In this way, beach users also prefer sandy sediments to gravel or pebble ones. This methodology, applied in >1000 coastal sites around the world, including the study area of this paper, is based on enquires that revealed that golden or white sand is better valued than dark sand.

First, sediment colour and texture directly influence the perception of beach users and coastal scenery characteristics : beach sediment colour is one out of the 18 natural parameters considered in the probably most commonly used landscape assessment method, i.e., the Coastal Scenic Evaluation. These characteristics should be preserved during anthropogenic actions since their modifications can cause undesired impacts. The most important characteristics of the sediment are texture (grain size and sorting), mineralogy, colour and morphology of grains (roundness and sphericity).

Beach sediments characteristics play an essential role in coastal ecology but also in the choice of a pleasant site by beach users. Nourishment works were performed after severe erosion, usually linked to anthropic activities/structures and storm events, but also to increase beach width and hence benefit tourism.Ĭoastal sedimentological studies allow the understanding of both natural processes and anthropogenic interventions, e.g., coastal dynamics and required management actions. Impacts of beach nourishment on the native sand colour were studied at San Juan beach, the most popular one along the study area. The colour of many nourished beaches generally differs from the native one because the origin of the injected sand is different. The obtained results showed relevant differences between natural and artificially nourished beaches.

In this paper, the colour of 66 sand samples, collected along both natural and nourished beaches in the western Mediterranean coast of Spain, were assessed in CIEL*a*b* 1976 colour space. Beach appearance, which is mostly linked to sand colour, has a relevant economic function in tourist areas. Sand colour can give important information about mineral composition and, consequently, sediment source areas and input systems.

Rocks pebbles and sand rar file