Alpine microbial ecology

Area of the Microbial ecology sector

The unique geological features of the Val Piora region provide a rare natural stage for studying microbial ecology within exceptional ecosystems. Through close collaboration between the Microbial Ecology sector and the Alpine Biology Center (CBA), it is possible to investigate the ecology of lakes, streams, and peatlands using advanced analytical tools. The availability of cutting-edge research and teaching facilities at 2,000 meters in this alpine environment also enables practical internships for biology students from major Swiss universities.

What we do

We provide logistical, scientific, and academic assistance to the Alpine Biology Center Foundation (CBA). This includes coordinating and offering technical and logistical support (equipment, laboratory materials, and raft services) for educational and research activities at the CBA in Piora, such as high school courses from the Canton of Ticino and research groups from Swiss and international universities.

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The EcoMic group offers two practical courses for university students from the Universities of Geneva (UNIGE) and Zurich (UNIZH):

Hydrobiologie microbienne: écologie de la stratification (14B641)
Ecologie microbienne des milieux aquatiques alpines (14B026)

In addition, national (SCNAT and CUSO) and international (OSI Water Watch) “summer schools” with students of various ages are also regularly organized.

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Collaboration with the CBA has enabled the collection of scientific data over the past 40 years, facilitating precise monitoring and analysis of climate change phenomena (see also the Competence centre Climate Change and Territory (CCCT)).

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The CBA’s meteorological station, managed by the Institute of Earth Sciences (IST), near the meromictic Lake Cadagno, records temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, and solar radiation. A webcam provides real-time images of the lake, supporting research on this unique ecosystem.