Long-term changes of the trophic status in transitional ecosystems of the northern Adriatic Sea, key parameters and future expectations: The lagoon of Venice as a study case

The lagoon of Venice has shown significant improvement in its ecological status since 2010, following decades of anthropogenic impacts. This recovery is marked by a notable reduction in nutrient concentrations both in the water column and surface sediments, alongside a shift towards higher ecological value macrophyte species while opportunistic ones like Ulvaceae are declining. The study leverages long-term datasets—nutrient data since 1948 and macroalgal maps since 1980—to analyze trophic changes and project future environmental trajectories. This research underscores the effectiveness of ongoing conservation efforts in transitional ecosystems, providing a model for managing similar sites under the European Water Framework Directive (WFD).

Sfriso, A., Buosi, A., Mistri, M., Munari, C., Franzoi, P., & Sfriso, A. A. (2019). Long-term changes of the trophic status in transitional ecosystems of the northern Adriatic Sea, key parameters and future expectations: The lagoon of Venice as a study case. Nature Conservation, 34, 193–215. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.34.30473