COURSE OUTLINE

1. GENERAL

Course Description:

The effects of agricultural practices on Agroecosystems structure and diversity are mainly studied. Basic crop systems and their pressures on soil and water environment are analyzed. Sources of major pollutants (pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals, wastes from postharvest treatment plants), their fate on agroecosystem compartments (soil, air, water) and their effects on biological processes related to agricultural production (e.g. Soil microbial community structure, plants) are examined. Various risk assessment approaches are applied to estimate ecotoxicological profile of agroecosystem pollutants. Also, cases studies of polluted agroecosystems and results are presented.  Advantages and disadvantages of remediation action against point and diffuse source pollution sites are discussed (bioremediation, phytoremediation, chemical remediation). Analyses of soil and water samples will be conducted and extraction and instrumental analytical techniques will be reviewed.

Suggested Literature:

–         P.C.Kearney, T. Roberts (Ed.) (2007) Pesticide Remediation in Soil and Water. John Wiley & Sons. 373 p.

–         D. Barcelo (Ed.) (2003) Environmental Analysis Techniques, Applications and Quality Assurance. Elsevier 646 p.

–         V. R. Kannan (Ed.) (2013) Microbiological Research In Agroecosystem Management. Springer. Berlin. 326 p.

–         G. Merrington, L. Winder, R. Parkinson, M. Redman, L. Winder (2002) Agricultural Pollution: Environmental Problems and Practical Solutions. CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group. 264 p.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

–         Understood the complexity of agroecosytsems and their effects of production systems

–         Broaden their knowledge on sustainable production and environmental protection

–         Understood the effects of agricultural practices on agroecosystems

–         Identify the sources of agricultural pollution

–         Address environmental problems

–         Identify factors that deteriorate the agroecosystems

Evaluation:

–         Exams

–         Review presentation.

–         Practical

Final degree: (Maximum 100):

1. Final exams: 60 units
2. Review presentation: 20-40 units
3. Practical: 0-20 units

Weekly course schedule

Course outline. What is «agroecosystem»; Agroecosystem’s biodiversity

Farming systems and their effects on soil and aquatic environment (Quality of irrigation water, optimization of agricultural practices)

Agricultural pollution (pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals, agricultural and processing wastes)

Fate of pollutants (soil, air, water)

Effects of pollution in agriculture and biological processes

Pesticides and soil microbiology

Methods of environmental risk assessment

Ecotoxicology of agricultural pollutants

Pesticide residues and food safety

Remediation techniques of point source pollution (biodegradation, chemical and photochemical degradation)

Remediation techniques of diffuse source pollution  (phytoremediation, engineering technologies)

Sampling and analysis of environmental samples (Laboratory)

Chromatographic techniques of determination of pesticide residues (laboratory)

Student Presentations

Exams