Beccarisi L., Delle Rose M., Ernandes P., Napoletano S., Zuccarello V.,, 2007, Geoconservation of the Salento (Southern Italy) coastal dolines named “spunnulate”, their floristic features and hemeroby index., Epitome (Udine) 2 (2007): 322.,
URL: http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/118247

Spunnulate consist of wide, not deep collapse dolines developed in carbonate rocks mainly of Quaternary age, related to the existence of caves usually with active speleogenetical hyperkarst processes. They occur along the coastal plains of the Apulia and especially of its south sub region, the Salento peninsula, where the term spunnulate derive from a dialectical verb (spunnare) which means_ to break, to sink. Each of this karst morphologies can be a potential geosite, whereas, as a whole, they constitute a geological heritage particularly vulnerable to the human activities and structures. At these karst sinkholes has been attributed the role of "ecological refuge" for numerous species of plants and animals, such as some stygobiont, peculiar hypogean invertebrates. Their morphological and idrological conformations have concurred the maintenance of different phytochoenosis, such as those typical of Mediterranean sclerophyllous. Moreover, spunnulate are object of hydrogeologic protection and belong to the safeguarded speleological patrimony from the Apulian Region. The aims of this research were to carry out_ the census of spunnulate present along Porto Cesareo and Nardò coastal plains (east Salento), the geomorfological and floristic features, the estimate of the human impact using the plants and the habitats as bioindicators following the hemeroby approach, an ecological tool introduced as an integrative measure for the impact on ecosystem and later extended to plant communities. All the data were integrated in a software GIS, as tools to support the knowledge useful to the fruition and the conservation of this geological heritage. Totally 117 karst features have mapped (66 of which are buried or destroyed spunnulate) and 252 species of plants have recognized. Dolines are usually arranged into group, according to the tectonic fracture systems, or form compound-synks of singular landscape value. The flora shows elements of remarkable interest from the phytogeographyc point of view and heterogenous habitat (Priority Habitats and Habitat of communitary Interest) and from Habitat of Regional Interest according to regional laws. The anthropic impact, analyzed through the hemeroby index, evidences how human activities and structures influence the floristic system and habitat. At present, such disturb is not yet push to the maximum level of distance and extraneity from the natural condition but is moderate in the greatest part of the examined cases. Anyway, the different estimates risks of alteration require various regimes of protection. The spunnulate offer opportunities for both environmental education and human impact study through changes in vegetative structure with time. Nevertheless, incorporating geology into conservation policies at the same level as biology is necessary. Therefore, operative action of geoconservation of this geological heritage must be adopted to preserve the geodiversity but need of integration into protected area management similar to that given to the bioconservation. To put it better, all natural processes must be considered together into a general strategy of oloconservation.

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