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Coastal Dunes of the Baltic Sea Shores: A Review

Tomasz Arkadiusz Łabuz
Tomasz Arkadiusz Łabuz
, 
Ralf Grunewald
Ralf Grunewald
, 
Valentina Bobykina
Valentina Bobykina
, 
Boris Chubarenko
Boris Chubarenko
, 
Algimantas Česnulevičius
Algimantas Česnulevičius
, 
Artūras Bautrėnas
Artūras Bautrėnas
, 
Regina Morkūnaitė
Regina Morkūnaitė
 and 
Hannes Tõnisson
Hannes Tõnisson
   | Mar 30, 2018
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Published Online: Mar 30, 2018
Page range: 47 - 71
Received: Dec 17, 2017
Accepted: Jan 18, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/quageo-2018-0005
Keywords
© 2018 Tomasz Arkadiusz Łabuz et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Location of varied sandy and other coasts around Baltic Sea (based on Łabuz 2015b); letters and digits refer to sandy coast type, see Table 1.A – transgressive dune fields, examples, see fig 10, B – sandy barriers and dune coasts, C –low organic coast: meadows and wetlands, D – soft moraine cliffs, E – skerries, F – rocky cliffs.
Location of varied sandy and other coasts around Baltic Sea (based on Łabuz 2015b); letters and digits refer to sandy coast type, see Table 1.A – transgressive dune fields, examples, see fig 10, B – sandy barriers and dune coasts, C –low organic coast: meadows and wetlands, D – soft moraine cliffs, E – skerries, F – rocky cliffs.

Fig. 2

Low dune ridges in North-west part of Baltic Sea (Photo T. Łabuz).A – foredune 4 m high in Ystad Bay, Sweden, B – artificial dunes on Malmoe coast, Sweden, C – west coast of Falsterbo, Sweden – with young 2 m high and older 5 m high stabilized foredunes, D – artificially created dune coast on Amager beach, South part of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Low dune ridges in North-west part of Baltic Sea (Photo T. Łabuz).A – foredune 4 m high in Ystad Bay, Sweden, B – artificial dunes on Malmoe coast, Sweden, C – west coast of Falsterbo, Sweden – with young 2 m high and older 5 m high stabilized foredunes, D – artificially created dune coast on Amager beach, South part of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Fig. 3

Low dunes on bay and booden coast of Germany (Photo T. Łabuz).A – eroded sides of foredunes on West coast of Darss promontory, B – eroded “Hohe dune” in Pramort, east part of Darss-zingst peninsula, C – undisturbed beach and dune system from the Bug peninsula on Rügen Island, core zone of the National Park “Vorpommersche Bodden landschaft” (Photo R. Grunewald), D – eroded artificial dune in Binz, Schmale Heide Sandbar, Rügen Island.
Low dunes on bay and booden coast of Germany (Photo T. Łabuz).A – eroded sides of foredunes on West coast of Darss promontory, B – eroded “Hohe dune” in Pramort, east part of Darss-zingst peninsula, C – undisturbed beach and dune system from the Bug peninsula on Rügen Island, core zone of the National Park “Vorpommersche Bodden landschaft” (Photo R. Grunewald), D – eroded artificial dune in Binz, Schmale Heide Sandbar, Rügen Island.

Fig. 4

Usedom and Wolin islands dune coast (Photo T. Łabuz).A – North part of Usedom, Germany, low energy, dunes with pioneer, hallophilous grasses and reed shrub, B – little disturbed beach and dune system from Usedom Island near Karlshagen (Photo R. Grunewald), C – dune ridges on northern part of Świna Gate Sandbar, Ahlbeck, D – dune coast inside LNG harbor in Świnoujście, Poland.
Usedom and Wolin islands dune coast (Photo T. Łabuz).A – North part of Usedom, Germany, low energy, dunes with pioneer, hallophilous grasses and reed shrub, B – little disturbed beach and dune system from Usedom Island near Karlshagen (Photo R. Grunewald), C – dune ridges on northern part of Świna Gate Sandbar, Ahlbeck, D – dune coast inside LNG harbor in Świnoujście, Poland.

Fig. 5

Examples of well developed sandy-dune coast in Poland, South Baltic Sea (Photo T. Łabuz).A – embryo and foredune on prograding coast of Świna Gate Sandbar, B – blown off transverse dunes of Hel Spit promontory, south from Jurata, C – erosion of huge foredunes developed through last 30 years, Stilo, Kashubian Sandbar, D – wandering dunes of Łebsko Lake Sandbar – barchan type dune is entering low-lying area.
Examples of well developed sandy-dune coast in Poland, South Baltic Sea (Photo T. Łabuz).A – embryo and foredune on prograding coast of Świna Gate Sandbar, B – blown off transverse dunes of Hel Spit promontory, south from Jurata, C – erosion of huge foredunes developed through last 30 years, Stilo, Kashubian Sandbar, D – wandering dunes of Łebsko Lake Sandbar – barchan type dune is entering low-lying area.

