Many fish species migrate from the open sea to lagoons to grow. The mullet, for example, reproduces in the sea, but its juveniles swim against the tidal current to return to the lagoon, where they find abundant plankton and shelter. Once they reach maturity, the mullets head back to the sea to reproduce, repeating the cycle. The strong attraction to the lagoon for fish born in the sea is driven by the abundance of food these environments provide. Lagoons are among the most productive ecosystems in nature, as the rivers that flow into them carry mineral salts washed from the land they pass through.

Plants use these “fertilizers,” along with solar energy, carbon dioxide and water, to grow and thrive.
Among the essential aquatic vegetation supporting life in lagoons there are microscopic floating algae, known as phytoplankton, and larger macroalgae, which are anchored to the seabed.
When algae die, they are colonized by microscopic organisms such as bacteria and fungi, which decompose them into detritus. As decomposition progresses, the detritus gradually breaks down, becoming food for millions of tiny organisms.
Larger animals feed directly on these small organisms, transferring energy through the food chain to increasingly larger species.

Prominent among the lagoon flora is salicornia, which is extremely versatile due to its resistance to summer dryness and winter submersion. It forms extensive grasslands around lagoons, characterizing them with seasonal color changes: from green in spring to red in summer. Salicornets host other halophilous plants within them:
Inula, with its fleshy leaves and robust root system, maintains a deep green color until late summer, a time when it is adorned with vibrant yellow flowers. Obion, on the other hand, develops hairs on its leaves to remove excess salt. These dead hairs and the salt accumulated on the surface reflect solar radiation, reducing heat and limiting evaporation.
Alimo grows mainly in coastal areas exposed to winds. Its tender twigs, macerated in vinegar, are used as a condiment. Its flowering extends from July to October.
Limonium or Common Statice enriches the biodiversity of brackish wetlands, with flowering extending from July to October.
In the Nora Lagoon, one of the most significant endemics of Sardinian flora, Isabelle’s and Caroline’s Limonium (Limonium carisae Erben), is found, flowering from June to August, finding its exclusive habitat in the meadows along the banks of the lagoon channels.

Plants are important bioindicators of the natural characteristics and overall health of their environment. Fortunately, the Oasi is home to a rich variety of plant species that signal a well-preserved environment.
From a floristic point of view, the Nora Lagoon is a place of great conservation value due to the presence of rare and endemic plants of Sardinia. Among these, Isabelle and Caroline’s Limonium (Limonium carisae) is the most representative species, found exclusively in the Nora area. Other notable species include Pignatti’s Limonium (Limonium dubium), endemic to Sardinia, Corsica, and Sicily, Limonium with reticulate branches (Limonium retirameum), Speronella sarda (Delphinium longipes), Damigella glaucescente (Nigella arvensis subsp. glaucescens), and the Cressa (Cressa cretica), which is classified as threatened on national red lists.
The Nora Lagoon is a site that is regularly visited by numerous species of birds, aquatic and otherwise. The lagoon compartment thus constitutes, from a birding perspective, the most important area of the SAC.

he Standard Data Form of the ZSC lists 30 bird species of community interest (Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC). Among them, the Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii) is the most significant species from a conservation perspective. Since 1990, this species has regularly nested at the site, with populations exceeding 600 pairs in some years, making the Laguna di Nora one of the most important nesting sites at the national level.

Over the past 25 years, however, a distribution shift has occurred, leading to a numerical decline in its historic range, which includes Sardinia and Tuscany. Until 2012, colonies in these regions accounted for approximately 80% of the national population, but they have since decreased in favor of newly colonized areas, primarily along the Ionian coasts of Sicily and Apulia, as well as in Campania (Ientile et al., 2016; Liuzzi et al., 2023; Amadesi et al., 2023).

Under Roman rule, beginning in 238 BC, Nora experienced its greatest development and splendor. Between the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, the city expanded greatly, with a road system connecting it to agricultural and mining centers inland. Ships loaded with goods from Spain, Greece, southern Gaul, the Italian peninsula, and Africa arrived in the port of Nora. The Romans and Punics used materials extracted from the Tyrrhenian Bench, which forms the Fradis Minoris Peninsula, to build the city.
As evidence of these activities, a Roman cistern from the third century AD, probably used to collect water for mining, can still be seen on the bank of the lagoon.

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