A story of two Lagoons: Exploiting state of the art Earth observation and modelling to better understand and manage the impacted Venice (Italy) and pristine Razelm-Sinoe (Romania) Lagoons

As with all transitional environments, lagoons fulfil pivotal roles in global-scale biogeochemical cycles being a nexus between the terrestrial and marine environments. Lagoons are highly productive ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots with high conservation value. As a result, lagoons provide numerous ecosystems services that have tended to result in a long history of human settlement. Lagoons have therefore been subject to multiple conflicting societal demands and environmental pressures, including industrial, agricultural and domestic pollutants, as well as hydrological and morphological modifications. These pressures have been further compounded by climate change. Lagoons are highly vulnerable to these natural and man-induced perturbations not least because they are thought to have low threshold tipping points. However, our scientific understanding of these complex and dynamic environments is currently constrained by our inability to observe changes in ecosystem structure and functioning and their responses to environmental perturbation at appropriate spatial and temporal scales. This is a serious concern, as lagoons are likely to be highly sensitive to future environmental changes such as nutrient pollution, global sea level rise, changes in precipitation, storminess and changing patterns of land use. There is a need to establish new approaches for the collection, integration and assimilation of data from disparate sources including in situ monitoring programmes, Earth observation (EO) and to couple these with hydrodynamic models for improved our understanding and the evidence-driven implementation of conservation and management solutions. This PhD will integrate these approaches to achieve a better understanding of the consequences of these perturbations on two contrasting lagoons in both time (decades, with one year simulations in each morphological configuration) and 3D space (from surface with EO data, and with depth through models, validated by in situ measurements).
To develop a better understanding and implement better management strategies for complex lagoon ecosystems, this PhD brings together state of the art Earth observation (EO) capability building on ESA’s Copernicus programme to validate cutting-edge hydrodynamic modelling. Together these will allow lagoon systems to be modelled to assess impacts on both past, present and future management scenarios to be evaluated in 3D space and time.
This PhD will focus on two contrasting lagoon systems: (i) the Razelm-Sinoe system in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve that was been significantly impacted in the 1970s by engineering works designed to isolate it from the Black Sea and transform it into a freshwater system and (ii) the Venice lagoon, (UNESCO heritage site) with a deeply entrenched cultural history spanning for more than 1000 years, and probably the most well-known lagoon of the Mediterranean region, with the largest extent of wetland. In contrast to the Razelm, it is a heavily engineered lagoon with strong anthropogenic influence.
The PhD student will be registered at Stirling and will spend time with our Partner Institutions, including up to 6 months each year in Venice and will work with partners across a number of well-funded Horizon 2020 projects including DANUBIUS-PP, MONOCLE, CoastObs and EOMORES.
Further details for this exciting PhD can be found at IAPETUS DTP web page:
http://www.iapetus.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IAP-17-140-Tyler-Stirling.pdf