Learning objectives
This course aims at introducing students to the structural and functional characteristics of freshwater ecosystems. Special attention is paid to the relationships between abiotic and biotic factors to understand the ecological processes, functioning and baseline variability of freshwater ecosystems, and evaluate the effects of different types of disturbances in order to define conservation, mitigation and restoration programs.
At the end of the course students are able to work in the field and in chemical and biological laboratories, to identify representative sites, to correctly perform sampling acrtivities, to treat the collected samples, to apply different chemical and biological quality indices and to interpret them critically. The following major educational objectives are proposed:
- be able to assess the effects of different types of disturbances and to plan actions for conservation, mitigation and recovery of water resources;
- learn about techniques aimed at restoring the quality and functioning of aquatic ecosystems and the ecological evaluation of their effectiveness;
- aquire knowledge on EU and national regulations concerning the management of water resources;
- be able to define the reference conditions to establish restoration objectives for water resources;
- define a sampling design of different environmental matrices;
- assess the role of biodiversity in inland waters and recommend strategies for its conservation;
- learning to use field instruments for direct measurements in the environment, sampling and pre-treatment of samples;
- how to operate in a chemical laboratory being aware of safety regulations, management of chemicals, application of potentiometric, spectrophotometric and chromatography methods;
- autonomously calculate chemical and biological quality indexes from collected or literature data;
- critically interpret the results of an index.
Prerequisites
Before attending this course, students must have completed basic ecology courses and possess a background information on aquatic ecology. It is strongly recommended to attend and pass the Ecology of inland waters exam before taking the Integrated analysis of aquatic ecosystems for management and restoration programs exam.
Course unit content
The course is organized in two modules. Each module includes 3 ECTS of frontal lessons (16 hours) and 1 ECTS of laboratory (15 hours). Any changes to the teaching methods due to the protracted COVID-19 emergency will be communicated before the course starts.
Module 1: general part
Socio-economic aspects related to the use of aquatic resources. Definitions and assessment of the ecosystem functioning, reference information for planning environmental restoration measures, operational strategies. Legislative aspects concerning management and conservation of freshwater ecosystems. Quality indexes and indicators for lakes and rivers. Review of recovery and mitigation techniques applied to aquatic ecosystems and ecological assessment of their effectiveness. Elements of conservation strategies of freshwater habitats and their biodiversity.
Module 2: laboratory
Presentation and discussion of case studies on management and restoration of aquatic ecosystems.
Module 2: monitoring of lotic and lentic environments
In this module, various methods to assess the chemical and biological quality of inland water ecosystems, both lotic and lentic, are proposed at a theoretical and practical level. Lectures are complemented by field and laboratory activities in which water samples, sediments, macrophytes, macroinvertebrates and fish are collected and analyzed. From the obtained data, chemical and biological quality indices are calculated. Students must have as reference the basis of functioning of aquatic ecosystems and the multiple relationships between environment and organisms. Lectures are organized in 5 sections:
1. (4h) Elements of sampling, treatment and water analysis; calculation of the LIM index.
2. (3h) Elements of sampling, treatment and analysis of sediments. Calculation of the respiratory quotient, denitrification efficiency and phosphorus retention capacity.
3. (3h) Elements of sampling, analysis and applications of macroinvertebrate community indices.
4. (3h) Elements of sampling, analysis and applications of macrophyte indices.
5. (3h) Elements for sampling, analysis and and applications of fish indices.
The practical lessons are organized in 5 sections too. Sampling activities and sample analysis are carried out at the Fontanili di Viarolo and at the laboratories of Podere Ambolana, respectively.
1. (3h) Calibration of a multiparameter probe, measurement of flow rate by current meter, spectrophotometric analysis of reactive phosphorus, analysis of iron by atomic absorption, analysis of anions and cations by ion chromatography.
2. (3h) Sampling of intact cores, measurement of oxygen penetration and bacterial respiration. Sediment extrusion and measurement of density, porosity, water and organic matter content.
3. (3h) Collection of macrofauna samples and field and lab taxonomic identification.
4. (3h) Field sampling and analysis of macrophytes.
5 (3h) Fish sampling by electrofishing, field taxonomic identification.
Full programme
Module 1
• Course presentation. Outline of the first module programme. Methods of verifying learning. Teaching materials. Information on the case study chosen for the laboratory activities.
• Assessment and management of water resources: some definitions.
• Social and economic aspects related to water resource management.
• Ecosystem services of inland water environments.
• Relationships between biodiversity, functionality, and stability of freshwater ecosystems.
• Pressures on aquatic ecosystems.
• Water footprint.
• Water resource scarcity: social and economic consequences.
• Future scenarios regarding water resources.
• Water wars.
• Access to water resources: from "right" to "need".
• Water as an economic good.
• Main pressures affecting freshwater ecosystems: salinisation, micro- and nanoplastics, emerging contaminants, legacy of past pollution events.
• Pressures on wetlands.
• Conceptual bases of ecosystem management.
