This Friday, LIS hosted its first visit as part of the ERASMUS+ program. The scientist’s name was André Fonseca, a laboratory technician at the Polytechnic University of Leiria, Portugal. He holds a degree in Environmental Engineering and a Master’s in Hydraulics and Water Resources. Currently, he works in the laboratories of chemistry, microbiology, and water treatment at the Polytechnic University of Leiria.
As part of the Erasmus+ program, he visited our school and conducted a classroom activity, which included:
- Presenting benthic macroinvertebrates, their main features, and their ecological role as bioindicators.
- Conducting a practical class to identify and classify the major families of macroinvertebrates found in a fresh sample collected from the Vipava River.
Benthic macroinvertebrates are reliable indicators of waterbody health. They spend most of their lives in water, are easy to collect, and vary in their tolerance to pollution. Unlike fish, they have limited mobility and cannot escape pollution, making them effective in integrating the effects of stressors over time. By evaluating their abundance and variety, we can assess the biological condition of a waterbody. Healthy waterbodies support diverse and abundant macroinvertebrate taxa, including pollution-intolerant species. Conversely, a lack of diversity or the presence of pollution-tolerant species suggests a less healthy waterbody. Assessing the biological condition provides a comprehensive understanding of waterbody health, complemented by evaluations of algae and fish populations.
Students from grades 7 to 12 actively participated in the activity and enjoyed the engaging experience of “creature fishing” in the water samples. Please take a moment to view our photo gallery.
Ms. Ana
