Mapping past and recent landscape modifications in the Lagoon of Venice through geophysical surveys and historical maps

Madricardo, Fantina; Donnici, Sandra

doi:10.1016/j.ancene.2014.11.001

Cited by 30 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…During the Early Pleistocene, the basin experienced deep‐water deposition, before being filled up with about 750 m of shallowing‐upward deposits, varying from turbidites to shallow marine and alluvial sediments (Massari et al ., ). The Venice Lagoon formed during the last 7500 years as a consequence of the Holocene transgression, which promoted the formation of several back‐barrier lagoonal systems in the northern epicontinental Adriatic shelf, through the flooding of a Late Pleistocene alluvial‐plain (Madricardo et al ., , ; Zecchin et al ., , ; Tosi et al ., , ; Fontana et al ., ; Madricardo & Donnici, ). The modern Venice Lagoon (Fig.…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tidal currents and wind waves controlling sediment distribution in a subtidal point bar of the Venice Lagoon (Italy)

et al. 2019

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The present study aims to improve current understanding of the sedimentation of subtidal point bars, analyzing interaction between tidal currents and waves in shaping a submerged meander bend of the microtidal Venice Lagoon (Italy), and it is based on coupling of sedimentological studies, geophysical analyses and numerical modelling. The Venice Lagoon is characterized by an average depth of about 1Á5 m over subtidal platforms and a mean tidal range of about 1Á0 m. The morphodynamic evolution of the lagoon is strongly affected by intense seasonal windstorms, which promote the formation of wind waves triggering sediment resuspension and bottom erosion. The study channel is 70 to 100 m wide, it has a radius of curvature of about 260 m and cuts through a permanently submerged subtidal platform. Water depth ranges from 1Á0 to 5Á0 m below mean sea level on the subtidal platform and channel thalweg, respectively. Different from classical architectural models, the study point-bar beds do not show sigmoidal geometries, but consist of horizontally-bedded deposits abruptly overlying clinostratified beds. Sedimentation in the study bar is hypothesized to stem from the interaction between the in-channel secondary helical flow, as for most meander bends, and wave winnowing of the subaqueous overbank areas. Laterally accreting point-bar deposits point out that the curvature-induced helical flow redistributed sediment from the channel thalweg to the bar top and contributed to the development of the 'classical' fining-upward grain size trend. The marked truncation surface, separating clinostratified bar deposits from overlying horizontally-bedded platform sediments is interpreted here as due to bar top wave-winnowing, which also possibly promoted bank collapses. In the proposed model, sediments remobilized from bar top and subaqueous overbank areas were transported into the channel, forming peculiar 'apronlike' accumulations, where sand accumulated through avalanching processes and mud settled down from suspension.

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Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tidal currents and wind waves controlling sediment distribution in a subtidal point bar of the Venice Lagoon (Italy)

et al. 2019

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“…The main historical human interventions in Venice Lagoon were the diversion outside the lagoon of its most important tributaries (from the XV to the XVII century), the protection of the barrier islands from storm waves with seawalls (1740-1782) and the construction of jetties at the inlets (1808-1927) (Ravera, 2000;Madricardo and Donnici, 2014). During the last century, the lagoon was subjected to several man-made transformations, the most significant of which was: separation of fish farming areas from the rest of the lagoon (1928); removal of a vast extents of salt marsh areas for the construction of Porto Marghera industrial zone, Venice airport, and the urban development of the city of Mestre; increased subsidence due to groundwater and natural gas extraction (9 cm from 1930 to 1970); dredging of the Malamocco-Marghera navigation channel in the central part of the lagoon from 1960 to 1970; stabilization/construction of salt marshes, since the early 1990s.…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Tidal changes in a heavily modified coastal wetland

Ferrarin

Tomasin

Bajo

et al. 2015

Continental Shelf Research

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“…Without human intervention, the lagoon would have gradually silted up by the river sediment deposition. Therefore, starting from the twelfth century the main tributaries were diverted directly into the sea (Cavazzoni, ; D'Alpaos, ; Madricardo and Donnici, ). Whereas during the times of the Serenissima (697–1797) the silting process dominated, a strong erosive process took place in the last century and particularly between 1970 and 2000, following the dredging of a large navigation canal from the Malamocco inlet (Figure ) to the industrial harbour, the lagoon morphology changed dramatically due to the erosion of salt marshes and to the overall deepening of the tidal channels (Sarretta et al ., ; Madricardo and Donnici, ).…”

Section: Geographical Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tidal inlets in the Anthropocene: Geomorphology and benthic habitats of the Chioggia inlet, Venice Lagoon (Italy)

Fogarin

Madricardo

Zaggia

et al. 2019

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, we mapped with unprecedented detail the seafloor morphology, sediment distribution and benthic habitats of a tidal inlet in the Venice Lagoon, Italy, which has been greatly impacted by human activity. Thanks to very high-resolution multibeam data, we identified ebb and flood-tidal deltas, a tidal point bar, active dune fields, pools and scour holes.The seafloor substrate of the inlet was investigated by integrating automatically classified multibeam backscatter data with sediment samples and underwater seafloor images. The sediment composition comprises four textural classes with 75% overall thematic accuracy. The particle size distribution of each morphological feature was assessed distinguishing, in particular, sediments over crests and troughs of small-dune fields with wavelengths and heights of less than 4 m and 0.2 m, respectively.Adopting state-of-the-art benthic habitat mapping procedures, we found seven distinctive benthic habitats that reflect spatial variability in hydrodynamics and sediment transport pathways. The dominant classes were Sand with sparse shell detritus (46%) and Bare sand (32%). The rip-rap revetment used for the inlet jetties and for the hard structures, built in the inlet channel to protect Venice from flooding, created a new habitat that covers 5.5% of the study area. This study shows how combining geomorphological and ecological analyses is crucial for the monitoring and management of tidal inlets and coastal infrastructures.

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Mapping past and recent landscape modifications in the Lagoon of Venice through geophysical surveys and historical maps

Cited by 30 publications

References 43 publications

Tidal currents and wind waves controlling sediment distribution in a subtidal point bar of the Venice Lagoon (Italy)

Tidal currents and wind waves controlling sediment distribution in a subtidal point bar of the Venice Lagoon (Italy)

Tidal changes in a heavily modified coastal wetland

Tidal inlets in the Anthropocene: Geomorphology and benthic habitats of the Chioggia inlet, Venice Lagoon (Italy)

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