Bioengineering and aquaculture biotechnology applies fruitfully to endangered inland waters. A great number of diverse ecosystems are at the present time highly endangered: very high density of residential and industrial sites and human activities, included fishery, are main causes of this degradation.
The research unit studies natural population dynamics of ichthyic communities in fresh water ecosystems, with special attention to competition between auto- and allocthonous species for resources (see studies on cat fish). The lake of Varese is actively studied: it is an alpine lake located in a pre-alpine region. Its fragile ecosystem has been subject to intensive studies from several years, published reports from regional auctorities (written in italian) are linked here:
- Piano ittico provinciale (Province’s ichthyic plan)
- Carta delle vocazioni ittiche della Provincia di Varese (Plan of ichthyic vocations in the Varese region; included a detailed map)
An innovative, qualified expertise is provided to a number of inland hatcheries and fish farming: main fields of intervention concern biomolecular and biological study of markers for fish welfare and final product quality. The environmental impact of cited structures is monitored and minimized.
Researches are co-operative with the Applied Biology Lab.