Mapping Land at Risk of Marine Submersion in the Coastal Alluvial Plains of Eastern Tunisia: A Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i1.6731Abstract
Tunisia’s coastal alluvial plains are fragile areas exposed to occasional disturbances (including storms, submersion, and floods) and serious imbalances, such as rising sea level, erosion, and salinisation of soils. Their sensitivity tends to increase under the impact of strong anthropogenic pressures: population growth, rapid urbanisation, and concentration of economic activities. With the acceleration of climate change and the associated rise in sea level, these areas are facing a new challenge. At the interface between land and sea, scattered across these coastal alluvial plains are wetlands that are predisposed to marine submersion due to a combination of factors. Diachronic analysis of cartographic documents has made it possible to produce geodynamic maps. These were used in the current study to assess sea level rise and flooding, as well as their impact on the future development of coastal alluvial plains, particularly during exceptional weather and sea conditions. The findings show that a poor understanding of the mechanisms specific to these environments has often resulted in short-sighted sectoral approaches to land use planning. Sabkhas and lagoons alone account for more than half of all submerged areas. Coastal wetland ecosystems will be threatened by changes in living conditions, as the rather saline biocenosis will be transformed into a euryhaline lagoon biocenosis.
Keywords:
Coastline; Alluvial Plains; Wetlands; Sea Level Rise; Marine SubmersionReferences
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