Long-term simulation of main biogeochemical events in a coastal lagoon: Sacca Di Goro (Northern Adriatic Coast, Italy)

Abstract A biogeochemical model for the Sacca di Goro Lagoon has been developed and partially validated with field data from 1989 to 1998. The model considers the nutrient cycles in the water column as well as in the sediments. Furthermore, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and Ulva sp. dynamics, as well as shellfish farming, are taken into account. Due to the recent anoxic crises in the lagoon, the dynamic of oxygen has also been simulated. The actual version of the model is a 0D with input fluxes from the watershed and exchange with the Northern Adriatic Sea. Nutrients from the watershed, wet and dry deposition, temperature, light intensity, wind speed and shellfish production are considered as forcing functions. The results show that the model is able to capture the essential dynamics of the lagoon, with values in the same order of magnitude with the measurements from experimental campaigns. The coupling with a 3D hydrodynamical model of the Sacca di Goro, as well as with the watershed model is presently under development.