Natural Recovery and Planned Intervention in Coastal Wetlands: Venice Lagoon (Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy) as a Case Study

A significant reduction in eutrophication and macroalgal biomass, alongside the expansion of seagrass meadows, was observed in Venice Lagoon over a 16-year period following natural recovery processes and planned interventions to reduce nutrient inputs. The study, conducted between 1987 and 2003, demonstrated that decreases in total nitrogen, organic phosphorus, and organic carbon concentrations in sediment correlated with ecological improvements. Additionally, the shift from illegal to managed Manila clam farming contributed to these positive changes. Researchers analyzed nutrient and carbon levels in sediments alongside macroalgal and seagrass biomass using consistent survey protocols across four time points.

Facca, C., Ceoldo, S., Pellegrino, N., & Sfriso, A. (2014). Natural Recovery and Planned Intervention in Coastal Wetlands: Venice Lagoon (Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy) as a Case Study. The Scientific World Journal, 2014, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/968618