15 Italy-The Lagoon of Venice
A. SFRISO and A. MARCOMINI
15.1 Introduction
Although the Italian rock and shore coastline extends for about 3000 km
into the Mediterranean Sea and includes several estuarine and lagoon flat
areas, knowledge of the vegetation and especially the changes in relation
to eutrophication is still very poor. Some papers report on the flora
vegetation along the sea coast, especially for the Adriatic Sea (Pignatti
and de Cristini 1966; Solazzi 1966, 1968; Giaccone and Pignatti 1967;
Giaccone 1974) and the Tyrrhenian Sea (Cinelli et al. 1979; Buia et al.
1985a,b; Buia and Mazzella 1991; Buia et al. 1992). Many of these works
take into account seagrasses only and are poor in reporting the changes
of vegetation over time. The situation is quite different for lagoons such
as Orbetello and Venice, or Sacca di Goro in the Po delta. During the last
decades, all these lagoons were found to be exposed to hypertrophic and
dystrophic conditions which were considered to be responsible for the
observed changes. In the case of Sacca di Goro, comparative data with
the past are lacking and only recent vegetation maps are available
(Piccoli et al. 1991). In contrast, the Orbetello lagoon is well known for
both its plant populations and changes induced by increasing eutrophication (Lenzi 1984; Caprioli et al. 1988; Izzo 1988; Mittempergher et al. 1988;
Naviglio et al. 1988; Bucci et al. 1990). The more comprehensive available
data on macrophytes refer to the lagoon of Venice.
The taxonomy of the macrophytes living in the lagoon of Venice has
been extensively studied since the second half of the nineteenth century.
Several reports with descriptions and drawings of macroalgae were published (Zanardini 1876; de Toni and Levi 1885, 1886, 1888; Sighel 1938;
Department of Environmental Science, University of Venice, Calle Larga S. Marta 2137,
30123 Venice, Italy
Ecological Studies, Vol. 123
Schramm/Nienhuis (eds) Marine Benthic Vegetation
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1996
A. SFRISO and A. MARCOMINI
15.1 Introduction
Although the Italian rock and shore coastline extends for about 3000 km
into the Mediterranean Sea and includes several estuarine and lagoon flat
areas, knowledge of the vegetation and especially the changes in relation
to eutrophication is still very poor. Some papers report on the flora
vegetation along the sea coast, especially for the Adriatic Sea (Pignatti
and de Cristini 1966; Solazzi 1966, 1968; Giaccone and Pignatti 1967;
Giaccone 1974) and the Tyrrhenian Sea (Cinelli et al. 1979; Buia et al.
1985a,b; Buia and Mazzella 1991; Buia et al. 1992). Many of these works
take into account seagrasses only and are poor in reporting the changes
of vegetation over time. The situation is quite different for lagoons such
as Orbetello and Venice, or Sacca di Goro in the Po delta. During the last
decades, all these lagoons were found to be exposed to hypertrophic and
dystrophic conditions which were considered to be responsible for the
observed changes. In the case of Sacca di Goro, comparative data with
the past are lacking and only recent vegetation maps are available
(Piccoli et al. 1991). In contrast, the Orbetello lagoon is well known for
both its plant populations and changes induced by increasing eutrophication (Lenzi 1984; Caprioli et al. 1988; Izzo 1988; Mittempergher et al. 1988;
Naviglio et al. 1988; Bucci et al. 1990). The more comprehensive available
data on macrophytes refer to the lagoon of Venice.
The taxonomy of the macrophytes living in the lagoon of Venice has
been extensively studied since the second half of the nineteenth century.
Several reports with descriptions and drawings of macroalgae were published (Zanardini 1876; de Toni and Levi 1885, 1886, 1888; Sighel 1938;
Department of Environmental Science, University of Venice, Calle Larga S. Marta 2137,
30123 Venice, Italy
Ecological Studies, Vol. 123
Schramm/Nienhuis (eds) Marine Benthic Vegetation
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1996