Assessment of the relationship between geomorphological evolution, carrying capacity and users' perception: Case studies in Emilia-Romagna (Italy)

Several published studies on beach management have defined sustainable strategies for the maintenance of their recreational capacity. However, coastal geomorphology and evolution have rarely been taken into consideration. To complete these studies, we analyzed the geomorphological characteristics, the users' perception and beach carrying capacity of two coastal stretches. Geomorphological characteristics were obtained from aerial photos and field survey data; beach perception was assessed through questionnaires and interviews while the beach carrying capacity was calculated using two distinct methods. Our results suggest that the physical carrying capacity can be defined using geomorphological analyses, while the effective carrying capacity can be evaluated using the users' perception analysis.