Alimini area
The first study area is a wide portion of the Adriatic coast, from Frigole to Otranto, including remarkable wetlands as the Cesine WWF Natural reserve and the Alimini Lakes. Sinkhole problems are extensively documented, both due to natural processes and induced by human actions (Margiotta et al. 2012, 2021; Vennari et al. 2022). In this sector, severe intrusion problems are documented since many decades (Cotecchia 2014), extending inland for many kilometres.
Palude del capitano area
The second area is on the other side of Salento Peninsula, facing the Ionian Sea, and extends from Torre Castiglione to Nardò, including high-value ecosystems such as Palude del Capitano, where development of sinkhole phenomena created water bodies of extreme naturalistic importance. In the Torre Castiglione-Porto Cesareo sector, in particular, sinkhole development is so frequent that such processes are known as spunnulate (literally meaning sunken areas), a term coming from the local dialect. This area is heavily affected by tourist pressure, being among the most popular in Apulia during the summer season.
Torre Guaceto area
Torre Guaceto is a natural state reserve that features a coastal wetland surrounded by an intensively agricultural landscape in the southeastern part of the Apulia region in southern Italy. It has been designated as an internationally important site (Site No. 215 of the Ramsar Sites Information Service). Additionally, it is a WWF Nature Reserve, covering an area of 1,120 hectares and extending along 8 kilometers of coastline. In the Torre Guaceto area, the impacts of soil and groundwater salinization critically affect the evolution of coastal wetlands and create challenges for water management.
