Genesis and evolution of some lagoons in Greece and Italy: preliminary data for a key to geomorphological model interpretation

Geomorphological, stratigraphical and paleoecological surveys as well as historical cartography and bathymetric map analysis of some lagoons carried out along coastland sectors in Greece and Italy, highlighted their complex morphodynamics and paleoenvironmental evolution starting from the Plio-Pleistocene until the present-day. The morphodynamic evolution models of these and others Mediterranean lagoon case studies, also confirmed by paleoecological analysis indicating the presence of brackish to marine with freshwater supply environments, which depict the progressive development of a lagoon in three consecutive environmental phases: a primitive open, then a partially closed and finally a modern closed lagoon with one or more mouths. In the last phase also the morphological changes of the lagoons are mainly due to gradual sediment filling (which may cause the physiographic contraction of the lagoon in a pond) or to rapid overwash phenomena (with the opening of a closed lagoon) as well as to anthropogenic interventions during the last centuries (artificial channel cut, bottom dredging, embankment, pier construction).