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Biomonitoring and Biodiversity Conservation (Summer School at Alpstream Centre, Ostana)
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Biomonitoring and Biodiversity Conservation (Summer School at Alpstream Centre, Ostana)
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Academic year 2024/2025
- Teachers
- Francesca Bona (Tutor)
Valeria Bianciotto (Lecturer)
Alex Laini (Lecturer)
Stefano Fenoglio (Assistant)
Riccardo Alba
Kyle Graham Dexter (Lecturer)
Matteo Chialva (Lecturer) - Year
- 1st year
- Teaching period
- Annuale
- Type
- Basic
- Credits/Recognition
- 5
- Course disciplinary sector (SSD)
- SSD: BIO/02 - systematic botany
SSD: BIO/05 - zoology
SSD: BIO/07 - ecology - Delivery
- Formal authority
- Language
- Italian
- Attendance
- Obligatory
- Type of examination
- Written
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Sommario del corso
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Course objectives
The "Biomonitoring and Biodiversity Conservation" course aims at providing advanced notions on field sampling methods to assess the integrity of Alpine environments and main threats at local and global scales. In the present edition, students will participate in several field activities concerning soils, plants, aquatic invertebrates and birds.
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Results of learning outcomes
Students will learn concepts and applications of biomonitoring techniques applied to Alpine ecosystems and possible strategies for habitat integrity and biodiversity conservation.
The course is designed as a summer school in the heart of the Alps and is aimed at increasing important soft skills of PhD students such as Teamwork, Communication, Problem-solving, and Critical thinking
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Program
The course is organized into two days (30th June and 1 July 2025) in Ostana, at the Alpstream Research Center.
30th June
Monitoring taxonomical and functional diversity in soil Prof .Bianciotto-Chialva
· Introduction to field sampling and laboratory methods for the study soil in different environment (Alpstream lab)· Field activities for soil sampling (alpine grasslands near Ostana)· Sampling collection, processing and storage (Alpstream lab)· DNA extraction from soil (practical activity) and discussion about microscopy and microorganisms isolation and propagation methods (Alpstream lab)Monitoring freshwater biodiversity in rivers through DNA metabarcoding and mesocosms (Prof. Bona- Laini- Fenoglio)
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Introduction to environmental DNA metabarcoding (Alpstream lab)
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Sample collection for morphological- and eDNA-based identification (Po river)
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Discussion on the implications of DNA-based identification for biodiversity conservation
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Visit to the Alpstream mesocosms
1st July
Introduction to Alpine Ornithology (Dr Alba) 8:00-12.00
- Introduction: The importance of accurate biodiversity monitoring
- Theory of detectability and distance sampling · Alpine ornithology in the field – natural history and identification
- Measuring habitat, use of GPS · Point count surveys
- Class discussion
Long-term forest and savanna monitoring for carbon cycle and biodiversity change (Prof. Dexter) 13-17.30- Permanent vegetation monitoring plots for forest and savanna ecosystems
- Identifying trees in vegetation monitoring plots and collecting herbarium vouchers
- How to sample soils in permanent vegetation monitoring plots
- Functional trait quantification for trees
Further information will be provided in a Webex meeting to be held on April 11 at 3 p.m. Link: https://unito.webex.com/meet/
francesca.bona -
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Course delivery
The course is organised in two days in Valle Po (Parco del Monviso) at Alpstream Centre in Ostana (Cuneo) at the altitude range of 1200 – 1800 m asl. The PhD school will arrange the accommodation for students and teachers
Suggested readings and bibliography
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Notes
To participate you should:
1) enroll through campusnet (see below "registering for the course"), deadline May 10
AND
2) fill the excel spreadsheet on https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lRg5pMbvLcIzRHLnCGTAYKGU4_By3HNN/edit#gid=1514613342. Deadline May 20
more details on the pdf in the "teaching materials"
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Further information
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lRg5pMbvLcIzRHLnCGTAYKGU4_By3HNN/edit#gid=1514613342- Enroll
- Closed
- Enrollment opening date
- 10/04/2025 at 14:00
- Enrollment closing date
- 10/05/2025 at 23:55
- Maximum number of students
- 15 (Once this number of students is reached, enrollment will no longer be permitted!)
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