, Musumeci RE. Impact of coastal land use on long-term shoreline change. Ocean Coastal Manag, 2025, 262: 107583

[25] Bosman A, Casalbore D, Dominici R. (2017) Cyclic steps at the head of channelized features along the Calabrian Margin (southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Atlas of Bedforms in the Western Mediterranean 229–233.

[26] Bozzano F, Della Seta M, Martin S. Time-dependent evolution of rock slopes by a multi-modelling approach. Geomorphology, 2016, 263: 113-131

[27] Bozzano M, Sguerso D, Zatelli P, Zendri D, Besana A. Accuracy evaluation for plan-reliefs and historical maps created during WWI in Northern Italy. ISPRS Int J Geo-Inf, 2024, 13(3): 101

[28] Brandolini P, Faccini F, Paliaga G, Piana P. Urban geomorphology in coastal environment: man-made morphological changes in a seaside tourist resort (Rapallo, Eastern Liguria, Italy). Quaest Geogr, 2017, 36(397-110

[29] Brown LG. A survey of image registration techniques. ACM Comput Surv, 1992, 24: 325-376

[30] Budillon F, Amodio S, Alberico I, Contestabile P, Vacchi M, Innangi S, Molisso F. Present-day infralittoral prograding wedges (IPWs) in Central-Eastern Tyrrhenian Sea: critical issues and challenges to their use as geomorphological indicators of sea level. Mar Geol, 2022

[31] Casalbore D, Bosman A, Ridente D, Chiocci FL (2014) Coastal and Submarine Landslides in the Tectonically-Active Tyrrhenian Calabrian Margin (Southern Italy): Examples and Geohazard Implications in Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences. In Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research; Krastel, S., Behrmann, J.-H., Völker, D., Stipp, M., Berndt, C., Urgeles, R., Chaytor, J., Huhn, K., Strasser, M., Harbitz, C.B., Eds.; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland.

[32] Casalbore D, Falese F, Martorelli E, Romagnoli C, Chiocci FL. Submarine depositional terraces in the Tyrrhenian Sea as a proxy for paleo-sea level reconstruction: problems and perspective. Quat Int, 2017, 439: 169-180

[33] Chrisben Sam S, Gurugnanam B. Coastal transgression and regression from 1980 to 2020 and shoreline forecasting for 2030 and 2040, using DSAS along the southern coastal tip of Peninsular India. Geodesy and Geodynamics, 2022, 13(1): 585e594

[34] Clough SB, Moodie T, Moodie C (1968) Land Reclamation in Italy. In: Clough, S.B., Moodie, T., Moodie, C. (eds) Economic History of Europe: Twentieth Century. The Documentary History of Western Civilization. Palgrave Macmillan, London.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-00298-6_37

[35] Ciccarelli D. Mediterranean coastal sand dune vegetation: influence of natural and anthropogenic factors. Environ Manag, 2014, 54: 194-204

[36] Cuevas PD, Campos AP, Zújar JO (2020) Developing a beach erosion sensitivity indicator using relational spatial databases and Analytic Hierarchy Process. Ocean & Coastal Management 189, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105146.

[37] De Santis V, Rizzo A, Scardino G, Scicchitano G, Caldara MA. Procedure for evaluating historical land use change and resilience in highly reclaimed coastal areas: the case of the Tavoliere di Puglia (Southern Italy). Land, 2023, 12: 775

[38] del Pozo JAM, Anfuso G. Spatial approach to mediumterm coastal evolution in south Sicily (Italy): implications for coastal erosion management. J Coastal Res, 2008, 24(133-42

[39] Dewan A, Corner R, Saleem A, Rahman MM, Haider MR, Rahman MM, Sarker MH. Assessing channel changes of the Ganges-Padma River system in Bangladesh using Landsat and hydrological data. Geomorphology, 2017, 276: 257-279

[40] Dickson ME, Walkden MJ, Hall JW. Systemic impacts of climate change on an eroding coastal region over the twenty-first century. Clim Chang, 2007, 84(2141-166

[41] Fernández S, Santín C, Marquínez J, Álvarez MA. Saltmarsh soil evolution after land reclamation in Atlantic estuaries (Bay of Biscay, north coast of Spain). Geomorphology, 2010, 114: 497-507

[42] Ferronato C, Vianello G, Vittori AL (2014) The evolution of the Po Valley and Reno basin (North Italy) through the historical cartography: vicissitude of a land reclamation, 741–752. IWA Regional Symposium on Water, Wastewater and Environment: Traditions and Culture e-proceedings, Edited by: I. K. Kalavrouziotis and A. N. Angelakis, ISBN: 97 8–960–538–921 -5

