Ritienne Gauci

Geomorphological identification, classification and spatial distribution of coastal landforms of Malta (Mediterranean Sea)

This paper presents the outcomes of a geomorphological investigation carried out along the coasts of the island of Malta and provides a detailed classification of the Maltese coastline based on the identification and definition of specific coastal geomorphotypes. The results of field surveys, supported by air-photo interpretation, have led to the production of a coastal geomorphological map at 1:30,000 scale which outlines the processes and related deposits and landforms. The latter are the result of the complex interplay of structural, gravitational, coastal and karst processes. Moreover, radiocarbon dates of marine organisms encrusted on boulders mapped along the NE coast are presented.

Bridging Natural and Cultural Values of Sites with Outstanding Scenery: Evidence from Gozo, Maltese Islands

The paper focuses on a site of outstanding scenery located along the NW coast of the Island of Gozo (Malta, central Mediterranean Sea), which was included in Malta’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 1998 on the basis of the four criteria related to natural properties. The aim of the study is to bridge scientific and cultural values of the Dwejra area by examining, in particular, its geological and geomorphological features, which have been fundamental in shaping such a spectacular scenery and determining its historical and cultural importance. The coast of the Maltese Islands, has had a series of occupiers over the last ten millennia leading to the development of a high density of coastal uses. Such uses superimpose on both a diverse range of aesthetic natural qualities and also different cultural properties that have changed over time. Sinkholes were a source of shelter on rectilinear coasts and are now areas that attract visitors due to their outstanding natural beauty. The low sloping limestone coast provided an ideal geological setting for salt panning production, whereas today these are the main areas for recreational activities. Over the years, the investigated area has, however, suffered the pressure of diverse human activities, often leading to conflicting interests and resultant landscape damage. As a result, geoconservation aspects of this site have often been at the centre of national debates. In the light of these issues, this work aims at providing a better understanding of the geological and geomorphological value of the Dwejra area, in order to strengthen the basis for setting-up a sustainable geoconservation plan, which includes geotourism issues.

Comparative median grain size assessment through three different techniques for sandy beach deposits on the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean)

ABSTRACT Deidun, A., Gauci, R., Schembri, J.A., Šegina, E., Gauci, A., Gianni, J., Gutierrez, J.A., Sciberras, A. and Sciberras, J., 2013. Comparative median grain size assessment through three different techniques for sandy beach deposits on the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean) It is estimated that sandy beaches cover only 2.2 per cent of the Maltese coastline. Although small in size, Maltese pocket beaches exhibit complex geomorphological interactions. A granulometric analysis of Maltese beach deposits may thus shed further light on the understanding of these interactive processes and provide baseline information on how beach sediment size may relate geo-spatially and morphometrically. Surface (0-10cm) sand samples were collected from ninety sandy beaches in Sicily, circum-Sicilian islands and the Maltese Islands. The median grain size of these sediment samples was assessed through three different techniques: the conventional sieving technique, observation through stereo microscopy and through image processing. The two primary objectives of such work were firstly, to construct a repository of median grain size values for the entire stretch of Maltese sedimentary coastline (the first study ever to be done on such a comprehensive spatial scale), and secondly, to evaluate the degree of concordance between the three techniques. The highest Pearson correlation value (0.90) was recorded for the sieving-scanning match, although in many cases differences were large enough to result in a different sediment type classification. The highest level of agreement between the scanning and sieving technique was registered for the medium-fine (1.5–2.5phi) and very coarse categories (−0.5–0.0 phi). Median particle diameters measured through microscopy were those which diverged most from those of other techniques. This maybe due to the relatively small number of sediment grains which were analysed within such a technique.

The Hazard Exposure of the Maltese Islands

International comparisons of disaster risk frequently classify Malta as being one of the least hazard exposed countries. Such rankings may be criticised because: (1) they fail to take into account historic increases in population and its seasonal variation; (2) they are based on inadequately researched and incomplete historical catalogues of damaging events; and (3), for small island states like Malta, they do not take into account the implications of restricted land area, which can be disproportionately impacted by even small hazardous events. In this paper, we draw upon a variety of data to discuss disaster risk in the Maltese Islands. In particular, the notion that Malta is one of the ‘safest places on earth’ is not only misleading, but also potentially dangerous because it engenders a false sense of security amongst the population. We argue that Malta is exposed to a variety of extreme events, which include: the distal effects of major earthquakes originating in southern Italy and Greece, plus their associated tsunamis; major ash producing eruptions of Mount Etna (Sicily) and their putative impacts on air transport; storm waves; coastal/inland landslides; karstic collapse; flooding and drought. In criticising international rankings of the islands’ exposure, we highlight the issues involved in formulating hazard assessments, in particular incomplete catalogues of extreme natural events. With Malta witnessing swelling resident, seasonal (i.e. tourist) plus foreign-born populations and increases in the urban area, further research into hazards is required in order to develop evidence-based policies of disaster risk reduction (DRR).

Traditional use of shore platforms: a study of the artisanal management of salinas on the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean)

Shore platforms and salinas in the Mediterranean region have a long-standing relationship, rooted in the traditional practice of salt making. On small islands with limited natural resources, the production of salt from seawater, through insolation and intense human endeavour, offered numerous economic benefits. Salt has been a foremost natural resource for millennia with a range of uses from preserving edible foods to cooking, cleaning, laundry, and hygiene, and for medicinal uses in dilute solutions. Within the Maltese Islands, this traditional activity was developed primarily on the soft limestone shore platforms situated along low-lying rocky coasts. Although coastal production has declined in number over the years, a few salinas have persisted in their artisanal practice and are becoming a cultural geo-heritage attraction. The aim of this article is to explore the multiple geographies of this industry on two shore platforms by examining the complicated relationships that have emerged and molded between the physical landscape and human culture. Mapping out these relations through the traditional but complex management systems at two salinas, that is, the salinas at Delimara Point (Malta) and those at Xwejni Bay (Gozo), highlights the delicate nature of these relations as well as the need to support them in order to continually reproduce the cultural micro-landscape. The resultant micro-landscape is becoming an increasingly important living expression of the cultural geo-heritage of the Maltese Islands, which requires careful understanding and management of these relations if it is to be maintained as a vibrant geo-tourist attraction.