PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The project was implemented in the Venetian Lagoon, which is the biggest transitional environment in Mediterranean Sea. Priority habitat no. 1150* (Coastal lagoons) covers an area of around 3 660 ha in the northern part of the lagoon and aquatic angiosperm meadows play a crucial role in its preservation, supporting numerous biologic communities that characterise this type of environment and increasing the stability of the tidal flats. Over the past few decades, aquatic angiosperm meadows have receded significantly in the lagoon as a consequence of human activities. Recent regulations limited such disturbance by reducing the nutrient inflow from the watershed and regulating clam harvesting. However, limiting hydrodynamic circulation in coastal ponds and in the choked areas of the lagoons prevents meadows from being able to naturally recolonise shallow areas.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE–SeResto project aimed to:
- Restore and consolidate water habitat no. 1150* by transplanting submerged plants;
- Contribute to the achievement of good ecological status for transitional water bodies and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed actions to contributing to the objectives set in the Framework Water Directive; and
- Quantify and highlight the value of ecosystem services provided by the lagoon environment and particularly by the angiosperm meadows in habitats no. 1150*.
RESULTS
The LIFE-SeResto project implemented measures to restore the priority habitat ‘coastal lagoons’ (EU Habitats Directive habitat type 1150), covering an area of around 3 660 ha in the northern Venice lagoon (north-eastern Italy). In these coastal lagoons, angiosperm aquatic meadows play a crucial role in supporting numerous species and communities typical of this environment. Over the past few decades, angiosperm meadows have receded significantly in the lagoon as a consequence of human activities (e.g. nutrient inflow from the watershed and clam harvesting).
The project team improved the conservation status of the coastal lagoons habitat by transplanting submerged angiosperms with an innovative transplantation system. At the end of the project, a total of 75 161 rhizomes had been spread in the target area. The degree of covering at the end of the project varied zone-by-zone, but, considering the colonisation in the entire northern lagoon basin (36 km2), angiosperms are now covering about 10 km2 with plant patches at different densities, and for about 4 km2 there is now a continuous angiosperm prairie.
Monitoring performed on macrophytes, fish fauna and benthic macroinvertebrates has confirmed the role of aquatic angiosperm meadows in supporting well-structured biological communities. This has led to an increase in biodiversity and to a higher quality ecological status (from scarce to good) in the sites characterised by the colonisation of these plants.
The evaluation of the ecosystem services provided by coastal lagoons at project end gave local stakeholders a positive perception of the impact of the project in the target area: 74% of the stakeholders interviewed have observed an increase in angiosperm cover in the project area from 2014; 79% of hunters observed an increase of bird abundance; and 54% of fishermen observed an increase in fish abundance.
The project team have also successfully disseminated their activities through seminars, conferences, publications, and by reaching numerous local stakeholders and authorities, the general public, as well as more specialised groups.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).
