OVERVIEW

The teaching is part of the activities useful for work approaching  and, therefore, is focused on the practical aspects related to data acquisition and activities in the field. It involves the improvement of skills previously acquired at a theoretical level, the basis for understanding and critically interpreting the survey and sample collection activities. The teaching is focused on the coastal area, an essential feature and resource of the Ligurian territory.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Provide examples of theoretical and practical approaches for understanding, characterizing and managing environmental dynamics in natural and anthropized systems. Improve the knowledge on the use of the main sampling and analysis tools in the ecological, geological, geophysical and zoological fields.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and active participation in the planned training activities (lectures, laboratory and field exercises) will allow the student to acquire general knowledge related to sampling techniques and the instrumentation most frequently used for environmental data collection, necessary to undertake scientific research and to monitor and manage the environment according to current regulations.

At the end of the course, the student will have the skills to:

• describe the main techniques and strategies for collecting environmental information based on the purposes of the sampling activity

• select the survey and sampling tools suitable for the purposes and logistics of the activity

• critically evaluate the environmental conditions during survey and sampling activities to select the most effective strategies

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

• produce scientific and/or professional reports for a concise communication of the results.

Specifically, the training objectives will be:

1- acquisition of practical skills for the study, evaluation and monitoring of environments, with particular emphasis the coastal area, according to an ecological perspective.

2- acquisition of practical skills for carrying out surveys relating to the coastal area through geological prospecting and sampling methods.

3- acquisition of practical skills for the study of benthic biocenoses and the evaluation of their environmental status.

PREREQUISITES

To effectively address the contents of the course, basic knowledge is required regarding ecosystem dynamics (Ecology course), geomorphology and geology (Principles of Geomorphology course), and the characteristics of individuals and animal populations (General Biology and Elements of Zoology course). The courses indicated are taught in the first year.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching consists of lectures, theoretical and practical exercises on the field and in the laboratory. Since practical and methodological activities are foreseen, attendance at lectures and exercises is strongly recommended.

The lectures in the classroom are delivered through multimedia presentations.

The laboratory and field exercises are aimed at the practical application of the theoretical knowledge acquired during the entire course of study and recalled in their essential characteristics during the lectures.

The exercises are carried out:

• in DiSTAV laboratories equipped with instruments used for scientific research,

• in the field for the definition of sampling, prospecting and sample collection strategies.

The exercises will be conducted either in groups or they will be collective.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

To integrate the student's previous skills, the field activities will be preceded by presentations dedicated to the critical analysis of the methods and their applications, and followed by laboratory exercises aimed at completing the experiences carried out in the territory. In detail, the experiences will be developed as follows.

ECOLOGY Three/four independent days of surveys and sampling in coastal areas will be organized, followed by laboratories for the treatment of samples:

1) Study of the ecological and environmental characteristics of coastal areas: survey features of environmental variables, sampling and pre-treatment of samples (water, sediment, benthic communities) on urban beaches.

2) Study of the distribution and characterization of anthropogenic materials in coastal areas: surveys on urban beaches.

3) Study of the ecological characteristics of the water column in coastal marine areas: sampling experiments and survey of physical-chemical data in natural and/or anthropized coastal areas.

4) Study of the ecological characteristics of the sedimentary compartment in the coastal marine area: sampling experiments and survey of physical-chemical data in natural and/or anthropized coastal areas.

GEOLOGY Independent field trips will be organized for experiences in the coastal area and a laboratory for the treatment of samples and data:

1) Morpho-sedimentological characterization of a model beach in the urban area of ​​Genoa.

2) Laboratory sedimentological analyses on the collected samples.

3) Characterization of the geological-sedimentary structures at the land-sea interface in river mouth areas.

4) Application of techniques suitable for the study of sedimentation models of coastal areas.

ZOOLOGY – Three independent experiences will be organised dedicated to the techniques of studying Mediterranean biocenoses:

 1) Infralittoral biocenosis: study of the populations of the edible sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the sponge Chondrilla nucula, in the infralittoral area in front of the Baia dei Frati (Recco), using the square technique, aimed at defining the status of the population of these two vulnerable species. The goal of the field trip is to acquire useful data to calculate the average density per transect by Excel.

 2) Phanerogam meadow: laboratory phenological study of the leaf bundles of Posidonia oceanica aimed at defining the role of environmental conditions and anthropogenic stress on the health status of the meadow. The goal is to analyse the data applying ecological indices of environmental status.

 3) The coralligenous: analysis of underwater photos for the study of the biodiversity of hard bottom communities, aimed at defining the level of health status of this biodiversity hotspot. An index will be applied to the data collected in the laboratory, with the purpose of evaluating the ecological state of the coralligenous concretion.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All presentations used during the lessons, analytical reports produced during the exercises and other teaching material will be available on AulaWeb at the end of the course. Some aspects and methodologies are reported in the following texts:

- Methods in the ecology of marine plankton. M. Innamorati et al. (editors) Italian Society of Marine Biology- Ministry of the Environment (1990).

- Manual of sampling methodologies and study of Mediterranean marine benthos / Maria Cristina Gambi, Marco Dappiano (editors) APAT, Agency for the protection of the environment and for technical services; ICRAM. - Suppl. of: Mediterranean marine biology, vol. 10 (2003) Livorno : SIBM, 2003.

- Scientific reports and publications relating to the topics covered, manuals relating to the instrumentation used.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The field activities will be organized in accordance with the weather-marine conditions. Information will be given to students via Aulaweb.

ECOLOGY – The field trips and the related lectures will be carried out starting from the end of April, with the possibility of bringing forward to March in case of particularly good weather conditions. MARINE GEOLOGY – The field activities will be conducted from the end of April to the beginning of June. The surveys of the urban beach will be conducted in conjunction with the ecology studies. MARINE ZOOLOGY – The excursions will be carried out starting from the second half of May.

Class schedule

ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD ACTIVITY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is written.

For the Ecology and Zoology part, reports on the activities carried out during laboratory and field exercises will be required. The structure of the reports is discussed in class and, in general, must include: 1) framework of the topic and characteristics of the area concerned; 2) investigation methods used; 3) description and analysis of data when available; 4) any final comments appropriate to a scientific or professional report.

For the Geology part, the exam consists of the answer to a question relating to the activities carried out. If necessary, the exam can be converted into an oral form.

The exam is passed, and the suitability is achieved if the student has produced exhaustive and structurally correct papers in all three areas (Ecology, Marine Geology and Marine Zoology).

There will be 5 exam sessions available in the summer session (June, July, September) and 2 exam 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 investigation methods and their applications to acquire data for the study and management of the environment. The student must be able to connect and integrate the knowledge learned during the activities by applying it to the specific case studies developed during the exercises. The ability to present the topics clearly 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.