<p>This work analyzes and quantifies the value of ecosystem services in the <em>P.oceanica</em> meadows of the Italian seas, defining methodological approaches and creating synoptic maps through the use of GIS. Ecosystem Services can be defined as benefits provided to mankind by natural ecosystems. Their contribution is essential for human progress and of fundamental importance in the long run.</p><p><em>Posidonia oceanica</em> was chosen as the object of study because its meadows represent one of the Mediterranean "climax community". <em>P. oceanica</em> is, therefore, one of the most important ecosystem in the Mediterranean and has been indicated as "priority habitat" according to the Habitat Directive (Dir. N. 92/43 / EEC), which groups together all the Sites of Community Importance (SCI) that need to be protected.</p><p>The method of evaluating the ecosystem services for <em>P.oceanica</em> is derived from what reported in Costanza et al. (1997) applying the specific site approach for the definition of benefits and services (Marcelli et al. 2018).</p><p>The identified benefits for <em>P.oceanica</em> are carbon sequestration, oxygen production, erosion protection, bioremediation and food production.</p><p><em>P.oceanica</em> data are organized from the dataset collected by the Italian Institute for the Protection of the Environment and Research (ISPRA) for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and include parameters such as coverage and shoots number (m<sup>2</sup>), average leaf area, leaf area index, average number of leaves, average height of the rhizomes, average foliar and rhizomes production. The data were used for the calculation of the benefits of <em>P. oceanica</em> which are represented in synoptic maps through GIS with the creation of the Atlas of the values &#8203;&#8203;of ecosystem services in the Italian seas.</p>
Abstract Among marine ecosystems globally, those in the Mediterranean Sea, are facing many threats. New technologies are crucial for enhancing our understanding of marine habitats and ecosystems, which can be complex and resource-intensive to analyse using traditional techniques. We tested, for the first time, an integrated multi-platform approach for mapping the coastal benthic habitat in the Civitavecchia (northern Latium, Italy) coastal area. This approach includes the use of an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV), and in situ measurements of ecosystem functionality. The echosounder data allowed us to reconstruct the distribution of bottom types, as well as the canopy height and coverage of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica . Our study further involved assessing the respiration (Rd) and net primary production (NCP) rates of P. oceanica and its associated community through in situ benthic chamber incubation. By combining these findings with the results of USV surveys, we were able to develop a preliminary spatial distribution model for P. oceanica primary production (PP-SDM). The P. oceanica PP-SDM was applied between the depths of 8 and 10 m in the studied area and the obtained results showed similarities with other sites in the Mediterranean Sea. Though in the early stages, our results highlight the significance of multi-platform observation data for a thorough exploration of marine ecosystems, emphasizing their utility in forecasting biogeochemical processes in the marine environment.
According to the Water Framework Directive, harbours that are classified as heavily modified water bodies must either reach or maintain good ecological potential. Moreover, following the marine spatial planning principles, the effects of port structure changes on water quality must also be considered. To support the sustainable management of harbour waters, we calculated flushing time (FT) through the use of a numerical model within the Civitavecchia port under different scenarios. To assess the effects of the realization of new infrastructure that will significantly alter the port configuration in the coming years, we also developed the flushing efficiency index (FEI). The increase in the harbour basin size due to the embankment extension result in high values of FT, particularly in the inner part of the port, in accordance with the highest values of the enrichment factor of the trace metals found in the sediment. The deterioration of water quality is confirmed by negative FEI values. Otherwise, the index assumes positive values after the realization of a second entrance in the southern part of Civitavecchia port, highlighting a drastic improvement in harbour water renewal. This study provides a low-cost and predictive tool to correctly address environmentally sustainable management of port activities.
This study reports the quantification and analysis of the ecosystem services (ESs) value of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile (1813) meadows in Italy (Liguria, Tuscany, Latium, Campania, Calabria, Apulia, Sardinia, and Sicily regions). The ES evaluation method of P. oceanica meadows applied in this study was obtained from a previous study in which the site-specific approach for the definition of the benefits and services was applied. The distribution of P. oceanica and the ESs economic value have been managed through an open-source geographic information system (QGIS), focusing on five essential ESs: carbon sequestration, bioremediation, oxygen production, erosion protection, and food production. The average value of the ESs obtained on the Italian national scale is €21,660.5 ha−1 yr−1, which is comparable with the values reported in the international literature concerning P. oceanica ESs. The results of this study confirm that the economic evaluation of ESs is an essential tool for the management of the coastal marine environment, especially considering the modularity of the applied approach. The value of the total benefits, considering the entire extension of the national P. oceanica meadows, represents significant value with respect to the Italian gross domestic product, and the individual budgets of the considered Italian regions.
In the context of international guidelines for the protection and conservation of biodiversity in natural environments, the assessment of the effects of human pressure on marine ecosystems assumes a key role. The scientific community has recognised Macroalgae and marine phanerogams as useful bioindicators, thanks to their considerable biomass, permanence, spectral retrieval and ease of identification. Remote sensing technology provides spatially synoptic and near real-time measurements that can be effectively used to detect pollution phenomena. However, remote sensing techniques, especially if applied in coastal areas, need correction and validation through in situ data collection. In the framework of the STOPP project “Strumenti e Tecniche di Osservazione della Terra in Prossimità e Persistenza” funded by Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), one of the main goals is the use of innovative aerial platforms, equipped with multispectral sensors, to monitor the impacts of anthropogenic pollution on benthic coastal marine ecosystems. In this work, we present the advances of the experimental activities aimed at analyzing the changes of the spectral signatures in response to different pollutant exposures in laboratory-controlled conditions, identifying the optimized protocol to detect the "target wavelengths" on seagrasses and macroalgae species. These results are useful for evaluating the feasibility of an innovative methodology for monitoring and mapping marine submerged vegetation through remote sensing.
