The Sacca di Goro is a large coastal lagoon belonging to the Po Delta System in the northern Adriatic Sea. Source for fisheries for centuries, its environment has been deeply modified, representing nowadays an example of mariculture. An integrated management of the system is fundamental to maintain its delicate ecological balance and safeguard the quality of both the water and the seabed. In this context, the CASCADE project allows for a more effective and informed decision-making process through the integration of observations and modelling approaches. The CMCC webinar below presents the work done within the project to ensure optimal monitoring of the area.
Changes in the benthic and phytoplankton communities were observed by using innovative technology, such as imaging from drones, that provided insights on how those populations varied in the past decades. Additionally, modelling approaches are being implemented for the system which allow for a better understanding of its dynamics, the interaction with the surrounding Adriatic Sea and the effects on physical and biogeochemical variables. The knowledge acquired and the new technologies developed will certainly help in finding the right trade-off between conservation and exploitation of the transitional waters of this important ecosystem.
