Beccarisi L., Delle Rose M., Ernandes P., Napoletano S., Zuccarello V, 2009, Hydrogeological hazard and conservation status of cave-collapse sinkholes along the Salentine Ionian coast (Southern Apulia), Workshop Internazionale I sinkhole. Gli sprofondamenti catastrofici nell'ambiente naturale e in quello antropizzato", Roma, 2009,
URL: http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/118442

The Western Ionian coast of Salento (Sothern Apulia), between Torre Castiglione (Porto Cesareo) and Serra Cicora (Nardò), is characterized by not very deep cave-collapse sinkholes (named "spunnulate") showing different degrees of morphological evolution. They are developed in carbonate rocks, mainly of Quaternary age. Their interior usually is filled with brackish water because of its proximity to the sea; this involves hyperkarst chemical and morphological phenomena. According to Directive 92/43/EEC, the "spunnulate" are classified as "Cave not open to the public" and "Submerged or partially submerged sea caves", that are natural habitats of Community importance, as "Coastal lagoons" priority habitat, and as habitats of some pretected animal species. Collapse events are subtle type of hazard, which produced serious and unexpected damages to the anthropogenic infrastructures and constructions. In the study area, they occured as rapid to very rapid collapses, and their final evolution was matter of a few hours, if not minutes. The aims of this study are the assessment of the sinkhole susceptibility and the analysis of the anthropogenic factors that negatively affects the conservation status. Geologic, vegetation and environmental stress land data, collected at a fine scale, were recorded and analysed. About 60 "spunnulate" with different morphologic and ecologic features are identified. Sinkhole susceptibility was performed on the base of an approach derived by mine engineering. GIS technology is employed for the analysis at a wider scale to make a vegetation and land use map of the "spunnulate"'s geographic neighbourhood.

Data from https://intranet.cnr.it/people/