Aquaculture techniques and practices in nature conservation and restoration

Timetable

Lectures: 10 hours in total, 1 lecture a week, lectures will be held at the Faculty of Biology AMU.

Lecturers: prof. Mariusz Pełechaty, prof. Sławomir Cerbin, prof. Piotr Klimaszyk, dr Łukasz Wejnerowski

Labs: 18 hours in total, 1 lab a week, labs will be held at the Faculty of Biology AMU.

Lab instructors: dr Michał Rybak, dr Łukasz Wejnerowski

Module aim (aims)

• Introducing to the concept of aquaculture and its usefulness to protect and restore the environment;

• Training in aseptic techniques required in aquaculture

• Teaching methods of population size estimations and showing the purposes of organism’s usage in practice;

• Introducing and training in maintenance of in-door and out-door aquacultures of different aquatic organisms, which have a perspective in nature conservation, environmental monitoring and recovery of degraded ecosystems;

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Basic knowledge in ecology and environmental protection. Ability to work in a team.

Syllabus

Week 1 

• Lecture 1 (2h): Introduction to principal of aquaculture

• Laboratory 1 (3h): Aseptic techniques in in-door and out-door aquaculturing

Week 2

• Lecture 2 (2h): Culturing of microorganisms and their potential in environment protection

• Laboratory 2 (4h): Isolation, purification and cultivation of microorganisms in batch and continuous systems

Week 3

• Lecture 3 (2h): Macrophyte culturing for the recovery of aquatic ecosystems: potential, methods, challenges

• Laboratory 3 (4h): Training in collection and laboratory cultivation of submersed macrophytes

Week 4 

• Lecture 4 (2h): Zooplankton culturing and its applications in maintenance and restoration of endangered fish species and threatened ecosystems

• Laboratory 4 (4h): Training in zooplankton culturing and assessment of zooplankton biomass

Week 5 

• Lecture 5 (2h): Fish farming oriented on nature conservation   

• Laboratory 5 (3h): Virtual fish farm tour

Reading list

• Lucas J.S., Southgate P.C., Tucker C.S. 2018. Aquaculture: Farming Aquatic Animals and Plants, 3rd Edition. Wiley-Blackwell, ISBN: 978-1-119-23086-1;

• Andersen R.A. 2005. Algal culturing techniques. Academic Press Inc., ISBN: ‎0120884267