biostudies-literatureBaldassarre LConsortium for Coordination of Research activities Concerning the Venice Lagoon System“Provveditorato Interregionale Opere Pubbliche” for the Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige936https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10143115biostudies-literatureUnknown11(4)MOSE is a system of mobile gates engineered to temporarily isolate the Venice Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea and to protect the city from flooding during extreme high tides. Within the framework of the Venezia2021 program, we conducted two <i>enclosure</i> experiments in July 2019 (over 48 h) and October 2020 (over 28 h) by means of 18 mesocosms, in order to simulate the structural alterations that microphytobenthos (MPB) assemblages might encounter when the MOSE system is operational. The reduced hydrodynamics inside the mesocosms favored the deposition of organic matter and the sinking of cells from the water column towards the sediment. Consequently, MPB abundances increased over the course of both experiments and significant changes in the taxonomic composition of the community were recoMicroorganismsThe Impact of MOSE (Experimental Electromechanical Module) Flood Barriers on Microphytobenthic Community of the Venice Lagoon.PMC10143115Ve2021Natali VDe Pascale FTagliapietra DBazzaro MRelitti FBanchi EVezzi ABaldassarre LCibic TfalseThe Impact of MOSE (Experimental Electromechanical Module) Flood Barriers on Microphytobenthic Community of the Venice Lagoon.MOSE is a system of mobile gates engineered to temporarily isolate the Venice Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea and to protect the city from flooding during extreme high tides. Within the framework of the Venezia2021 program, we conducted two <i>enclosure</i> experiments in July 2019 (over 48 h) and October 2020 (over 28 h) by means of 18 mesocosms, in order to simulate the structural alterations that microphytobenthos (MPB) assemblages might encounter when the MOSE system is operational. The reduced hydrodynamics inside the mesocosms favored the deposition of organic matter and the sinking of cells from the water column towards the sediment. Consequently, MPB abundances increased over the course of both experiments and significant changes in the taxonomic composition of the community were reco2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Apr2026-04-08T13:09:57.252Z2025-02-19T02:55:51.46ZS-EPMC101431153711035910.3390/microorganisms11040936