20410739 - Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecology of Inland Waters

Laboratory of Inland Water Biodiversity and Ecology is mainly focusing on providing students a solid basic knowledge of both abiotic and biotic features of diverse inland waters’ habitats. Furthermore, it will try to develop the ability to identify both native and non-native aquatic animals and plants, analyzing their different strategies and ways of colonization and adaptation to different environmental drivers. Students will develop the ability to use the environmental monitoring tools for aquatic habitats and will acquire the basics for (i) planning and carrying out water chemical-physical analyses and (ii) sampling aquatic organisms and banks, with the ability to analyze and represent data. Finally, students will have the opportunity to learn and test some application aspects related to hydrobiology, and the sector of ecosystem services and biomonitoring in the aquatic environments.
Prerequisiti
Knowledge of the basic concepts of the Botany, Zoology and Ecology.

teacher profile | teaching materials

Programme

PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER (TEMPERATURE-DENSITY, TRANSPARENCY, SALT COMPOSITION, SALINITY, CONDUCTIVITY, HARDNESS); WATER BODY THERMAL BALANCE; AQUATIC MOVEMENTS (CURRENTS, TIDE, SEICHE); DISSOLVED OXYGEN AND REGULATING FACTORS; CARBON DIOXIDE, BICARBONATE, CARBONATE, BUFFER SYSTEM, MINERAL ACIDITY AND ALKALINITY; NUTRIENT CYCLES; ORGANIC MATTER, TOTAL SOLIDS, SUSPENDED MATERIAL, SEDIMENTS, BOD AND COD. AQUATIC LIFE: PLANCTON, NECTON E BENTHOS; CLASSIFICATION, COLLECTION METHODS AND TOOLS, ABUNDANCE AND BIOMASS ASSESSMENT; WATER COLUMN AND SEDIMENT ECOLOGY: PRIMARY PRODUCTION, SCRAPERS, SHREDDERS, AND SCAVENGERS: ENERGETIC FLOW IN FOOD PYRAMIDS AND WEBS; EXAMPLES OF LACUSTRINE AND RIVER SYSTEMS.

Core Documentation

Bettinetti R., G. Crosa, S. Galassi. 2007. Ecologia delle acque interne. Edizioni CittàStudi

Reference Bibliography

Teaching materials provided during the course

Type of delivery of the course

the course includes frontal laboratory lessons and field activities

Attendance

attendance is highly recommended

Type of evaluation

the exam consists in a written test with multiple choice questions and open-ended questions