Commissioned: Consorzio Venezia Nuova
Period: 2009-2011
Country: Italia
The general purpose of Study C.1.10 is to assess the environmental and ecological value of newly created shoal and mudflat habitats in the Venice Lagoon, with a particular focus on the relationship between the type of sediment used to create the habitat and the quality of the habitat. In order to achieve this objective, a series of samples will be taken from specific sites to characterize the principal plant and animal communities in the wetland and submerged habitats.As part of this study, Thetis has been requested to produce the following:
• A survey of national and international case studies relating to the construction of artificial shoal and mudflat habitats;
• An assessment of bioaccumulation in the tissues of representative organisms from certain sites included in the study;
• An analysis of the structure of the trophic webs in the newly created habitats;
• An integrated analysis of the sectoral data;
• An analysis of the relationship between biodiversity and the services provided by the newly created habitats.
Thetis is also coordinating the activities of a panel of international experts from the Sustainable Solutions Institute and the Scripps Institution, both at the University of California at San Diego (USA). The panel is providing continuous scientific supervision of the entire project.