[43] Foti G, Barbaro G, Barillà GC, Mancuso P, Puntorieri P. Shoreline evolutionary trends along Calabrian coasts: causes and classification. Front Mar Sci, 2022, 9: 846914

[44] Foti G, Barbaro G, Besio G, Barillà GC. Mancuso P, Puntorieri P (2022b) Wave Climate along Calabrian Coasts. Climate. 10:80. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli10060080

[45] Gao W, Du J, Gao S, Xu Y, Li B, Wei X, Zhang Z, Liu J, Li P. Shoreline change due to global climate change and human activity at the Shandong Peninsula from 2007 to 2020. Front Mar Sci, 2023, 9: 1123067

[46] Gioffre D, Mandaglio MC, Prisco C, Moraci N. Evaluation of rapid landslide impact forces against sheltering structures. Riv Ital Geotec, 2017, 51: 64-76

[47] Hapke CJ, Reid D, Richmond BM, Ruggiero PJ (2006) List, National assessment of shoreline change part 3: Historical shoreline change and associated coastal land loss along sandy shorelines of the California coast. U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 2006– 1219

[48] Himmelstoss EA, Henderson RE, Kratzmann MG, Farris AS (2021) Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 5.1 user guide: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2021–1091, 104 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20211091.

[49] Hoeksema RJ. Three stages in the history of land reclamation in the Netherlands. Irrig Drain, 2007, 56: 113-126

[50] Houser C, Hapke C, Hamilton S. Controls on coastal dune morphology, shoreline erosion and barrier island response to extreme storms. Geomorphology, 2008, 100(3–4): 223-240

[51] ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale) (2010) Available online: http://www.idromare.it/analisi_dati.php. Accessed 7 Mar 2022.

[52] Lafreniere D, Rivet D. Rescaling the past through mosaic historical cartography. J Maps, 2010, 6(1): 417-422

[53] Leyland J, Darbya SE. An empirical–conceptual gully evolution model for channeled sea cliffs. Geomorphology, 2008, 102: 419-434

[54] Louati M, Saïdi H, Zargouni F. Shoreline change assessment using remote sensing and GIS techniques: a case study of the Medjerda delta coast, Tunisia. Arab J Geosci, 2015, 8: 4239-4255

[55] Luijendijk A, Hagenaars G, Ranasinghe R, Baart F, Donchyts G, Aarninkhof S (2018) The State of the World’s Beaches. Nat Sci Rep 8:6641. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24630-6

[56] Mangione G (2010) Lettura delle misure dalla carta al numerico. Boll. dell’Associazione Ital. Cartogr. 138: 189–194. https://www.openstarts.units.it/entities/publication/43cca627-1c05-4ab3-a451-d791a9fbf958/details.

[57] Manniello C, Cillis G, Statuto D, Di Pasquale A, Picuno P. Giscience and historical cartography for evaluating land use changes and resulting effectson carbon balance. ISPRS Int J Geo-Inf, 2022, 11: 179

[58] Maselli F. A method to improve the spatial features of NDVI data series. Eur J Remote Sens, 2012, 45: 407-420

[59] Maul GA, Duedall IW (2019) Demography of Coastal Populations. In: Finkl, C.W., Makowski, C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Coastal Science. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93806-6_115

[60] Mentaschi L, Vousdoukas MI, Pekel J, Voukouvalas E, Feyen L. Global long-term observations of coastal erosion and accretion Environmental Science. Sci Rep, 2018, 8: 12876

[61] Morton RA, Miller TL, Moore LJ (2004) National assessment of shoreline change part 1: Historical shoreline changes and associated coastal land loss along the US Gulf of Mexico. US Geological Survey Open File Report 2004-1043. p. 44.

[62] National Catalogue of Historic Rural Landscapes (n.d.) (https://www.reterurale.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/14364).

