Techniques of Biological Monitoring

Objectives

The intertidal zone as a bioversity indicator:

Intertidal zonation;

Richness and diversity;

Methods for studying the intertidal;

Preservation and conservation;

Biomonitorization with lichens of the atmospheric conditions under the effect of an industrial unit.

1. Review and upgrade of biological concepts such as environment, biodiversity, ecosystems and their outputs, native, endemic, exotiic and invasive species;

2. Importance of diversity in Earth's biological processes;

3. Bryohytes as one of the most rich elements of the Azorean flora;

4. Ecological importance of Bryophytes;

5. Training competences of environmental monitoring using bryophytes.

Monitoring vascular land plants

Sampling methods for communities of terrestrial plants

Methodologies for the elaboration of monitoring plans

Program

Mainly with field trips we intend that students will:

1. Recognize intertidal areas a local indicators of biodiversity;

2. Understand diversity evaluation methods in these environments;

3. Ability to identify the main organisms present in these environments;

4. May elaborate reports describing intertidal areas in their different aspects.

5. Develop a monitoring program with lichens and be able to collect data from digital photography.

6. Recognize preferencial habitats suitable for Bryophytes

7. Develops methodologies for elaborating monitorization plans

Teaching Methodologies

Teaching methods are based on a series of theoretical sessions that occupy ca. 20% of the time atributed to each Professor followed by an tutorial guidance of these students to scientific projects in the field as well as field trips envolving colecting of data tasks and parctice of field methodologies applied to different ecosystems and taxa.

Students are stimulated to individualy or in pairs to a permanent dialogue with the Pofessors in order to establish a routine of aprenticeship that is continuous and of permanent clarification of the expectable doubts they will inevitably have.

Bibliography

Horn, M. H.; K. L. M. Martin & M. A. Chotkowski (editors) 1999. Intertidal Fishes – Life in two Worlds. Academic Press, San Diego.

Mann, K. H. & J. R. N. Lazier 1991. Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems: Biological-Physical Interactions in the Oceans. Blackwell Scientific Publications Inc. 466pp.

Borges P.A.V. & Gabriel, R.G. (2009). Estimar extinções em ilhas oceânicas: artrópodes e briófitos. Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, 80 pp. http://www.viaoceanica.com/servicos/viabook/cita/biodiversidade/

Magurran, A.E. (1988). Ecological Diversity and Its Measurement. Croom Helm, London.

PBA (2008). Portal da Biodiversidade dos Açores. (http://www.azoresbioportal.angra.uac.pt).

Borges P.A.V. & Gabriel, R.G. (2009). Estimar extinções em ilhas oceânicas: artrópodes e briófitos. Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, 80 pp.

Gaston, K. J. 2000. Global patterns in biodiversity. Nature, 405: 220-227.