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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 2025/2026
- Teachers
- Francesca Bona (Tutor)
Valeria Bianciotto (Lecturer)
Riccardo Alba
Kyle Graham Dexter (Lecturer)
Matteo Chialva (Lecturer) - Year
- 1st year
- Teaching period
- Annuale
- Type
- Basic
- Credits/Recognition
- 5
- Course disciplinary sector (SSD)
- BIOS-01/A - General Botany
BIOS-01/B - Systematic Botany
BIOS-05/A - 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 to provide advanced knowledge on field sampling methods for assessing the integrity of Alpine environments and the main threats at local and global scales. In this edition, students will participate in several field activities related to soils, plants, aquatic organisms, 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 (16 and 17 June 2026 in Ostana, at the Alpstream Research Center.
Monitoring freshwater biodiversity and impacts in rivers (Prof Bona)
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Techniques to study stream biodiversity and abiotic factors
- Human impacts on Alpine streams
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Visit to the Alpstream mesocosms
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)Introduction to Alpine Ornithology (Dr Alba)
- 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)- 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 scheduled on 10th April 2026 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"
Registration of the WebEx meeting held on April 10th
Registrazione riunione Webex: SBBA Summer School Presentation
Collegamento registrazione: https://unito.webex.com/unito/ldr.php?RCID=47a1d75f48a29d409955ea93a8abda3b- Oggetto:
Further information
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lRg5pMbvLcIzRHLnCGTAYKGU4_By3HNN/edit#gid=1514613342- Enroll
- Open
- Enrollment opening date
- 10/04/2026 at 14:00
- Enrollment closing date
- 10/05/2026 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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