A coast to discover
Off the coast a system of buoys collects data for adaptation.
The Apulian Adriatic coast presents a heterogeneous shoreline; sheer cliffs alternate with sandy shorelines. Standing out among others is the promontory of Torre Guaceto, characterized by dunes rich in biodiversity and unique coastal ecosystems protected under a marine reserve bearing the same name. We reach the shores to meet Viviana Piermattei, oceanographer at the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change. Together with her team, they are preparing to install a buoy equipped with sensors to monitor the effects of climate change on marine and coastal ecosystems.
The Torre Guaceto reserve
Standing against the sky is the square-based Aragonese viceregal tower, built during the reign of Charles V to defend the coast, currently a symbol of the natural reserve. Torre Guaceto is an internationally protected marine area being a biodiversity hotspot that tells the natural history of the Apulian coast as a wetland. The pools of water between the inland and the coast, fed by freshwater springs, are an ideal place for dense reed beds where seabirds nest. Dunes alternate with centuries-old junipers along the shoreline, and beneath the water surface we find Posidonia meadows and bedrock environments covered with coralligenous, mollusks, urchins and starfish.
New temperatures and coastal erosion
The authorities who manage the nature reserve tell us that the sea at Torre Guaceto is changing. The lush Posidonia meadows and coral formations on the rocky seabed are suffering from rising temperatures, and the shoreline is slowly dissolving as sea levels rise. The impacts of climate change on this marine protected area are complex. The management consortium is working to define local vulnerabilities by acquiring important information to be incorporated into future planning to increase the responsiveness of coastal habitats. Changes are slow, due to the enhanced conservation of a protected environment, but require careful monitoring to prevent the collapse of important ecological processes
Monitoring changes
Marine-coastal areas are territories of great change; physical parameters such as salinity, temperature, and water turbidity directly affect the life of local fish flora and fauna. A light breeze blows over the Apulian coast as we watch Viviana Piermattei and her team secure sensors on the buoy ready for release. The platform, equipped with a photovoltaic panel, will facilitate the integrated collection and use of oceanographic data for modelling and will be part of a network of buoys for environmental monitoring. Thanks to the fruitful collaboration between researchers and the park’s management consortium, it will now be possible to monitor the impacts of climate change on Torre Guaceto’s ecosystems.
A network of buoys
As they wrap up final preparations, Viviana Piermattei tells us how collecting data on ongoing changes can be an expensive endeavor. That is why researchers at the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change decided to give new lives to the buoys that mark the boundary of the protected area at sea. The buoys are equipped with a system of sensors and instrumentation that collects data on marine water quality. This creates a distributed network of data acquisition points connected to a single system on land, basically an oceanographic Internet of Things. Data is transmitted at low cost by reusing pre-existing platforms with a circular approach. A virtuous example among monitoring systems for adaptation in the Adriatic Sea.
Early warning and forecasting systems
Waves are breaking on the coast with increasing force carrying away part of the natural dunes. The sea slowly advances and coastal erosion increases. Buoys are sentinels of change. Data acquisition has a dual function, that of monitoring long-term changes and alerting local authorities of sudden environmental anomalies. Real-time data help to confirm the occurrence of extreme phenomena that can cause damage to natural and human systems. Information regarding sea behavior on these occasions is important for early warning systems and emergency management. Long-term data, on the other hand, can be used to validate climate models that describe the evolution of the coastline over time to prevent future impacts. Both real-time and long-term data will contribute to the integrated management of coastal environments.
The future of marine ecosystems
As the buoy is hooked up to the tender that will tow it to the designated point for installation, Viviana Piermattei emphasizes how the data collected will be of paramount importance in safeguarding the marine ecosystems of the Torre Guaceto reserve. The rocky seabed and lush underwater flora are home to protected species and provide valuable ecosystem services. Ecological processes are sensitive to changes in water quality parameters such as temperature, salinity and turbidity. By becoming aware of the changes taking place, marine ecosystems can be protected and conserved.
An adaptation laboratory
Through collaboration between administrative and research agencies, the buoy network will collect information on the weather and climate conditions of marine-coastal environments in the Torre Guaceto reserve. The integrated monitoring system reuses existing infrastructure, reducing the impacts of scientific observations. Marine protected areas are unique laboratories for experimenting with new technologies and policies for adaptation throughout the Adriatic basin. These areas can become places for dialogue to interact with citizens, small business owners, students, and local communities and create a shared pathway toward the future.