An Integrated Approach for Evaluating the Restoration of the Salinity Gradient in Transitional Waters: Monitoring and Numerical Modeling in the Life Lagoon Refresh Case Study

Feola, Alessandra; Ponis, Emanuele; Cornello, Michele; Brusà, Rossella Boscolo; Cacciatore, Federica; Oselladore, F.; Matticchio, Bruno; Canesso, Devis; Sponga, Simone; Peretti, Paolo; Lizier, Matteo; Maniero, Luigi; Volpe, Valerio; Sfriso, Adriano; Ferla, Maurizio; Bonometto, Andrea

doi:10.3390/environments9030031

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 42 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This project was scientifically assessed in two publications. The impact of the measure on variations of salinity in space and their fluctuations in time was studied using a before/after comparison and monitoring combined with hydrodynamic modelling [27]. The observed fluctuations corresponded quite well with the simulation results and corresponded to desired results in the field.…”

Section: Interventions In Hydrodynamics For Ecological Restorationsupporting

confidence: 59%

“…A more ambitious program, a real ecological restoration project, has been pursued by the LIFE LAGOON REFRESH project, which aims at restoring the freshwater-saltwater gradients through the diversion of freshwater flow from the Sile river into the Venice lagoon [26][27][28]. This was aimed at restoring the conditions existing before the 17th century, when the Sile river was a tributary in the northern part of the lagoon [10].…”

Section: Interventions In Hydrodynamics For Ecological Restorationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

European LIFE Projects Dedicated to Ecological Restoration in Mediterranean and Black Sea Coastal Lagoons

Wit

Boutin

2023

Environments

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper discusses how ecological restoration has been pursued through projects financed by L’Instrument Financier pour l’Environnement (LIFE) of the European Commission in Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal lagoon sites affiliated with the Natura 2000 network. While the LIFE programme started in 1992, the first project focusing on ecological restoration in a coastal lagoon setting in this eco-region was attributed in 1995. In total, 50% (27) of the 54 LIFE projects in the Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal lagoons comprised a worksite on ecological restoration. Eighteen finalized projects, all realized after 2008, have been sufficiently documented for our analysis. The ecological restoration works included (i) removing solid waste and alien invasive species, (ii) re-building lagoons, (iii) creating islets for bird colonies, (iv) restoring the hydrodynamics of the lagoons, and (v) restoring and protecting vegetation. The latter includes submerged aquatic vegetation in the lagoons, halophytes on tidal flats and in fringing salt marshes, freshwater marsh plants, and dune vegetation. Abandoned salt works (Salinas), originally created within the coastal lagoons or on their shoreline, represent significant areas that can be managed for conservation or restoration. Coastal lagoons are transitional waters, and successful restoration of water quality and aquatic communities must include the concept of the aquatic continuum. Combating eutrophication requires managing the watersheds of the lagoons to drastically decrease nutrient loadings. Unfortunately, these issues have only been marginally addressed by the LIFE projects, as they were too often limited by the perimeter of the Natura 2000 sites. In principle, the Water Framework Directive takes care of these issues and, according to an integrative vision, links them with the protected Natura 2000 sites. In practice, however, the LIFE projects and the water policies in the member states still suffer from sectorial approaches.

show abstract

Section: Interventions In Hydrodynamics For Ecological Restorationsupporting

confidence: 59%

Section: Interventions In Hydrodynamics For Ecological Restorationmentioning

confidence: 99%

European LIFE Projects Dedicated to Ecological Restoration in Mediterranean and Black Sea Coastal Lagoons

Wit

Boutin

2023

Environments

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As planned, the restoration of salinity gradient was reached in the intervention area of 70 ha. Indeed, starting from >30 (annual mean salinity before project) at the whole area, the salinity has resulted less than 5, in 5 ha; less than 15, in 25 ha; and less than 25, in 70 ha after the interventions (Feola et al, 2022).…”

Section: Restoration Of Salinity Gradientmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The period to assess these results was set within 5 years after the end of the project and monitoring activities are still ongoing. Currently the result concerning salinity gradient was achieved (Feola et al, 2022), and the first outcomes of fish fauna assessments indicated a quite positive response (see Species increasing). Based on expectations, the other indicators for habitat structures and functions will take a longer time to respond to the environmental changes.…”

