Changes in quantitative parameters of active wind dunes on the south-east Baltic Sea coast during the last decade (Curonian Spit, Lithuania)

Over the past decade, active wind dunes on the Curonian Spit, part of the UNESCO-listed Baltic sand belt, have exhibited significant degradation, with the Naglis Dune lowering by 4–6 meters and the Parnidis Dune experiencing a greater sand deficit (~10,000 m³). Unlike other European dune systems, this degradation is pronounced, suggesting complex interactions between natural climate change and anthropogenic factors. The study, conducted from 2003 to 2014 using geodesic levelling, meteorological data, and ground-penetrating radar (GPR), found that wind regimes remained near multiannual averages, while sand moisture and groundwater levels varied significantly. These findings underscore the need for long-term monitoring to disentangle natural processes from human impacts and inform protective measures.

MORKŪNAITĖ, R., BAUTRĖNAS, ČESNULEVIČIUS, A., DOBROTIN, N., BAUBINIENĖ, A., JANKAUSKAITĖ, M., KALESNIKAS, A., & MAČIULEVIČIŪTĖ-TURLIENĖ, N. (2017). Changes in quantitative parameters of active wind dunes on the south-east Baltic Sea coast during the last decade (Curonian Spit, Lithuania). Geological Quarterly, 62(1). https://doi.org/10.7306/gq.1389