• Definitions of "reclamation", "remediation", and "restoration".
• The DPSIR model.
• Application of the DPSIR approach to inland water ecosystems.
• Transition towards adaptive water resource management.
• River contracts as an example of a participatory process.
• Legislative references regarding the management and conservation of water bodies in Italy before 2000.
• Water Framework Directive (WFD): fundamental concepts. Milestones and implementation timelines.Types of surface water bodies and classification criteria. Overview of other EU water regulations. "Daughter" and "sister" directives of the WFD. River basin districts as the fundamental unit of water resource management. Basin authorities. Bodies responsible for water management and protection from local to national levels. Quality objectives for different categories of surface water bodies. Assessment of the quality status of surface water bodies. Reference conditions. Ecological and chemical status. Priority substances. Biological quality elements. Types of monitoring and their frequency. Quantitative and qualitative objectives for groundwater. Implementation of the WFD and achievement of quality objectives: open issues.
• Overview of the main impacts on lake ecosystems, with specific reference to lakes subject to cultural eutrophication. Point and diffuse sources of nutrients. Potential and actual loads. Algal nutrients and factors limiting primary production.
• Classification of the trophic status of lakes. Trophic status and nutrient load criteria. Carlson’s Trophic State Index. Approaches for assessing the trophic conditions of lakes: closed and open interval models. OECD indices. Vollenweider models and their importance as a management tool.
• External control measures for the recovery of eutrophic lakes. Nature-based solutions. Protection of the catchment area. Buffer strips. Artificial wetlands upstream of receiving basins. Circumlacustrine collectors. Wastewater treatment and diversion: examples from lakes Washington, Bracciano, Varese, and Garda. Re-oligotrophication of Lake Maggiore.
• Internal control measures. Physical manipulations: aerators and destratifiers. Hypolimnetic withdrawals. Sediment removal. Chemical and biological control measures for eutrophication. Examples of biomanipulation interventions in lake trophic networks. Evaluation of the effectiveness of biomanipulation. Case study of Lake Candia.
• Causes of river system impairment. Minimum vital flow and ecological flows. Examples of river restoration. Traditional engineering and bioengineering approaches. Case studies on dam removal. Rehabilitation of drainage canals. Evaluation of the effectiveness of river restoration interventions.
• Classroom laboratory activities.
Module 2
1. Water sampling
Criteria for the selection of water sampling sites; sampling tools, multi-parameter probes, sample storage, filtration for the separation of particulate material. Analysis of dissolved gas, of the main anions and cations, of phytoplankton chlorophyll and of suspended solids. Application of the LIM index of water quality: data selection, calculation, meaning and use.
2. Sampling of sediments
Criteria for sediment sampling; sampling tools, sediment storage, analysis of sediment macrodescriptors (color, horizons, density, porosity, organic matter content). Role of sediments in shallow aquatic environments: measurement of mineralization processes (oxygen demand, total respiration, denitrification) and nutrient recycling.
3. Sampling of benthic macroinvertebrates
Criteria for sampling macroinvertebrates: definition of representative sites, dimensioning of the sampling effort, sorting and storage of samples. Sorting of samples and macrofauna identification and count in the field and in the laboratory. Macroinvertebrates and biomonitoring, quality indexes of aquatic environments, limits and perspectives. Macroinvertebrates and facilitation: nutrient cycling and implications for primary producers.
4. Sampling of macrophytes
Criteria for the sampling of macrophytes: definition of representative transects, dimensioning of the sampling effort, conservation and identification of collected samples. Macrophytes and eutrophication, the structuring role of macrophytes for aquatic environments: biogeochemical implications for the chemical quality of water and sediments and for macroinvertebrates and fish communities.
5. Sampling of fish
Criteria for sampling fish: definition of representative transects, identification of the sampling effort, identification and measurements of collected organisms and field measurements for the analysis of the community structure. Fish fauna and biomonitoring, quality indexes of aquatic environments based on the fish community, importance of exotic species in the functioning of aquatic environments.
Bibliography
Reading materials (e.books, scientific papers, reports, technical manuals) are provided by the teachers and uploaded on the Elly Platform.
Reference books:
European Environment Agency. 2018. European waters Assessment of status and pressures 2018. 85 pp.
Sabater S., A. Elosegi (Eds). 2013. River conservation: challenges and opportunities. Fundación BBVA, 399 pp.
Viaroli P. (Ed.). 2014. Stato attuale e tendenze evolutive negli ecosistemi di acque interne e di transizione in Italia. Biologia Ambientale 28(2):3-111.
Teaching methods
Regular class lectures and seminar activities.
Assessment methods and criteria
Attendance at lectures, field and laboratory activities is a pre-requisite for being admitted to the final exam, since the level of participation in the activities, the contribution to the discussion of case studies, as well as field and lab protocol management are subject to evaluation by teachers. The level of preparation of the student is verified by a written exam.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
During the course, the issues of environmental sustainability are extensively treated and discussed, with particular reference to goals 6 and 13 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.