[63] Niedertscheider M, Erb K. Land system change in Italy from 1884 to 2007: analysing the North-South divergence on the basis of an integrated indicator framework. Land Use Policy, 2014, 39: 366-375

[64] Pajak MJ, Leatherman S. The high water line as shoreline indicator. J Coast Res, 2002, 18(2): 329-337

[65] Pasquali D, Marucci A. The effects of urban and economic development on coastal zone management. Sustainability, 2021, 13: 6071

[66] Pinho P, Oliveir V. Cartographic analysis in urban morphology. Environ Plann B Plann des, 2009, 36(1): 107-127

[67] Rimal B, Sloan S, Keshtkar H, Sharma R, Rijal S, Shrestha UB. Patterns of historical and future urban expansion in Nepal. Remote Sens, 2020, 12(4628

[68] Rizzo A, Aucelli PPC, Gracia FJ, Anfuso G. A novelty coastal susceptibility assessment method: application to Valdelagrana area (SW Spain). J Coast Conserv, 2018, 22: 973-987

[69] Romagnoli C, Bosman A, Casalbore D, Anzidei M, Doumaz F, Bonaventura F, Verdirame C. Coastal erosion and flooding threaten low-lying coastal tracts at Lipari (Aeolian Islands, Italy). Remote Sens, 2022, 14(132960

[70] Romano B, Zullo F. The urban transformation of Italy’s Adriatic coastal strip: fifty years of unsustainability. Land Use Policy, 2014, 38: 26-36

[71] Russell E. Land-reclamation in Italy. Nature, 1936, 138: 4-6

[72] Salghuna N, Bharathvaj SA. Shoreline change analysis for northern part of the Coromandel Coast. Aquat Procedia, 2015, 4: 317-324

[73] Salman A, Lombardo S, Doody P (2004) Living with coastal erosion in europe: Sediment and space for sustainability. Eurosion Project Reports. https://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:483327a3-dcf7-4bd0-a986-21d9c8ec274e

[74] Schmidt CT (1937) Land reclamation in fascist Italy. Pol Sci Q 52(3):340–363

[75] Schneider A, Woodcock CE. Compact, dispersed, fragmented, extensive? A comparison of urban growth in twenty-five global cities using remotely sensed data, pattern metrics and census information. Urban Stud, 2008, 45(3659-692

[76] Schucknecht A, Erasmi S, Niemeyer I, Matschullat J. Assessing vegetation variability and trends in north-eastern Brazil using AVHRR and MODIS NDVI time series. Eur J Remote Sens, 2013, 46: 40-59

[77] Stathopoulou M, Cartalis C. Downscaling AVHRR land surface temperatures for improved surface urban heat island intensity estimation. Remote Sens Environ, 2009, 113(12): 2592-2605

[78] Strafforello G. La Patria, Geografia dell’Italia, 1900, Torino, Unione tipografica

[79] Sun Z, Wang C, Guo H, Shang RA. Modified normalized difference impervious surface index (MNDISI) for automatic urban mapping from Landsat imagery. Remote Sens, 2017, 9(9942

[80] Tătui F, Pîrvan M, Popa M, Aydogan B, Ayat B, Görmüș T, Korzinin D, Văidianu N, Vespremeanu-Stroe A, Zăinescu F, Kuznetsov S, Preoteasa L, Shtremel M, Saprykina Y (2019) The Black Sea coastline erosion: Index-based sensitivity assessment and management-related issues. Ocean Coast Manag 182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2019.104949

[81] Thieler ER, Himmelstoss EA, Zichichi JL, Miller TL (2005) Digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS) version 3.0: an ArcGIS extension for calculating shoreline change, US Geological Survey Open-File Report 1304

[82] UNISDR, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (2017) Report of the Open Ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group on Indicators and Terminology Relating to Disaster Risk Reduction. United Nations A/71/644.

[83] USGS (1999). Map Accuracy Standards Technical Report; Reston, VA, USA.

[84] Vousdoukas MI, Mentaschi L, Voukouvalas E, et al.. Global probabilistic projections of extreme sea levels show intensification of coastal flood hazard. Nat Commun, 2018, 9: 2360

[85] Vousdoukas MI, Ranasinghe R, Mentaschi L, Plomaritis TA, Athanasiou P, Luijendijk A, et al.. Sandy coastlines under threat of erosion. Nat Clim Chang, 2020, 10(3260-263

[86] Wang H, Gong X, Wang B, Deng C, Cao Q (2021) Urban development analysis using built-up area maps based on multiple high-resolution satellite data. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 103, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2021.102500

[87] Zhang Q, Huang X, Zhang G. Urban area extraction by regional and line segment feature fusion and urban morphology analysis. Remote Sens, 2017, 9(7663

[88] Zheng B, Liu G, Wang H, Cheng Y, Lu Z, Liu H, Zhu X, Wang M, Yi L. Study on the delimitation of the urban development boundary in a special economic zone: a case study of the central urban area of Doumen in Zhuhai, China. Sustainability, 2018, 10: 756

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s)