IT24-M Lagune del Salento

The Salento Lagoons site, a long-term ecological research site since 2014, comprises two transitional water ecosystems located on the southern coast of Apulia, Acquatina and Alimini, for which ecological data are available starting from 80s. Acquatina is a semi-artificial and oligotrophic basin with a surface area of 0.45 km2 and an average depth of 1.2 m. Alimini is a brackish and mesotrophic lagoon, located almost parallel to the Adriatic coastline, which covers a surface area of 1.37 km2 and has an average depth of 1.5 m. Both ecosystems are relatively pristine and of particular naturalistic interest, included in Sites of Community Importance of the "Natura 2000 Network" (IT9150003: "Acquatina Frigole; IT:9150011: "Laghi Alimini"). They also have a socio-economic role for the productive aspects related to fishing and tourist activities. Since 1985, the Acquatina basin has been managed by the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DISTEBA) of the University of Salento and is the focus of several scientific studies. The Alimini lake is subject of study by the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Tecnologies of the University of Salento from more than 20 years and since 2008 it is also subject of monitoring activities, according to the requirements of the 2000/60/EC Water Framework Directive, by the Apulia Agency for Environmental Safety (ARPA-Puglia). The main research activities are focused on the study of ecology of phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrozoobenthos and fish fauna, with particular interest in composition and structure, functional traits, trophic interactions and invasive species.