Climate change and its effect on bioturbation and sedimentary character of tidal flats and tidal channels in the Venice Lagoon

Climate change is becoming an increasingly prominent global phenomenon causing damage and alteration to various aspects of our environment. The Venice Lagoon, a unique coastal environment elected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is extremely vulnerable to these disruptions. Since infauna (organisms that live within the sediment) are in constant interaction with the environment, their behaviour and traces reflect the conditions of the ecosystem. Therefore, by studying traces, we can better understand how environmental stresses are influencing the ecosystem. This project will last 12 weeks in Italy and consist of both field and laboratory work.

This research project will promote the exchange of knowledge, resources, and expertise, as well as establish lasting connections between the participating international institutions. Interns will apply comparable research methods to other modern and ancient environmental case studies as part of their thesis work. Consequently, the skills and experience gained through this project will strengthen both field and laboratory approaches in future research. The objective of this project is to improve our understanding of how sedimentary environments and infauna respond to changing climate, which will help us better assess the future impact of climate change on coastal lagoons and compare it to past climate change occurrences.

Faculty Supervisor:

Alina Shchepetkina

Student:

Partner:

University of Padua

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of Western Ontario

Program: