IT12-Northern Adriatic Sea - Italy

The Northern Adriatic Sea is the northernmost basin of the Mediterranean Sea. It is characterized by a shallow depth and by a dominant cyclonic circulation. The oceanographic and meteorological parameters show a marked seasonal and interannual variability. The remarkable river inputs (along the italian coast), the istro-dalmatian current (bringing high salinity and oligotrophic waters from the southern basin), and the notable sea-level range (relatively to the Mediterranean area), represent major forcings of the system. Of ecological relevance are also the urban and industrial inputs and the hydrodynamic exchange between the Northern Adriatic Sea and the lagoons, located along the italian coast.