The third monitoring campaign of environmental matrices, marine flora and fauna has been carried out

At the end of July 2020, the third monitoring campaign of environmental matrices, underwater flora and fauna was completed, by the staff of the Interdepartmental Research Centre for Environmental Sciences - CIRSA of the University of Bologna. To date, three monitoring campaigns have been carried out (one in May 2018 before the installation of the system, one in February 2020 after 8 months of operation and one in July 2020 after 13 months of operation) in the 10 sampling points divided into 5 control areas (two north of the port of Cervia, one on the ejectors’ working area and two south of the port of Cervia).

More than 81,000 individuals have been mapped, belonging to 110 different taxa. Although part of the laboratory analyses are still in progress due to the long lead times, the results obtained are promising: first of all, the diversity of benthic species present has increased in the ejectors’ area, a sign of habitat enrichment. In addition, both organic matter and dead shell debris have significantly reduced, a sign that a more welcoming environment for life has been produced.