Agroecosystems Pollution

The course covers topics on the effects of agricultural practices on Agroecosystems structure and diversity. Basic crop systems and their pressures on soil and water environment are analyzed. Sources of major pollutants (pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals, wastes from postharvest treatment plants), their fate on agroecosystem compartments (soil, air, water) and their effects on biological processes related to agricultural production (e.g. Soil microbial community structure, plants) are examined. Various risk assessment approaches are applied to estimate ecotoxicological profile of agroecosystem pollutants. Also cases studies of polluted agroecosystems and results are presented. Advantages and disadvantages of remediation action against point and diffuse source pollution sites are discussed (bioremediation, phytoremediation, chemical remediation). Analyses of soil and water samples will be conducted and extraction and instrumental analytical techniques will be reviewed.