Program

• step 1. limnology (2hr, morning). Still and running waters (lentic and lotic environments); physical and chemical characteristics of freshwater; kinds of substrate; granulometry of depths; oxygen as main limitant factor for aquatic organisms; water pollution.
• steps 2. Field activity (4hrs, afternoon). Environmental observations, survey of main environmental parameters (temperature, sunlight, soil and substrate, current speed, water body width and depth); collection of macroinvertebrates; the dredge, cleaning and bagging of the sample, preparation of labels; searching and observing Amphibians.
• steps 3. Zoology of the main groups of italian aquatic macroinvertebrates with regard to bioindicators (1hr, morning).
• steps 4. Amphibians (2hr, morning): morphological features of different gropus, with regard to European fauna; systematics; evolution of the group; how do the amphibians work? Physiology and evolutive history of metamorphosis; methods of census.
• step 5. Field activity and sample collecting of amphibians: how can I distinguish different species? Keys for determination and call listening; observation of different habitats. Sampling of macroinvertebrates (3hrs, afternoon)
• step 6. How potential reproductive habitats of amphibians can be detected? What to look for? How? Importance of image of research (2hrs, morning).
• step 7. Sorting of samples. Preparation of tubes; count of specimens; observation and identification of macroinvertebrates; conservation of samples; data and results (2hrs, morning)
• step 8. Attempt to apply the EBI (extended biotic index) method for an evaluation of water quality; amphibians as bioindicators: a possible approach? (2hrs afternoon).