Class Integrated Management and Sustainability of Water Resources Module - Hydrology and ecology of water resources

By the end of the course, students should be able to: Understand the relationship between hydrological, hydromorphological, and physicochemical processes and the functioning of river ecosystems. Characterize biological communities associated with aquatic systems and their relation to different river typologies. Identify pressures and hydrological alterations at the river basin scale and analyse their ecological impacts. Apply principles for assessing the ecological status of water bodies in accordance with European regulatory frameworks. Understand the importance of river connectivity and evaluate barrier management solutions, including fish passages. Recognize strategies for the management and ecological restoration of riparian systems, including riparian vegetation recovery.