A multi-platform approach to marine environment assessment in Civitavecchia (Rome) area

The management of coastal areas is particularly complex both from a socio-economic and an ecological point of view. In particular, Civitavecchia coast (Rome, Italy) is affected by several anthropic activities, such as tourism, industry, engineering structures (harbours, dykes, etc.), agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and cultural heritage. From an environmental point of view, the study area is characterized by several minor streams that can bring suspended matter and natural and anthropic pollutant, by a very complex ground's morphology affecting wind regimes and coastal currents and by the presence of relevant benthic biocenosis (such as Posidonia oceanica meadows). Moreover, coastal ecosystems are particularly sensitive to climate changes, consequently they deserve to be the subject of time-series observation programs. For these reasons, a growing interest should be addressed to understand how marine ecosystems will change not only in response to anthropogenic impacts, but also to identify trends in their natural evolution. In this context a significant help can derive from the availability of integrated observing systems, which offer an important tool for marine monitoring, allowing the acquisition of physical, chemical and biological time series. An experience of ecological observation program was performed by the Laboratory of Experimental Oceanology and Marine Ecology of Tuscia University, integrating in situ measures collected by two fixed moored stations and periodic samplings, satellite observations and numerical simulations in the coastal area of Civitavecchia.