Ecological Effect of Differently Treated Wooden Materials on Microalgal Biofilm Formation in the Grado Lagoon (Northern Adriatic Sea).

Within the framework of the Interreg Italy-Slovenia programme, the project DuraSoft aimed at testing innovative technologies to improve the durability of traditional wooden structures in socio-ecologically sensitive environments. We focused on the impact of different wood treatments (i.e.

The Impact of MOSE (Experimental Electromechanical Module) Flood Barriers on Microphytobenthic Community of the Venice Lagoon.

MOSE is a system of mobile gates engineered to temporarily isolate the Venice Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea and to protect the city from flooding during extreme high tides. Within the framework of the Venezia2021 program, we conducted two experiments in July 2019 (over 48 h) and October 2020 (over 28 h) by means of 18 mesocosms, in order to simulate the structural alterations that microphytobenthos (MPB) assemblages might encounter when the MOSE system is operational. The reduced hydrodynamics inside the mesocosms favored the deposition of organic matter and the sinking of cells from the water column towards the sediment.

Ecological time series and integrative taxonomy unveil seasonality and diversity of the toxic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia H. Peragallo in the northern Adriatic Sea.

Pseudo-nitzschia H. Peragallo (1900) is a globally distributed genus of pennate diatoms that are important components of phytoplankton communities worldwide. Some members of the genus produce the neurotoxin domoic acid, so regular monitoring is in place.