Environmental Monitoring and Recovery

Biological indicators, bioassessment, use of bioindicators in biological monitoring, advantages and disadvantages of biological and instrumental monitoring, choice of the monitoring system and bioindicator organism. Elements of ecotoxicology, exposure and fate of pollutants, bioconcentration, bioaccumulation and biomagnification, toxicity assays, general procedures, interpretation and significance of results; examples of major toxicity tests applied to water and sediment, application protocols. Examples of the use of bioindicators in environmental monitoring (Oligochaetes, Spiders, Insects, Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals). Hints of river ecology. Benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of current water quality. Biotic indices. Sampling methodologies. Biomonitoring of running waters in European legislation. Policy elements: biomonitoring in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Laboratory activities: practical examples of biological monitoring methods and application of bioindicators.

“Three-year Degree”

• Sartori F. 1998. Bioindicatori ambientali. Fondazione Lombardia per l'Ambiente. Consultabile on-line, http://www.fratticci.com/varie/bioindicatori.pdf ; • Lineamenti di ecologia fluviale di Stefano Fenoglio, Tiziano Bo, Editore Città Studi, Anno edizione: 2009 ; • Metodi analitici per le acque, http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/it/pubblicazioni/manuali-e-linee-guida/metodi-analitici-per le-acque . Metodi biologici per le acque superficiali interne, sezione 2000. METODICHE DI RIFERIMENTO PER IL CAMPIONAMENTO DEGLI ELEMENTI DI QUALITA’ BIOLOGICA NEI FIUMI. http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/it/pubblicazioni/manuali-e-linee-guida/metodi-biologici-per le-acque-superficiali-interne ; • Scientific articles provided in electronic format (pdf).

Face-to-face teaching. On the average 4 hours per week.

Oral exam

Classroom lectures; Laboratory activities; Field activities: sampling and identification of taxa.