Short-term recovery of inland and marine environments after the 2023 Emilia-Romagna flood

Extreme floods can strongly affect connected inland and marine environments, yet their short-term recovery remains poorly resolved. Here we use an integrated multidisciplinary approach to assess the short- and medium-term effects of the 2023 Emilia-Romagna flood in Italy on aquatic environments and their recovery capacity. We combined three monitoring campaigns conducted immediately after the flood, about one month later, and after five months with in-situ measurements of abiotic and biotic variables, environmental DNA community assessment, pharmaceutical residue analyses, and satellite-derived data across rivers, drainage canals and marine waters. Despite the large spatial extent and intensity of the disturbance, most parameters showed partial to near-complete recovery within five months. However, this reflected movement toward post-event trajectories rather than full return to pre-flood conditions. The lack of pre-event baselines limits precise before-after impact assessment and highlights the need for long-term, standardized monitoring frameworks.