Mass exchange mechanisms in the Taranto Sea

A two-dimensional finite element model (SHYFEM) was used to study the hydrodynamics of the Taranto Sea. The Taranto Sea is a coastal ecosystem located in the southern part of Italy, that is composed of two parts, the Mar Grande, directly connected with the open sea, and the Mar Piccolo, an inner basin. The exchange mechanisms in the Taranto Sea were investigated over the years 2000 and 2001. Simulations over two years were carried out with different model parameters and forcings in order to investigate the effect they have on the internal dynamics of the basin. A reference simulation was performed with the standard forcings (tide, wind and inflow data), and the correlation of the other simulations was computed with respect to it. The role of tide and wind on the circulation in the Mar Grande and in the Mar Piccolo was analyzed in some detail with the SHYFEM model. The results show that the wind has a strong influence on the exchanges between the Mar Grande and the open sea but that tidal exchanges are more important as far as exchanges between the Mar Grande and Mar Piccolo are concerned.