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S1518 Coastal Wetlands, Lagoons and Estuaries: Environmental Monitoring and Management (Sustainable Development Sp. Track)

Silvestri Sonia

What are the main environmental issues in coastal lagoons and estuaries? What are the chief physical processes driving them? Why should we maintain coastal wetlands? Lagoons, deltas and estuaries are subject to rapid and sometimes extreme changes, in response to natural and anthropogenic pressures. Importantly, the responses are not just related to physical processes, such as sediment dynamics induced by hydrodynamic patterns or extreme meteorological events, but also to ecological dynamics, in connection with vegetation cover, and the biological status of the sediments. Beside their evident ecological importance, coastal humid areas are often the location of important human settlements and the centre of relevant social/cultural interests. In fact, direct or indirect human interference has produced in the past - and is still producing - rapid morphological and ecological modifications of estuaries and lagoons worldwide. Venice and its lagoon are a well-documented and representative example of the possible outcomes of human-natural systems interactions in coastal environments.
The course is designed for both a technical and non-technical audience in that it addresses general environmental issues in lagoons, estuaries/deltas and wetlands. The main processes driving change in these environments will be presented, as well as the dominant eco-morphological processes, in terms of how they respond to pressures like changing sea levels and water quality issues related to sustaining marshes and aquaculture. The course will use the history of the Venice lagoon, as well as descriptions of its more recent modifications, as an illustration of the issues connected with changes in coastal lagoons and estuaries driven by human impacts, induced climatic changes, and natural environmental dynamics. Adaptation measures to rising sea levels will be discussed, with particular reference to the MOSE system, the system of barriers currently being constructed to protect the city of Venice from extreme high tides.
The course will also focus on observing, monitoring, and environmental assessment: the necessary basis for management policies. Wetland functions, hydrology, decomposition, community habitat, and productivity will be discussed in an ecosystem context. Against this background the use of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment and erosion control will also be presented. Students will acquire familiarity with various monitoring technologies, with particular interest for satellite remote-sensing tools (this part will be synergistic with the course “Introduction to satellite remote sensing of coastal environments”). Applications to the Venice Lagoon will also be discussed in detail through hands-on projects.

 

Course objectives and outcomes
- To develop (1) an understanding of the main natural and anthropogenic drivers of the evolution of environments subjected to tidal forcings, including both biotic and abiotic components; (2) a conceptual understanding of wetland preservation and restoration concepts and related topics; (3) the ability to analyze resource and management problems in coastal restoration.
- To analyze (1) wetland functions, ecosystem services and management strategies for wetland and coastal restoration; (2) specific examples of protection/restoration activities applied in the Venice Lagoon.
- To develop (1) an understanding of how in-situ and remote sensing observations can support our understanding of coastal ecological and morphological dynamics.
- To provide students with (1) the opportunity for reviewing and discussing restoration procedures and restoration assessments; (2) experience in leading a seminar and critiquing research papers.

 

Several modes of teaching are utilized: lectures, readings (readings in research articles are critiqued and students are asked to prepare a written analysis of articles), digital data analysis in the computer lab. Three field trips in the Venice Lagoon by boat will be utilized, to visit restored salt marshes, barrier islands protection structures and the MOSE system.

 

Course duration and organization
The global course duration is 13 weeks + 1 week for the exams.
In general there are 2 lessons/labs per week (90 minutes each), for a total of 3 hrs per week.
5 lessons will be taught from remote (from Duke University) while all the other lessons and labs will be hold in Venice.
Total lecture hours: 24 hours
Total computer lab sessions: 12 hours
Total field trip duration: 18 hours.

 

Resources
A computer lab with 20 work stations or PCs fully equipped with software for GIS data analysis, plus the assistance of Dr. Ludovica Galeazzo for lab sessions. One projector. Fast Internet connection for remote teaching.


Field Trips:

The 3 field trips are mandatory and will be organized on the following dates:
March 13 Field trip to the Venice lagoon salt marshes
March 20 Field trip to Murazzi
May 15 Field trip to MOSE