Monitoring and protecting pollinators in Central Italy, a taxonomic perspective

DESCRIPTION

Eight prominent experts mainly from the University of Florence and its Natural History Museum as well as from other institutions of Italy, will provide this unique opportunity to graduates and young researchers to understand the role of taxonomy of pollinators in monitoring and conservation. In parallel trainees will deepen their knowledge on how to organize and do field research on pollinators, set and identify the collected material and prepare a report on the results of the field study.

More specifically trainees will:

  • Learn the most recent efforts made in Italy and EU level for standardising monitoring and conservation of pollinators
  • Understand the importance of taxonomy and identification of specimens in providing high quality monitoring data
  • Understand the most advanced techniques needed to sample the main groups of pollinators, in order to allow integrative taxonomy (preserving both morphological structure and DNA)
  • Observe, directly in the field, the main standardised monitoring techniques (pan traps, transects, pit fall etc).
  • Learn the importance and role of pollinating plants.

DAILY PROGRAM and TRAINERS

Monday 19/06/2023
09.00 – 10.00 Registration and presentation
10.00 – 13.00 Module 1: The recent effort of the Italian Ministry to monitor and protect pollinators. The solutions adopted to cope with taxonomic limitations. Systematics of diurnal Lepidoptera and the role of DNA-barcoding libraries. Leonardo Dapporto
13.00 – 15.00 Lunch
15.00 – 17.00 Module 2: Diptera taxonomy: some case studies. Antonio Belcari

Tuesday 20/06/2023
10.00 – 12.00 Module 3: Systematics of Coleoptera and how to prepare the specimens. Luca Bartolozzi
12.00 – 15.00 Lunch
15.00 – 18.00 Visit to Parco del Mensola for sampling

Wednesday 21/06/2023
09.00 – 10.30 Module 4: Pollinating plants. Lorenzo Cecchi
10.30 – 12.00 Module 5: Arachnida with focus on Araneae. Malayka S. Picchi
12.00 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 16.00 Module 6: Monitoring Apoidea. Keys for their collection and identification. Marco Bonifacino
16.00 – 17.00 Preparation of the material with DNA friendly techniques

Thursday 22/06/2023
10.00 – 12.00 Module 7: Invasive arthropod species. Elena Tricarico/Giuseppe Mazza
12.00 – 15.00 Lunch
15.00 – 18.00 Visit to Olmo (Fiesole) for sampling

Friday 23/06/2023
9.00 – 13.00 Recap with preparation of the specimens and report

Course duration: 5 working days, 34 hours in total

Dates of Training period(s): 19-23 June 2023

Course location: Botanical Garden – Florence University (or Villa Galileo)
Florence, Italy

Course language: English

Target audience: Graduated, MSc and PhD students, as well as early career researchers

Mode of trainees’ assessment: Test

Participant quota (min and max number of trainees): Min 8 – Max 10 trainees

Fee: 250 Euros (including: teaching and lab materials, transports, lunches)

Payment of fees
Registration is free.
Only the trainees who will be selected to participate the course will be requested to pay the fees. This will happen after the registration deadline.

Registration deadline

31 March 2023

Types of training

Theoretical modules: seven (7) lectures face to face on different taxonomic groups of pollinators and one (1) lecture on pollinating plants

Field work: two (2) field work sessions for a total of 6 hours

Lab work: two (2) lab work sessions for a total of 4 hours

Training Course learning outcomes

  1. Learn the most recent efforts made in Italy and EU level for standardising monitoring and conservation of pollinators
  2. Understand the importance of taxonomy and identification of specimens in providing high quality monitoring data
  3. Understand the most advanced techniques needed to sample the main groups of pollinators, in order to allow integrative taxonomy (preserving both morphological structure and DNA)
  4. Observe, directly in the field, the main standardised monitoring techniques (pan traps, transects, pit fall etc)

Certification provided

  1. Certificate of Attendance by CETAF DEST with ECVET Units (European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training)
  2. Certificate by CETAF DEST according to Europass Certificate Supplement (certifying analytically the knowledge, skills and competences gained)

What trainees need to bring

  1. Field equipment (field boots, T-shirt, light jacket, sunblock, cap or hat)
  2. Laptops

More details: dest@cetaf.org

Registration

Registration has closed on 31 March 2023

Evaluation form