Aptitude of modern salt marshes to counteract relative sea-level rise, Venice Lagoon (Italy)

Research Article| August 01, 2011 Aptitude of modern salt marshes to counteract relative sea-level rise, Venice Lagoon (Italy) Federica Rizzetto; Federica Rizzetto Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council, Arsenale-Tesa 104, Castello 2737/F, 30122, Venice, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Luigi Tosi Luigi Tosi Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council, Arsenale-Tesa 104, Castello 2737/F, 30122, Venice, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2011) 39 (8): 755–758. https://doi.org/10.1130/G31736.1 Article history received: 08 Sep 2010 rev-recd: 15 Mar 2011 accepted: 17 Mar 2011 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Federica Rizzetto, Luigi Tosi; Aptitude of modern salt marshes to counteract relative sea-level rise, Venice Lagoon (Italy). Geology 2011;; 39 (8): 755–758. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G31736.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract In the past 100 yr, variations in relative sea-level rise (RSLR), the increase of frequency of very high tides, and a decrease of sediment availability caused progressive morphological changes of the Venice Lagoon tidal flats. In contrast with the general erosional trend, some salt marshes in the northern lagoon preserved their main original characteristics and showed accretion and development of the tidal creek network. The evolution of one of them was sketched by the interpretation of ultrahigh-resolution aerial photographs taken from A.D. 1938 to 2006, and results were compared with RSLR rates and storm tide frequency. The long-term investigation pointed out the most significant morphological changes that occurred over the entire period (i.e., erosion of the margin, modifications of the drainage network), whereas the short-term analysis showed in detail the subsequent phases of salt marsh evolution and their relations with sea-level variations. Margin shift was mainly in agreement with RSLR trend, whereas changes of the tidal creek network also reflected frequency of very high tides. Moreover, in the past 70 yr the salt marsh demonstrated a self-renewal aptitude to counteract RSLR: even if it underwent low accretion rates, it did not disappear, probably because the remobilization of sediments eroded from the marsh front and the lagoon bottom by tides and other local hydrodynamic processes, and their accumulation on the marsh surface favored by vegetation were sufficient to offset RSLR. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.