Fig. 6

Vistula Spit dunes.A – large accumulative filed, fast progradation in Vistula delta channel (Photo T. Łabuz), B – coast build by old dunes – prove of slow coast erosion, Przebrno, middle part of spit (Photo T. Łabuz), C – foredune with erosion slope, Russian part of spit (Photo V. Bobykina). D – cut off ancient dunes entering Vistula Lagoon, Russian part of spit (Photo V. Bobykina).
Vistula Spit dunes.A – large accumulative filed, fast progradation in Vistula delta channel (Photo T. Łabuz), B – coast build by old dunes – prove of slow coast erosion, Przebrno, middle part of spit (Photo T. Łabuz), C – foredune with erosion slope, Russian part of spit (Photo V. Bobykina). D – cut off ancient dunes entering Vistula Lagoon, Russian part of spit (Photo V. Bobykina).

Fig. 7

Curonian Spit dunes (Photo T. Łabuz).A – coastal dunes in Lesnoj, Russia, B – deflation and wandering dunes on Efa Dune (62 m high), near Morskoje, Russia, C – coast build by foredune just near Lithuanian and Russian border, D – open sands on Main Ridge, Lithuania and Russia border near Nida (Photo A. Česnulevičius), E – wandering dunes, partly covered by vegetation in middle part of spit, Lithuania (Photo A. Česnulevičius), F – active sand entering Curonian Lagoon, North from Pervalka.
Curonian Spit dunes (Photo T. Łabuz).A – coastal dunes in Lesnoj, Russia, B – deflation and wandering dunes on Efa Dune (62 m high), near Morskoje, Russia, C – coast build by foredune just near Lithuanian and Russian border, D – open sands on Main Ridge, Lithuania and Russia border near Nida (Photo A. Česnulevičius), E – wandering dunes, partly covered by vegetation in middle part of spit, Lithuania (Photo A. Česnulevičius), F – active sand entering Curonian Lagoon, North from Pervalka.

Fig. 8

Dunes of East Baltic coast (Photo T. Łabuz).A – active foredunes in Sventoji, North Lithuania, B – eroded former wandering dunes near Bernati, Latvia, C – foredune North from Liepaja, Latvia, D – dunes on low moraine cliff, ziemupe, middle Latvian coast.
Dunes of East Baltic coast (Photo T. Łabuz).A – active foredunes in Sventoji, North Lithuania, B – eroded former wandering dunes near Bernati, Latvia, C – foredune North from Liepaja, Latvia, D – dunes on low moraine cliff, ziemupe, middle Latvian coast.

Fig. 9

Low and scarce sandy coast in North-east part of Baltic Sea.A – foredune ridges plain, Harilaid, Estonia (Photo H. Tõnisson), B – erosion of low sandy coast at Tahnkuna site, northern Hiiumaa, Estonia (Photo H. Tõnisson), C – very narrow and low sandy coast on rocky basement, Kiiu Abla, North from Tallinn, Estonia (Photo T. Łabuz), D – pocket beach with ephemeral embryo forms surrounded by rocky coast, Helsinki, Finland (Photo T. Łabuz).
Low and scarce sandy coast in North-east part of Baltic Sea.A – foredune ridges plain, Harilaid, Estonia (Photo H. Tõnisson), B – erosion of low sandy coast at Tahnkuna site, northern Hiiumaa, Estonia (Photo H. Tõnisson), C – very narrow and low sandy coast on rocky basement, Kiiu Abla, North from Tallinn, Estonia (Photo T. Łabuz), D – pocket beach with ephemeral embryo forms surrounded by rocky coast, Helsinki, Finland (Photo T. Łabuz).

Fig. 10

The examples of highest and largest transverse dunes in each section of Baltic Sea coast (height in m a.s.l., distance in m), location on Fig. 1 (Łabuz 2017).A – Tornirmägi Hill, 34 m, Rannametsa dunes, Estonia, B – Bolderajas Dune Ridge, 20 m, Jurmala Sandbar, Latvia, C – Evažu Hill, 19 m, south-east Cape Kolka, Latvia, D – Pusenu Hill, 37 m, Bernati coast, Latvia, E – Vecekrugo Kopa, 67 m, North Curonian Spit, Lithuania, F – Parnidis Kopa, 52–56 m, Nida, Curonian Spit, Lithuanian/Russian border. G – Efa Dune 62–64 m, Curonian Spit, Morskoje, Russia, H – Camel Hump, 47 m, Vistula Spit, close to Poland/Russian border, I – longitudinal transverse ridge on Vistula Spit, 20–35 m, Poland, J – Hel Spit promontory, semi-parabolic forms 22 to 31 m, Poland, K – Lubiatowska Dune – parabolic, 21 m, Kashubian Sandbar, Poland, L – Łącka Dune – barchans, 40–42 m, Łebsko Lake Sandbar, Poland, M – Owl Hills – deflated parabolic, 18–25 m, Łebsko Lake Sandbar, Poland, N – transverse ridge of Świna Gate Sandbar, up to 22 m, Poland, O – transverse ridge of Świna Gate Sandbar, 14 m, near Ahlbeck, Germany, P – transverse ridge on Schmale Heide Sandbar, 12 m, Rügen Island, Germany, R – Höhe Dune, remnant of transverse form, 17 m, Darss-zingst peninsula, Germany.
The examples of highest and largest transverse dunes in each section of Baltic Sea coast (height in m a.s.l., distance in m), location on Fig. 1 (Łabuz 2017).A – Tornirmägi Hill, 34 m, Rannametsa dunes, Estonia, B – Bolderajas Dune Ridge, 20 m, Jurmala Sandbar, Latvia, C – Evažu Hill, 19 m, south-east Cape Kolka, Latvia, D – Pusenu Hill, 37 m, Bernati coast, Latvia, E – Vecekrugo Kopa, 67 m, North Curonian Spit, Lithuania, F – Parnidis Kopa, 52–56 m, Nida, Curonian Spit, Lithuanian/Russian border. G – Efa Dune 62–64 m, Curonian Spit, Morskoje, Russia, H – Camel Hump, 47 m, Vistula Spit, close to Poland/Russian border, I – longitudinal transverse ridge on Vistula Spit, 20–35 m, Poland, J – Hel Spit promontory, semi-parabolic forms 22 to 31 m, Poland, K – Lubiatowska Dune – parabolic, 21 m, Kashubian Sandbar, Poland, L – Łącka Dune – barchans, 40–42 m, Łebsko Lake Sandbar, Poland, M – Owl Hills – deflated parabolic, 18–25 m, Łebsko Lake Sandbar, Poland, N – transverse ridge of Świna Gate Sandbar, up to 22 m, Poland, O – transverse ridge of Świna Gate Sandbar, 14 m, near Ahlbeck, Germany, P – transverse ridge on Schmale Heide Sandbar, 12 m, Rügen Island, Germany, R – Höhe Dune, remnant of transverse form, 17 m, Darss-zingst peninsula, Germany.

Classification of sandy coast sandbars of the Baltic Sea (Łabuz 2017, unpublished).

