Evolution of the dunes associated

with coastal habitats in the Salinas

y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar

Regional Park, southeast of the

Iberian Peninsula

A. D. Ibarra, adaniel.ibarra@um.esP. Escudero pedro.escuderol@um.es

D. Hernández, diana.h.m@um.esG. Ballesteros, gabp1@um.es

F. Belmonte-Serrato, franbel@um.esJ.Sánchez-Balibrea, araar@asociacionanse.org

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Introduction Dune + Beach -> beach-dune systems

• They are unique transition systems.

Sand balance between the land and the sea

Sediment cell

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Introduction beach-dune systems

• Coastal dunes provide a buffer against coastal hazards such as winderosion and storm surges.

• They also provide a source of sand to replenish the beach during periodsof erosion.

• The native vegetation plays an important role in stabilising the surfaceagainst wind erosion.

• The vegetation provides habitat for wildlife.

Dune plant succession

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Introduction Beach-dune systems

• The variation in the morphology of the dunes is directly related to thatof the vegetation.

Dune plant succession

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Study area

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Study area

Beach erosion in San Pedro del Pinatar

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Study area San Pedro del Pinatar beaches

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Study area Shoaling and breaking limits.

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Study area

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Study area

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Material & Methods Material

• CloudCompare: a 3D point cloudprocessing software.

• QGIS: Open: a free and open-sourcecross-platform desktop geographicinformation system (GIS).

• GPS and LIDAR data 2009 - 2016

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Material & Methods Material

• LIDAR: Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Material & Methods Methods

• Spatial data processing (LIDAR)

DNE DB

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Material & Methods Methods

• Spatial data processing (LIDAR)

…to obtain a Digital Elevation Model(DEM)

DNE DB

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Material & Methods Methods

• Spatial data processing (LIDAR)

DNE DB

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Material & Methods Methods

• Classification of dune systems according to criteria

Vegetation Habitats Types of dunes Associated beach erosion Conservation actions carried out

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Material & Methods Methods

• Classification of dune systems according to criteria

+ ( ) =2016 LIDAR data – 2009 LIDAR data

DUNE DB

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Results

• The habitat areas that were most eroded during the period 2009-2016were those that contained the association of habitats 1210,1420 and2250. In the southern zone, where the height of the dunes lost anaverage of 0.125 m.

• In contrast, the association containing the habitats with the 1210 and2110 association, remained stable during the same period.

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Results

• The most eroded areas are those lacking vegetation, mainly:

Blowouts Foredune with poor or no vegetation cover.

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Results

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Results

• The habitat areas that were most eroded during the period 2009-2016were those that contained the association of habitats 1210, 1420 and2250. In the southern zone, where the height of the dunes lost anaverage of 0.125 m.

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Results

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Results

• In contrast, the association containing the habitats with the 1210 and2110 association, remained stable during the same period.

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Conclusions

• GIS and spatial data are a very effective tool for the study of coastalsystems.

• Despite the differences obtained between the erosion of the differenthabitats, this does not exceed the erosion of the unvegetated cover.

• It is necessary to have new data to continue the study of the dune-beachsystems of San Pedro del Pinatar.

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

References

• Floor, A. (2009). Seafriends Marine Conservation and Education Centre.

• A level Geography. Available at www.alevelgeography.com• Chai, R.. Dune plant succession. Available at www.landforms.eu• Van Oijen, A. (2011) Modelling Sediment Transport in the Swash Zone.

Evolution of the dunes associated with coastal

habitats in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del

Pinatar Regional Park, southeast of the Iberian

Peninsula

A.D. Ibarra

P. Escudero

D. Hernández

G. Ballesteros

F. Belmonte-Serrato

J. Sánchez-Balibrea

Danny Ibarra

adaniel.Ibarra@um.es@DannyIbarra_