The various stages of a 30-year multidisciplinary research project on the benthic foraminifera of the Lagoon of Venice are here illustrated. The benthic foraminifera are particularly effective biological indicators as their distribution is closely related to environmental parameters. The large number of species in each sample, combined with the large quantity of individuals of each species, provides a statistically valid methodology in monitoring programs. Moreover, being small organisms with a calcareous shell that are well preserved in soft sediment, benthic foraminifera enable an understanding of the evolution of the Lagoon to be obtained through a reconstruction of the palaeoenvironments.
Autori: Alberto Albani,Rossana Serandrei Barbero,Sandra Donnici