No.Coast typeDefinitionExamples (see Fig. 1)
ACuspate forelandCuspate forelands (A) – kind of sandy promontory in shape of arch or promontory entering the sea. Three sides are open to sea, covered by small foredunes.Skagen (A1)
Anholt (A2)
Darss (A3)
Sandhamaren (A4)
Kolka (A5)
Hairlaid, Cape Kiipsaare (A6)
Faro / Gotland (A7)
Vattaja (A8)
Tauvo (A9)
BBarrier islandsBarrier islands (B) – separate sandy bodies surrounded by sea, that are build by currents and waves as lonely forms of different length and width. The more width island, the larger dunes has.Stokken (B1)
Small islands of South Denmark – Fionia, Lolland (B2)
Hiddensee (B3)
CSpitsSpits (C) – separate sandy strips of different length, that have been built due to prevailing sand transport and accumulation in axis of coastline with its abrupt change. From one side adjacent to the land, shielding lagoons and bays from open sea.Albuen, Hyllekrog on South Lolland Island (C1)
Falsterbo (C2)
Heiligenhafen (C3)
Durchlass (C4)
Bug (C5)
Usedom North (C6)
Hel, Rewa (C7)
Vihaspauha (C8)
DSpit barriersSpit barriers (D) – separate spits, one or two or jointed barrier islands which due to lateral increase formed barrier, separating water body or swamp/wetland, jointed by channel or mouth with the proper sea basin.Schleimundung (D1)
Swina Gate on Wolin and Usedom islands (D2)
Jamno, Bukowo lakes (D3)
Gardno-Łebsko-Sarbsko lakes (D4)
Vistula (D5)
Curonian (D6)
Pärnu river mouth (D7)
EBay barriersBay filling barriers (E) – shallow, concave bays, that are filled by sandy sediment and covered by longitudinal ridges corresponding to phases of land progradation in such coast protected against waves. Developed due to sand transport from adjacent eroded cliffs.Koga Bay (E1)
Ystad Bay (E2)
Yngsjö Bay (E3)
Rügen Island: Schaabe, Schmale Heide, Baabe, Gohren (E4)
Gulf of Gdańsk: Sopot-Gdańsk (E5)
Jurmala, Gulf of Riga (E6)
Narva Bay (E7)
Sestrorecks, Finland Bay (E8)
FWelded barriers of open coastWelded barriers on open coast (F) – jointed to the land of different origin, developed as a accumulation aligning the rough coastline, sometimes with channel or river outlet.West Pomerania: Mrzeżyno, Dźwirzyno area (F1)
East Pomerania with Kashubian and Karwia barrier (F2)
Lithuania-Latvia coast (F3): Klaipeda-Palanga-Sventoji, Pape-Jurmalciems-Bernati, Liepaja-Skede, Ziemupe-Pavilosta, Sarnate-Ventspils-Irbe river
East Latvian Gulf of Riga (F4)
Rannametsa near Pärnu (F5)
Vattaja coast, Lohtaja (F6)
GDelta spitsRiver deltas (G) – prograding delta fans, covered by organic and sandy deposits, that fills the bays or creating concave cones, sometimes with embryo spits. Sometimes it is just part of larger spit.Trave (G1)
Warnow (G2)
Vistula (G3)
Windawa (G4)
Daugava (G5)
Narva (G6)
HTombolo sandbarsTombolo sandbar (H) – single, narrow strip of sand connecting two previous land areas: two islands or island and larger land. Developed as sand is settled in narrow corridor between land obstacles. On Baltic coast also developed on uplifting rocky basement.Samso (H1)
Aebelo - Odense (H2)
Sjaellands Odde (H3)
Island Vlim (H4)
Hanko (H5)
KPocket bay barriersPocket bay barriers (K) – narrow, low and flat sandy shores, that are hidden in slowly emerging bays, often with small, sand discharging rivers.Estonia coast (K1): Tallinn beaches, Ihasalu beach, Kloogaranna, Vääna-Jõesuu, Pedaspea, Kiiu-Aabla
Finland coast (K2): alajoki beach
Sweden coast (K3):Storsand (Lovanger)

List of main sandy forms at sandbars along the Baltic Sea coast (Łabuz 2017, unpublished).

No.Dune typeDefinitionExamples (see Fig. 1, 10)
LInland coastal sand bodiesShifting or stabilized inland coastal sand bodies (L) – large dune areas of permanent sand load in the past and accumulation as different large dunes: as barchans, parbolic or transverse forms, that are entering foreign origin basement (older dunes, organic, moraine or rock structures). Mainly located 0.2 to 2 km from the coast. The shape of dunes depend on coast exposition for prevailing westerly winds: on the south coast barchans and parobolic are often, on the east coast transverse are often. On the erosive coast these structures are building the shore and are partially eroded.Skagen promontory (L1)
Darss promontory (L2)
Schmale Heide Sandbar (L3)
North of Usedom (L4)
Swina Gate Sandbar (L5)
Ridge near Ustronie Morskie (L6)
Ridge West from Kołobrzeg (L7)
Ustka (L8)
Gardno–Łebsko lakes, KashubianSandbar (L9)
Hel Spit (L10)
Vistula Sandbar (L11)
Curonian Sandbar (L12)
Bernati (L13)
Kolka peninsnula (L14)
Jurmala (L15)
Rannametsa (L16)
Sestroreck (L17)
Kalajoki (L18)
MMachair type coast (M)Very flat and surface sands similar to machair dunes (M) – low accumulation, in calm bays, predominated by sea not aeolian sediment, with shells, without significant forms, mainly covered by reed thicket.Gulf of Gdańsk and Puck–Mechelinki meadows (M1)
North Estonia (M2)
Northern Finland and Sweden (M3)
NForedunes – chain of ridges (N)Typical, coastal dune- foredune (N) - in form of longitudinal ridge or separated hillocks or dome forms that are factor of coastal progradation. The chain of forms presenting coast development.Darss promontory (N1)
Usedom Island, North (N2)
Swina Gate Sandbar (N3)
Hel spit promontory (N4)
Vistula river mouth (N5)
Kolka promontory (N6)
Hiiumaa Island (N7)
Narva Sandbar (N8)
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