Italy - The Orbetello Lagoon and the Tuscan Coast
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14.2 The Orbetello Lagoon
The Orbetello Lagoon, with an area of 2600 ha, is located at the southern
coast of Tuscany. It is bounded by two sand dunes which follow the
coastline as far as Monte Argentario. The lagoon is divided into two
basins (western and eastern) by the Orbetello isthmus and by a dam
which connects Orbetello to Argentario (Fig. 14.1). The lagoon is connected to the sea by three canals: the 1.5-km-Iong Ansedonia canal running
east, the O.5-km-long Nassa canal going west, and the Fibbia canal which
leads 3 km to the north.
14.2.1 Physicochemical Parameters
Since 1975, the physicochemical parameters of the Orbetello Lagoon have
shown wider and wider fluctuations, even over short periods, while the
content of dissolved phosphorus and nitrogen salts have shown a
discontinuous progress with irregular variations over recent years {Cognetti
et al. 1978; Lenzi and Angelini 1985; Caprioli et al. 1988; Table 14.0.
14.2.2 Economic Activities and Eutrophication
The resident population of about 12 000 people has been stable since
1975, however, tourism results in considerable demographic fluctuations.
Table 14.1. Ranges of some physical and chemical parameters in the central zone of the western basin of the
Orbetello lagoon
Parameter
pH
Temperature (0 C)
Salinity (PSU)
Oxgen (cm 3 dm -3)
NW-N (J.lmol dm- 3 )
N02_N (J.lmol dm -3)
No3_N (J.lmol dm- 3 )
P04_N (J.lmol dm- 3 )
N: P atomic ratio
Range
7.25-8.6
21-30
39-50
2-37
<0.0001-0.72
< 0.0001-0.42
<0.0001-22.4
< 0.0001-0.14
111402-0.22
Sources: Maldura (1935), Cognetti et al. (1978), Lenzi and
Angelini (1984, unpubl. data), Caprioli et al. (1988, 1989),
TEl (1989), Bassano et al. (1993), Local Sanitary Agency
(1993, pers. comm.).
333
14.2 The Orbetello Lagoon
The Orbetello Lagoon, with an area of 2600 ha, is located at the southern
coast of Tuscany. It is bounded by two sand dunes which follow the
coastline as far as Monte Argentario. The lagoon is divided into two
basins (western and eastern) by the Orbetello isthmus and by a dam
which connects Orbetello to Argentario (Fig. 14.1). The lagoon is connected to the sea by three canals: the 1.5-km-Iong Ansedonia canal running
east, the O.5-km-long Nassa canal going west, and the Fibbia canal which
leads 3 km to the north.
14.2.1 Physicochemical Parameters
Since 1975, the physicochemical parameters of the Orbetello Lagoon have
shown wider and wider fluctuations, even over short periods, while the
content of dissolved phosphorus and nitrogen salts have shown a
discontinuous progress with irregular variations over recent years {Cognetti
et al. 1978; Lenzi and Angelini 1985; Caprioli et al. 1988; Table 14.0.
14.2.2 Economic Activities and Eutrophication
The resident population of about 12 000 people has been stable since
1975, however, tourism results in considerable demographic fluctuations.
Table 14.1. Ranges of some physical and chemical parameters in the central zone of the western basin of the
Orbetello lagoon
Parameter
pH
Temperature (0 C)
Salinity (PSU)
Oxgen (cm 3 dm -3)
NW-N (J.lmol dm- 3 )
N02_N (J.lmol dm -3)
No3_N (J.lmol dm- 3 )
P04_N (J.lmol dm- 3 )
N: P atomic ratio
Range
7.25-8.6
21-30
39-50
2-37
<0.0001-0.72
< 0.0001-0.42
<0.0001-22.4
< 0.0001-0.14
111402-0.22
Sources: Maldura (1935), Cognetti et al. (1978), Lenzi and
Angelini (1984, unpubl. data), Caprioli et al. (1988, 1989),
TEl (1989), Bassano et al. (1993), Local Sanitary Agency
(1993, pers. comm.).