Pandemics and coastal erosion in Tuscany (Italy)

Abstract

Several researchers are studying the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic event impact has on coastal communities, especially where Sun, Sea, Sand (3S) tourism is a relevant voice in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Among possible coastal environment influences, that on beach morphology has not yet been considered, but analysis of what occurred in similar cases in the past can help in finding how wide are pandemics impact and how many research fields are involved.The three main plagues that struck Europe in historical times (years 451, 1348 and 1630) enormously reduced population numbers and triggered abandonment of cultivated areas and famine induced by bitter climatic conditions played a significant role. Forests grew and soil erosion was greatly reduced causing a decreased coastal sediment input. The study of the beach ridges/dunes geometry in two river deltas in Tuscany (Italy) reveals the erosional phases induced by yr 451 and yr 1348 plagues. Any traces the yr 1630 plague could have left, have been erased by anthropogenic activity and by delta erosion that started at the end of the 19th cent. and which is still current.This paper shows the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the study of coastal evolution, and suggests further research fields where COVID-19 pandemic could be considered, even in cases in which environment response is not immediate, such as in past infections.