Abstract In this study, sedimentological and geochronological data from sections of a core (GRT50) collected in the Northern Latium coastal area were compared to data on pluviometric (rainfall) trends, river flows and the temporal evolution of human interventions in the three most important hydrographic basins (Mignone, Marta and Fiora) of this coastal area. The statistical analysis of pluviometric trends identified variations due to a decreasing trend in the Fiora river basin, whereas in the two other locations the decrease was not so significant. Data from the sedimentological analysis of the core confirmed a progressive decrease in the sandy component, which declined from about 30% to the current level of 7% over the last 36 years. There was no significant variation in the sediment mass accumulation rates (MAR), which were characterized by an almost cyclic trend that was probably determined by the most intense floods in the study area. The results revealed that the variations caused by the fluvial processes have affected the water runoff of the Fiora River, and that the consequent decrease in the sand production has been responsible for the recession of beaches in the coastal area between Tarquinia and Montalto di Castro.
<p>The coast is the &#8220;hinge&#8221; between two environments: the continental shelf and the emerged lands. The coastal environment is strongly dynamic, as a result of the differential action of the marine weather forcings on the geomorphological structures. It has a fundamental ecological and biological role but at the same time, it is home to many industrial activities. The spatial overlap of very different and sometimes incompatible coastal uses often causes damage to habitats and ecological communities.</p><p>In this work, the morphological and sedimentological characteristics of some beaches included in the Physiographic Unit Capo Linaro - Capo Anzio (Latium, Italy) were investigated. The physical characteristics of the beaches and the changes in the morphological structure, from the dune to the shoreline, between winter and summer were examined, to acquire useful data for the analysis of the sedimentary balance and the seasonal evolution of the shoreline. Four beach areas, between Marina di Cerveteri in the north and Castel Porziano in the south, which present a morphology relatively undisturbed by human action, were investigated.</p><p>The sedimentological characteristics were examined by analyzing sediment samples, while volumetric variation between the winter and summer seasons were obtained using two distinct methods: a graphical reconstruction of the trend of the beach profile and a mathematical-analytical methodology. During summer, the morphological profiles showed a less articulated structure than in the winter, with an elongation of the beach profile. Textural variations were observed between the summer and winter periods, but these variations are not isolated in single slope breaks and occur along with the entire morphological profile. Finally, the analytical method for the volumetric calculation is reliable especially in poorly articulated topographical situations (discrepancies with the graphical method of less than 2%).</p><p>This work was carried out as part of the "FIUMICINO-1" research program, funded by the Port System Authority of the Central Northern Tyrrhenian Sea.</p>
<p>The potential effects of anthropic pressures on the coastal marine environment are difficult to predict due to the high spatial and temporal variability of the physical and biological processes occurring in the coastal area. To overcome this issue, an innovative coastal observing and modelling system has been implemented along the Latium coast (Italy). The core of the modelling suite is composed of the unstructured-grid hydrodynamic SHYFEM and wave WW3 models to allow to compute the temperature, salinity, current velocity, water levels and wave parameters, seamlessly from the open sea to the coastal waters. The hydrodynamic and wave results were then used within process-oriented models (such as XBEACH, PTM, Leeway Lagrangian particles models) to analyse morphological changes, sediment dynamics and pollutant dispersion in the coastal, riverine and near-port areas.</p><p>In this work, the modelling suite was used to investigate the potential effects on the soft-bottom benthic communities due to the realization of the new port of Fiumicino, located in the coastal zone affected by the Tiber river dynamic. The coastal dynamic processes along the study area were simulated using different weather conditions, before and after the realization of the new harbour. Hydrodynamic and wave model performance was evaluated using in-situ and remote sensing observations carried out by high-resolution satellite imageries and traditional and innovative in-situ platforms. Finally, the model results were compared with the abundance and composition of the benthic community that was analysed in 25 stations, between 2 and 30 m depth.</p>
The complex processes that occur in river delta areas cannot be fully resolved using traditional structured-mesh models. A seamless unstructured-grid approach could support advances in the estimation and modeling of such dynamics across scales. In this paper, a river–coastal–ocean continuum modeling representation was developed for the Tiber River delta, including surrounding coastal areas and open-ocean zones along the Lazio coast (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Using temperature and salinity profiles acquired from historical data of near-river CTD, we demonstrate that this representation reproduces the coastal dynamic processes in the Tiber delta zone better than the classic coastal–ocean representation, minimizing the need for calibration and sensitivity experiments. The model results are compared to a large amount of new observational data (temperature, salinity, and surface currents) obtained specifically to investigate multiple spatial and temporal processes (open-ocean, coastal and near- and along-river). In general, the model shows good overall accuracy, also in reproducing salt wedge intrusion along the southern Tiber branch. Moreover, the results suggest the presence of an anticyclonic gyre in the vicinity of the river mouth of the northern branch that is induced mainly by river discharge and coastal morphology. Owing to its capacity to simulate multi-scale processes in a seamless fashion from the open ocean to the river delta zone, this model can be implemented in the near future within an operational framework to support coastal forecasting activities and deliver useful and reliable ocean information.
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