AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The student will focus on the information gained in previous lectures related to the ecological aspects of scientifc research and environmental monitoring. The student will approach in the lab the protocols commonly used for such approaches, learning the basical procedures for data validation and management.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and participation in the planned training activities (lectures, laboratory analyses) will allow the student to acquire the general knowledge necessary to actively participate to field studies for environmental monitoring and to scientific research.

Specifically, the student will be able to:

• know and describe some of the main techniques for the acquisition of environmental data by an ecological point of view

• select the correct study methods to solve specific problems

• analyse the results and represent them in qualitative and quantitative terms

• critically evaluate the results obtained by placing them in the environmental context

• develop  data presentation suitable for scientific and/or professional reports.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching consists of lectures and theoretical-practical laboratory exercises.

The lectures in the classroom are delivered through multimedia presentations.

The laboratory exercises are aimed at the practical application of the theoretical knowledge acquired during the lectures. In particular, the following will be developed:

• group activity (usually maximum 5 people) using instrumentation (spectrophotometer, spectrofluorimeter, gas chromatograph, etc.) for the preparation and analysis of real samples, collected by the students during the field exercises of the "Environmental Campaign" course of the previous academic year or prepared by the teacher

• individual activity at the optical stereo microscope

The laboratory exercises take place in laboratories equipped for scientific research and in DiSTAV teaching laboratories.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

• General meaning of the variables and indices used in the study of environmental characteristics, to define the trophic state of the ecosystems. Complex, probabilistic indicators, example of mass balances for materials in systems, self-purifying capacities.

• Point and diffuse sources of ecosystem stress.

• Assessment of environmental quality.

• Temporal definition of environmental monitoring strategies.

• Spatial definition of environmental monitoring strategies and research projects. Morphological, atmospheric, hydrodynamic forcing.

The laboratory activity will include the presentation, critical discussion and implementation on real samples of the analytical approaches related to:

• photoautotrophic pigments

• measurement of sedimentary organic matter, dissolved organic matter and total suspended matter

• measurement of organic carbon and nitrogen content/concentration

• evaluation of the trophic value of organic material, lability and refractivity

• analytical approaches to the turnover rates of organic material: hydrolytic enzymes, analysis of total N and total P, analysis of macronutrients

• mesozooplankton

• dimensional and morphological evaluation of fish species

• macrobenthos

• recognition and classification of anthropogenic detritus

• pretreatment and analysis of samples collected in the water column and sediment

Following the conclusion of the analyses, a first validation, processing and presentation of the data will be carried out.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All presentations used during the lectures, analytical reports produced during the exercises and other teaching material will be available on AulaWeb during the course.

Scientific publications of both technical and scientific nature are suggested and made available by the teacher, for the application and evaluation of the variables considered in the monitoring and research activities.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

Class schedule

DATA ANALYSIS LABORATORY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of answering three questions on the topics discussed in the course. The exam is usually written. The exam is passed if the student has obtained a grade greater than or equal to 18/30.

The final grade is given by the arithmetic mean between the grade of the test of the first module (“Monitoring and management of environmental data”) and the present module of the course “Analysis of environmental data and laboratory”. The two tests can be taken either in the same session or in separate sessions, published on the UNIGE website. There will be 5 sessions available in the summer session (June, July, September) and 2 sessions in the winter session (January-February).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Details on how to prepare for the exam will be provided during the lessons.

The exam will verify the actual acquisition of knowledge of the methods of investigation and the application of techniques for the study and management of the environment. The student must be able to connect and integrate the knowledge learned during the laboratory activities with that provided during the lectures by applying them to simple concrete contexts. The ability to present the topics in a synthetic way and with correct terminology will also be assessed.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Department's disability liaison.