Abstract
Salento Peninsula (Apulia, southern Italy) is characterised by many active sinkholes, which represent the main geological hazard. The stretch of coastline between the village of Casalabate and Le Cesine wildlife reserve is highly affected, with a system of dunes separating the low beach from extensive wetlands, which were subject to uncontrolled urban development after reclamation. The overall morphology is characterized by flat topography, whilst from a hydrogeological standpoint, the mixing of inland freshwater with advancing brackish water favours the higher aggressivity with respect to soluble rocks, and the development of enhanced dissolution (hyperkarst). The relict landscapes within the protected areas still allow for the recognition of actively occurring sinkholes, which cause damage to houses, the road network and infrastructures. In this article the case of Aquatina di Frigole is described, where in the last 15 years numerous sinkholes have formed, with the processes still in rapid evolution. Detailed surveys allow for to identification of the mechanisms of sinkhole formation (suffusion sinkholes), the deriving cluster, and the main hydrogeological links among the different water bodies in the area. Acquatina di Frigole provides an excellent natural laboratory to observe development and evolution of sinkholes, and their relationships with the stratigraphic and hydrogeological elements.
Highlights
Sinkholes [1,2,3] are often at the origin of damage and problems to public safety in karst environments [4,5,6,7,8]
The solubility of carbonate and evaporite rocks with the development of karst processes is at the origin of sinkhole formation [2,3], whose mechanisms may develop in different ways according to the local stratigraphy and permeability, the groundwater flow and in fucntion of the modality of outcrops of soluble rocks
The Acquatina di Frigole lagoon is a habitat included in a wide Site of Community Importance (SCI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC, named “Aquatina di Frigole” (IT9150003) according to the NATURA 2000 network
Summary
Sinkholes [1,2,3] are often at the origin of damage and problems to public safety in karst environments [4,5,6,7,8]. The beauty of the landscape is often related to karsts and caves, which are among the main elements to develop dedicated pathways and geosites in order to offer to tourists a view on the geological and morhological features of the area [21]. In this regard, geotourism [22,23,24] is definitely gaining an important space in Apulia [25,26,27,28,29,30]
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