Environmental assessment of urban beaches using geotechnologies in a case study from the Vesuvian coast, Italy

Abstract

Urban beaches are fragile transitional environments increasingly exposed to anthropogenic pressures and natural degradation processes. This study presents for the first time an integrated environmental and morphosedimentary approach of the San Giovanni a Teduccio shoreline, an urban beach located in eastern Naples, Italy, integrating drone imagery, bathymetry, and sediment analysis. UAV-based photogrammetry and bathymetric surveys provided high-resolution spatial data, which were processed using GIS and interpolation tools to construct morphometric and bathymetric models. Surface sediment samples collected along beach transects were analyzed for granulometric composition, grain shape, and microplastic content. Shoreline change analysis revealed a consistent erosional trend, moderately sorted medium to coarse sands, and a high prevalence of anthropogenic debris. Despite urbanization, native psammophilous vegetation persists, playing a crucial role in ecosystem stability. The findings underscore the urgent need for ecologically sound coastal management strategies and offer a replicable framework for analyzing similar urban coastal systems under the pressures of the Anthropocene.