Venice Lagoon provides living laboratory for researchers studying climate change
Researchers from the University of Western Ontario are studying sediment cores in the Venice Lagoon to understand the impact of climate change on coastal ecosystems. By analyzing traces left by tiny organisms, the team aims to reconstruct environmental changes over the past 70 years.
Why it matters
The study provides critical data on how rising sea levels and environmental shifts affect vulnerable UNESCO World Heritage sites.
by Jeff Renaud, University of Western Ontario
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source The Venice Lagoon, a unique coastal environment elected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Credit: Alina Shchepetkina Venice really is sinking. Sort of. The home of gondolas, bridges and canals is built across a collection of islands, and the sediments beneath them are gradually compacting, causing the ground to subside. But while the land moves down, climate change is pushing the water up—making the shallow lagoon surrounding the Italian city an increasingly vulnerable environment.
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