Μαθήματα

Climate change is a leading environmental and social issue globally. However, its impacts are experienced at regional and local scales; thus, their assessment and the planning for adaptation depend on the availability of regional and local climate information at appropriate scales and forms. This course covers the theory and application of climate change impact assessment as a tool for environmental science. The course discusses the use of climate data to analyse the effects of climate change and, eventually, to guide regional decision-making and adaptation plans. The course begins with an overview of climate change science and the adaptation and vulnerability of manmade and natural systems to climate change. The framework for the climate change impact assessment (CCIA) is then presented and used in a number of case studies. A significant part of the course is dedicated to individual student projects. Instructors will assist students in designing a research project of their choice that will use open-source online platforms and tools to access projections of future climate generated by climate models participating in the most recent climate modelling phases. Students are encouraged to choose projects based on their prior research and professional experience or based on topics and regions about which the students are particularly knowledgeable or interested. By the end of the course, students will be able to work with observations and climate model outputs for CCIA, apply CCIA to real-world problems and professionally communicate scientific findings.

Course objectives

The overall objectives of the course are to define the important microbes involved in environmental microbiology, the nature of the different environments in which the microbes are situated and the methodologies used to monitor the microbes and their activities and, finally, to evaluate their effects on human activities. 

 

Syllabus

1^st Week

Introduction to microbiology of the aquatic environment. Prokaryotic & Eukaryotic microorganisms, Viruses.

 

2^nd Week

Cell structure – chemical composition of biological systems. Metabolic pathways in microbial cells.

 

3^rd Week

Major metabolic pathways in microorganisms (metabolism of nitrogen compounds, hydrocarbons). Microbial growth, kinetics and metabolic products.

 

4^th Week

Heterogeneous microbial growth – biofilm. Mixed microbial cultures. Microbial interactions.

 

5^th Week

Public health microbiology. Elements of epidemiology (infection, types and reservoir of infectious agents, mode of transmission of pathogenic microorganisms & viruses, host susceptibility). Waterborne diseases.

 

6^th Week:

Emerging and re-emerging pathogens. Risk assessment. Microbiological quality of aquatic environment.

 

7^th Week:

Monitoring of environmental quality using bioindicators & biosensors. Microbiological quality of bottled water & seawater.

 

8^th Week:

Presence of antibiotics in the environment. Development of antibiotic resistant bacteria & dispersion of antibiotic resistance genes.

 

9^th Week:

Wastewater and water treatment microbiology. Disinfection of water & wastewater.

 

10^th Week:

Disinfection of water & wastewater.

 

11^th Week:

The use of microorganisms for bioremediation purposes.

Food microbiology.

 

12^th Week:

HACCP system.

 

13^th Week:

Projects presentation

 

Work load

Projects: Individual or group projects are assigned according to the number of students.

 

Student evaluation

1. Projects (40%)
2. Final exam (60%)

 

Recommended Reading:

 

1. «Environmental Microbiology» Raina M. Maier, Ian L. Pepper, Charles P. Gerba Academic Press ISBN-13: 978-0-12-497570-5 ISBN-10: 0-12-497570-4   2. «Water Treatment and Pathogen Control» Page URL: http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843390698 MW LeChevallier, Kwok-Keung Au ISBN: 9781843390695