Transplants in the lagoon: the phanerogams repopulate sea floors

The transplant of phanerograms in the lagoon has been successful. The ecological state of the repopulated areas with prairies of aquatic plants is improving. This is what the preliminary results of the European project SeResto say, co-financed by the European Union through the Life program, coordinated by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and conducted in collaboration with the Superior Institute for the Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), the Provveditorato Interregionale per le Opere Pubbliche, and the Laguna Venexiana NGO.

The results of the first three years of work will be presented in an open meeting to the public on Friday 24th February from 9.45 in Ca Foscari's Santa Margherita Auditorium.

Of the 35 transplant sites, 33 have been successful. Where the plants are present from the first campaign in 2014, the quality of the ecologic state has moved from “scarce” to “good”. The area of interest, the Upper Lagoon of Venice, is classified as of ‘community interest’ for Europe. The objective of the project is to provide re-colonization of the pastures of aquatic plants, above all with the transplant of Zostera marina and Zostera noltei (Zosterella).

“The consolidation and reinstatement of the natural habitat of the lagoon is already contributing to the good ecologic state of water bodies of the lagoon, favoring the growth of biodiversity and ecosystemic services provided by a lagoon atmosphere in good ecological conditions” explained Adriano Sfriso, scientific coordinator for the project and Ecology professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics. “For example, we're seeing improvements in the quality of water and the “sequestration” of CO2, increments of fish productivity and in the number of birds, and a return to recreational use for activities of eco-tourism. The success of the re-colonization can be obstructed by the influence of the mouths of rivers, by high concentrations of nutrients, especially of phosphorus, and the presence of opportunistic microalgae”.

A peculiarity of the project is the involvement of the local community: the transplants and cure of new sites of colonization are carried out by members of active, long-term lagoon amateur associations, with the supervision of scientific experts.

The title of the project is “Habitat 1150* (Coastal lagoon) recovery by SEagrass RESTOration. A new strategic approach to meet HD & WFD objectives”. Supported by the contribution from financial tool LIFE of the European Union that contributes to 75% of the total cost of the project (1,563,898 Euros).