Natural or anthropogenic variability? A long-term pattern of the zooplankton communities in an ever-changing transitional ecosystem

The Venice Lagoon is an important site belonging to the Italian Long-Term Ecological Research Network (LTER). Alongside with increasing trend of water temperature and relevant morphological changes, in recent years, resident zooplankton populations have also continued cope colonization by alien species, particularly strong competitor Mnemiopsis leidyi . In this work, we compared dynamics lagoon over a period 20 years. physical biological signals are analyzed evaluate hypothesis that slow shift environmental balance site, such as increase, sea level rise (hereafter called “marinization”), competition between contributing trigger drift internal equilibrium core zooplankton. Though copepod community does not seem changed its state, some modifications structure assembly mechanisms already been observed. extension marine influence within has compressed spatial gradients habitat created greater segregation niches available typically estuarine taxa broadened strengthened interactions species.