Giovanni Nobili

BiGeA—Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy CIRI EA—Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research on Energy and Environment, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy Carabinieri for Biodiversity, Punta Marina, Ravenna, Italy Correspondence Nicolas Greggio, CIRI EA—Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research on Energy and Environment, University of Bologna, 48123 Ravenna, Italy. Email: nicolas.greggio2@unibo.it Funding information Flaminia Foundation

Human impacts on deltas often involve reclamation of coastal wetlands, causing a dramatic loss of ecological functions. We propose an Ecosystem Services (ES) approach to promote coordinated governance of aquaculture and environmental conservation in a brackish lagoon of the Po River delta (Italy). Spatiotemporal changes of aquatic vegetated habitats and clam production were evaluated, and experimentally related to ESs: climate regulation, habitat provision for birdlife, and potential for birdwatching. Almost all emergent vegetation was lost during past decades, while aquaculture production increased rapidly. Vegetated habitats sequestered significant amounts of carbon and supported more diverse bird communities than non-vegetated wetlands, including protected species of interest for birdwatching. We demonstrated that sectoral management was ineffective in maintaining ESs, promoting the exploitation of few provisioning services while decreasing many others. We propose an innovative, integrated management that focuses on restoring aquatic vegetation to offset anthropic impacts for the future sustainable governance of deltas.

Adult and larval body size, age distribution and female fecundity, traits related to fitness in the smooth newt Triturus vulgaris meridionalis, were compared in populations differing in water stability conditions in the area surrounding Rome, near the southern limit of the distribution of this subspecies. Larval body size varied among populations at the end of metamorphosis and was positively related to water stability conditions, which probably led to differences in adult body size. In populations of temporary ponds, age at first breeding was lowered to two years. Traits of female fecundity correlated positively with body size, but not with age. The Italian smooth newt adapted to the unpredictable environment by optimizing reproductive strategies such as the exploitation of the short wet period by means of early deposition of large eggs, which can produce large larvae at metamorphosis.