Analyses of Climate Variations at Four Meteorological Stations on Remote Islands in the Croatian Part of the Adriatic Sea

The Mediterranean region is one of the regions in the world that is most vulnerable to the impact of imminent climate change. In particular, climate change has an adverse effect on both the ecosystem and socioeconomic system, influencing water availability for both human and environmental purposes....

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ognjen Bonacci, Matko Patekar, Marco Pola, Tanja Roje-Bonacci
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
Series:Atmosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/10/1044
_version_ 1797552244810317824
author Ognjen Bonacci
Matko Patekar
Marco Pola
Tanja Roje-Bonacci
author_facet Ognjen Bonacci
Matko Patekar
Marco Pola
Tanja Roje-Bonacci
author_sort Ognjen Bonacci
collection DOAJ
description The Mediterranean region is one of the regions in the world that is most vulnerable to the impact of imminent climate change. In particular, climate change has an adverse effect on both the ecosystem and socioeconomic system, influencing water availability for both human and environmental purposes. The most endangered water resources are along the coasts and on islands since they have relatively small volumes and are intensively exploited. We analyzed the time series of air temperature and precipitation measured at four meteorological stations (Komiža, Palagruža, Lastovo, and Biševo) located on small islands in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea in this study. The investigated time series extend from the 1950s to the present, being contemporaneous for approximately 50 years. Despite possessing discontinuity, they can be considered as representative for assessing climate change and variability in the scattered environment of the Croatian islands. The results showed increasing trends in the annual air temperature, while the annual cumulative precipitation did not show significant variations. In addition, the analyses of the monthly air temperature showed that statistically significant increasing trends occurred from April to August, suggesting a more severe impact during these months. These results are in accordance with regional and local studies and climate models. Although the climate variability during the analyzed period can be considered as moderate, the impact on water resources could be severe due to the combined effect of the increase in air temperature during warm periods and the intensive exploitation for tourism purposes.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T15:57:15Z
format Article
id doaj.art-d67843e3d4394bb6a6e900036caca81e
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2073-4433
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T15:57:15Z
publishDate 2020-09-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Atmosphere
spelling doaj.art-d67843e3d4394bb6a6e900036caca81e2023-11-20T15:36:45ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332020-09-011110104410.3390/atmos11101044Analyses of Climate Variations at Four Meteorological Stations on Remote Islands in the Croatian Part of the Adriatic SeaOgnjen Bonacci0Matko Patekar1Marco Pola2Tanja Roje-Bonacci3Architecture and Geodesy, Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Split, Matice Hrvatske 15, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology, Croatian Geological Survey, Sachsova 2, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology, Croatian Geological Survey, Sachsova 2, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaArchitecture and Geodesy, Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Split, Matice Hrvatske 15, 21000 Split, CroatiaThe Mediterranean region is one of the regions in the world that is most vulnerable to the impact of imminent climate change. In particular, climate change has an adverse effect on both the ecosystem and socioeconomic system, influencing water availability for both human and environmental purposes. The most endangered water resources are along the coasts and on islands since they have relatively small volumes and are intensively exploited. We analyzed the time series of air temperature and precipitation measured at four meteorological stations (Komiža, Palagruža, Lastovo, and Biševo) located on small islands in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea in this study. The investigated time series extend from the 1950s to the present, being contemporaneous for approximately 50 years. Despite possessing discontinuity, they can be considered as representative for assessing climate change and variability in the scattered environment of the Croatian islands. The results showed increasing trends in the annual air temperature, while the annual cumulative precipitation did not show significant variations. In addition, the analyses of the monthly air temperature showed that statistically significant increasing trends occurred from April to August, suggesting a more severe impact during these months. These results are in accordance with regional and local studies and climate models. Although the climate variability during the analyzed period can be considered as moderate, the impact on water resources could be severe due to the combined effect of the increase in air temperature during warm periods and the intensive exploitation for tourism purposes.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/10/1044air temperatureprecipitationglobal warmingMediterraneanAdriatic Sea
spellingShingle Ognjen Bonacci
Matko Patekar
Marco Pola
Tanja Roje-Bonacci
Analyses of Climate Variations at Four Meteorological Stations on Remote Islands in the Croatian Part of the Adriatic Sea
Atmosphere
air temperature
precipitation
global warming
Mediterranean
Adriatic Sea
title Analyses of Climate Variations at Four Meteorological Stations on Remote Islands in the Croatian Part of the Adriatic Sea
title_full Analyses of Climate Variations at Four Meteorological Stations on Remote Islands in the Croatian Part of the Adriatic Sea
title_fullStr Analyses of Climate Variations at Four Meteorological Stations on Remote Islands in the Croatian Part of the Adriatic Sea
title_full_unstemmed Analyses of Climate Variations at Four Meteorological Stations on Remote Islands in the Croatian Part of the Adriatic Sea
title_short Analyses of Climate Variations at Four Meteorological Stations on Remote Islands in the Croatian Part of the Adriatic Sea
title_sort analyses of climate variations at four meteorological stations on remote islands in the croatian part of the adriatic sea
topic air temperature
precipitation
global warming
Mediterranean
Adriatic Sea
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/10/1044
work_keys_str_mv AT ognjenbonacci analysesofclimatevariationsatfourmeteorologicalstationsonremoteislandsinthecroatianpartoftheadriaticsea
AT matkopatekar analysesofclimatevariationsatfourmeteorologicalstationsonremoteislandsinthecroatianpartoftheadriaticsea
AT marcopola analysesofclimatevariationsatfourmeteorologicalstationsonremoteislandsinthecroatianpartoftheadriaticsea
AT tanjarojebonacci analysesofclimatevariationsatfourmeteorologicalstationsonremoteislandsinthecroatianpartoftheadriaticsea