Section: Habitat Restorationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation actions for restoring the coastal lagoon habitats: Strategy and multidisciplinary approach of LIFE Lagoon Refresh

et al. 2022

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Habitat Directive of European Union lists Costal Lagoons (habitat code 1150*) among priority habitats because they are in danger of disappearance. Natural ecosystems may recover from anthropogenic perturbations; however, the recovery can follow natural restoration or it can be redirected through ecological restoration by anthropogenic intervention. Accordingly, by collecting the available theoretical indications for restoration of estuarine and coastal areas, a methodological approach was detailed andit can be summarised into five issues: (i) Environmental context from which it began; (ii) Desired state to be achieved; (iii) Policies and socio-economic context; (iv) Typology of recovery and/or improvement of habitats and ecosystems; and (v) Methods for monitoring the impact of the project. The project strategy, management and measures of LIFE Lagoon Refresh were also presented and discussed, as a case study for the implementation of the multidisciplinary approach for restoration ecology in transitional waters. The project takes place in the northern Venice Lagoon (Italy), started in 2017 and it lasts 5 years. In the Venice Lagoon, since the 20th century, strong reductions of the typical salinity gradient of buffer areas between lagoon and mainland, and of reedbed extensions have occurred due to historic human interventions, with negative consequences on coastal lagoon habitats. To improve the conservation status of habitats and biodiversity of the area, the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project included several conservative actions, which are (i) the diversion of a freshwater flow from the Sile River into the lagoon; (ii) the restoration of intertidal morphology, through biodegradable structures; (iii) the reed and aquatic angiosperm transplantations with the involvement of local fishermen and hunters, and (iv) the reduction of hunting and fishing pressures in the intervention area. To achieve the restoration of the lagoon environment, the strategy of the project covered a combination of different aspects and tools, such as planning activities, through the involvement of local Institutions and communities; stakeholder’s involvement to increase awareness of environment conservation and socioeconomic value improvement; an ecological engineering approach; numerical models as supporting tool for planning and managing of conservation actions; environmental monitoring performed before and after the conservation actions.

show abstract

“…The role of valli da pesca as buffers and as conservation opportunities leads also to consider how important it might be to restore a buffer strip between the land and the lagoon, which has been lost in some areas. As the valli da pesca prove to be effective in maintaining saltmarshes, reed meadows and ecological gradients, similarly it might be useful to consider ecological restoration efforts in areas that are most affected by the transfiguration of the original lagoon landscape (Feola et al, 2022).…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 99%

Like little lagoons: the contribution of valli da pesca to the Ecosystem Services supply of the Venice Lagoon

Stocco¹,

Basconi²,

Rova³

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Venice lagoon social-ecological system is characterized by a strong relationship between the natural environment and human activities. This is especially noticeable in the aquaculture and hunting reserves of the lagoon, locally known as valli da pesca. Previous works about Ecosystem Services (ESs) in the Venice lagoon focused on the so-called “open lagoon”, overlooking the role of the valli da pesca. Nonetheless, despite being completely managed ecosystems, the valli da pesca have conserved typical elements of transitional water environments that the other parts of the lagoon have lost. By evaluating nine ESs using a spatially explicit approach, we found that the valli da pesca, despite covering 17% of the surface, are contributing for 38% of the ESs total capacity, and for 24% of the ESs total flow, in comparison to the open part of the lagoon. Moreover, the management that aims to maximize in a perspective of sustainability some provisioning ESs, such as extensive aquaculture, can positively influence the presence of factors on which other ESs capacity is also based. As a result, the open lagoon benefits from a sort of spill-over effect for lifecycle support, hunting, and cultural ESs such as tourism, information for cognitive development, and birdwatching. Such significant contributions could be endangered in the context of a lagoon subjected to increasing pressures from anthropic activities, where adaptations to impacts, as well as to climate change and sea-level rise effects, in the long run, will modify the lagoon hydrodynamics and the sea-lagoon connectivity, threatening the valli da pesca and so their ESs supply.

show abstract

An Integrated Approach for Evaluating the Restoration of the Salinity Gradient in Transitional Waters: Monitoring and Numerical Modeling in the Life Lagoon Refresh Case Study

Cited by 9 publications

References 42 publications

European LIFE Projects Dedicated to Ecological Restoration in Mediterranean and Black Sea Coastal Lagoons

European LIFE Projects Dedicated to Ecological Restoration in Mediterranean and Black Sea Coastal Lagoons

Conservation actions for restoring the coastal lagoon habitats: Strategy and multidisciplinary approach of LIFE Lagoon Refresh

Like little lagoons: the contribution of valli da pesca to the Ecosystem Services supply of the Venice Lagoon

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About