Tidal inlets in the Anthropocene: geomorphology and benthic habitats of the Chioggia inlet, Venice Lagoon (Italy)

Within a multidisciplinary approach, we mapped with unprecedented detail the seafloor morphology, sediment distribution and benthic habitats of a tidal inlet which has been highly impacted by human activity. We identified an unusual habitat for lagoon environment connected to rip-rap used for jetties and hard structures and we estimated that the new pattern of flow around these hard structures caused the erosion of 430 000 m(3) of sediment in eight years