1. Introduction
Wetlands are areas where the water level is at or near the soil
surface for a significant part of the growing season, and the soil is
covered by active vegetation during the period of water saturation.
Although wetlands cover 1% of the Earth’s surface, they are biogeochemically
active areas due to their high productivity and redox
gradients. In particular, wetlands are major natural sources of
reduced gases such as methane and sulphur compounds and can
have high rates of denitrification and nitrogen fixation. Moreover
the frequency and the amplitude of floods are relevant parameters
for the investigation of ecological processes occurring in wetland
areas, and their changes strongly affect the wetland hydrology.
Coastal wetlands are remarkable ecosystems in terms of environmental
health, geomorphologic distinctive features, typical
vegetation and faunal associations, and human activities related to
this singular environment. Coastal wetlands are characterised by
shallow waters, moor and dunes, which require dedicated models
for a full understanding of their characteristics.
In the past, almost the entire coastal zone along the Tyrrhenian
Sea was covered by wetlands. The fast development of anthropogenic
activities, mainly linked to settlements, industry, transport