Recent research

Recent research at LASA includes: monitoring/modeling of nutrient loads discharged to surface water bodies (e.g. Venice lagoon, Adriatic Sea) and generated by natural/human processes in catchments; diffuse pollution of water bodies; energy, nutrient and pollutant cycling in water bodies; monitoring/modeling of aquatic primary production; eutrophication models; fishery models; food web models; ecotoxicological models of rivers; analysis of long term ecological time series; design, monitoring and modeling of multi-functional reconstructed water treatment wetlands; monitoring of river, channel and wetland waters; integrated water resources management; modeling of aquatic ecosystems and ecosystem services; economic valuation of ecosystem services; integrated approaches to the management of water bodies, e.g. in coastal zones; air quality and odor dispersion modeling.

Facilities

LASA is equipped with chemical laboratory facilities in Padova including technical instrumentation for water quality analysis, with field sampling instrumentation and with a computer modelling laboratory.(more ….)

History and experiences

LASA was founded at the beginning of the 1980’s by a group of researchers working on reduction and modelling of diffuse pollution from agricultural activities. The director was prof. Franco Zingales (then director of the Institute of Industrial Chemistry). Initial research focused on nutrient loads discharged into the Lagoon of Venice generated by agricultural activities in the drainage basin of the Lagoon. Under the direction of Prof. Giuseppe Bendoricchio, research activities focused more generally on modelling and control of environmental systems. At present, LASA is coordinated by Prof. Luca Palmeri. Over its four decades of activity, LASA has carried out research on:

• evolution of agricultural diffuse pollutant
  loads into the Lagoon of Venice
• modelling agricultural diffuse pollution at
  field-scale;
• evolution of pollutant loads in several lakes;
• modelling of the nutrient loads evolution at
  field scale;
• modelling of macroalgal and acquatic plants
  growth;
• monitoring Ulva and Zostera growth cycle;
• modelling eutrophication of surface waters;
• management of groundwater level for the
  reduction of agricultural nitrogen loads;
• wetlands reconstruction for the improvement of
  the quality of surface waters;
• monitoring of river and lagoon waters;
• design and fulfilment of biologic experiment at
  field- and lab-scale;
• modelling of aquatic food webs and ecosystems to support management (e.g. of fisheries, nutrient enrichment, pollution);
• analysis of long-term ecological time-series;
• ecotoxicological modelling of riverine and lagoon food webs;
• monitoring, modelling, risk assessment and management of emerging contaminants;
• mapping, modelling and valuation of ecosystem services;
• integrated water resources management;
• modelling of the atmospheric dispersion of pollutants and odour emissions;
• integrated approaches to the management of water bodies (lagoons, rivers) combining environmental conservation with socio-economic uses of ecosystems and stakeholder participation;

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• MAST 2 – Marine Universal Structural Model, for the study of structural dynamic of acquatic systems;
• JEP TEMPUS – with Slovenian partners, for
  technology exchange in the envrionmental modelling;
• STD 3 – with Philippines, for the ecosystemic
  study of the sustainable management of Laguna de Bay (Philippines)
• TMR – research network between seven European laboratories on WET (Wetland Ecology
  and Technology) topic;
• EUROCAT – European research project (FP5) for the study of the
  interaction between river catchement and coastal zones and evaluation of
  future scenarios;
• ELME – European research project (FP6) for the
  evaluation of lifestyle impact on marine ecosystems.
• INCOFISH – European research project (FP6) for the integration of multiple
  demands on coastal zones, with emphasis on aquatic ecosystems and fisheries.
• KnowSeas – European research project (FP7) with the goal of providing
  a comprehensive scientific knowledge base and practical guidance
  for the application of the Ecosystem Approach to the sustainble development
  of Europe’s regional seas.
• TRAP – an INTERREG IV C project (LASA was involved as subcontractor). The Territories of Rivers Action Plans (TRAP) project was about bringing together
  river basin and landscape protection, with regional growth models and solutions; this is called “integrated river and river territory development”.
  The overarching ambition of the TRAP project was to collect, analyse, transfer and disseminate good practices in river basin and territory management
  in the Thematic Areas of Governance, Monitoring, Aquatic Environment and River Tourism.
• WSTORE2 – a Life+ Environment Policy and Governance project for
  reconciling agriculture with environment through a new water governance
  in coastal and saline areas; the project focused on the natural area of Vallevecchia, near Caorle (NE Italy)
  [Internal Data Server]
  
• LIFE VIMINE –  A Life+ Nature project for the definition and application of an integrated approach to the sustainable conservation of the salt marshes (“barene”) of the Lagoon of Venice; the project run from 02/09/2013 to 01/09/2017 and was coordinated by LASA – DII.
• LIFE PHOENIX –  A Life+ Environment and Resource Efficiency project aiming to demonstrate how a new interinstitutional governance system, supported through innovative forecast tools based on monitoring, can manage risks related to the diffusion of persistent mobile organic contaminants ñ with a particular focus on PerFluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) ñ more effectively and efficiently. The project started on 01/09/2017 and is ongoing.

LASA is partner of the Smart Rivers Network Action Group – European Innovation Partnership on Water (EIP Water).
Proposed by the Europe 2020 Innovation Union flagship initiative, EIP’s aim to speed up innovations that contribute to solving societal challenges, enhance Europe’s competitiveness and contribute to job creation and economic growth.
The Smart Rivers Network Action Group promotes multi-stakeholder participative governance in the management of European hydrologic basins.

LASA is partner of the project “Valorizziamo i Canali Cittadini” (2018-2019), led by the City of Padova.Among other things, this pilot project aims to demonstrate the efficacy and sustainability of a novel management system for the channel network of the historical centre of Padova which is based on regular actions of ordinary maintenance of the riparian and aquatic environment and the connected green spaces.
Examples of such actions include regular vegetation management and removal of litter and wastes. LASA monitors the benefits of the management approach, which are environmental (e.g. the regular presence of working staff allows to manage the vegetation of the water-bank interface with more care), social (e.g. creation of regular local jobs), and economic (e.g. mainly manual labour is needed, which is relatively inexpensive and particularly cost-efficient in hard-to-access locations such as the banks of the city channels). The project is co-funded by the City of Padova and Fondo straordinario di solidariet‡ per il lavoro (CARIPARO).

LASA is scientific consultant for public and private actors concerned with water quality, by means of various research contracts (Consorzio di Bonifica Adige-Bacchiglione, Consorzio di Bonifica Dese-Sile, Consorzio di Bonifica Bacchiglione-Brenta, Veneto Agricoltura, Regione Veneto, etc.).

People
The members of LASA are:

University permanent staff members:

• • Luca Palmeri (coordinator, full researcher)
  • Alberto Barausse (researcher at the Department of Biology at UNIPD)
  • Marco Carrer (chemical laboratory  coordinator and monitoring technician)
  • Leonardo Girardi (informatics technician)

Other staff members: