Coastal foredune enlargement – a sign of sea-level change? An example from the Kavatsite beach-dune system

Abstract

Sea level rise is one of the effects of climate change and the Black Sea is affected, regardless its isolated position from the World Ocean. As a consequent, in various locations worldwide is reported shifting of foredune ridges towards inland and overlapping of newly formed ridges over older secondary features, as parabolic dunes, dune fields, etc. During the field study in 2023, in the Kavatsite foredune ridge was observed such migration of newly formed accumulations on older grey dunes. Comparative analysis of UAV-based photogrammetry and generated orthophoto mosaic overlaid to archive aerial images from the early 20th century showed over 20 m migration of the primary dune ridge inland and also increased beach erosion. Regarding the accelerating sea rise tendency, special attention should be taken to the anthropogenic activities in the coastal zone, including the beach-dune systems – the first natural barrier to the wave action on coasts.