Curriculum on aquatic ecosystems in pre-university and university education in Albania

The conservation and management of natural ecosystems in general and aquatic ones in particular at the local and global level require an increase in the level of education of pupils and students. To face the challenges and competitive global economy, students must have the competencies as well as the capacity to take advantage of the opportunities offered for personal development, the advancement of society and the protection of the environment. The purpose of this study is to present an analysis of legal acts, bylaws, strategic documents and curricular framework related to aquatic ecosystems, their types, level of pollution, eutrophication, biodiversity, included in the curricula and textbooks of pre-university education and high in Albania. The study data were provided by narrative analysis of basic education policy documents and interviews conducted with policy makers and specialists of pre-university and higher education. Data analysis shows that pre-university education textbooks mostly convey to students learning about the aquatic environment at a theoretical level of knowledge and very little at a practical level. There is also no coherence between the pre-university education curriculum and higher education on water and aquatic environments. At the end of the study are given some recommendations regarding the improvement of curricula for aquatic environments, the continuation of the curriculum of pre-university education and higher education on aquatic ecosystems as well as the coordination of legal acts and by laws of the responsible institutions

Microbiological quality of outdoor air in some settings of Elbasan city

The study of infectious agents of air has recently become a serious problem from the point of view of health impact. One kind of air pollutant is airborne microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. They are factors of potential infectious to human beings. The quality of bio-aerosols differs with the atmospheric conditions such as pH, UV radiation, temperature and relative humidity and cultural behavior of people. Environmental factors modify the effects of bio-aerosols by limiting the time where aerosolized microorganisms remain viable. The aim of this study is to value the microbiological quality of outdoor air in some significant settings of Elbasan city in central Albania during the summer 2014. Air samples are taken three times a day: in the morning, midday and in the afternoon. To identify the presence of such air contamination agents is used the sedimentation method in which bacteria and fungi are collected and grown on standard culture media respectively MPA nutrient agar (bacteria) and Czapek-Dox Agar (fungi).The quantitative and qualitative examinations of 150 air samples are done in microbiological laboratory of the University of Elbasan.Thelevel of microbial air contamination is considered high, compared with existing suggestions for microbiological standards and UE demands. The number of microorganisms (colonies) ranged within 19-700 for bacteria, and 16-800 in the case of fungi. The factors that influence this high level of contamination are environmental factors, anthropogenic sources and deposition of biological materials

Further records of Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1896) in central part of Adriatic coast in Albania

The distribution of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus is reported from marine, transitional and freshwater environments along the coasts of Adriatic Sea (Albania, Eastern Mediterranean Sea). Numerous specimens of the invasive blue crab were caught in the period from 2011 to 2019 in the area of Karavasta Lagoon. Our study was curried out during the September 2019. In addition to the morphometric parameters, some physic-chemical parameters were measured as well. These note documents further records of the species in one of the most important site for biodiversity in Mediterranean Sea that is currently seriously threaten by the presence of invasive alien species

TRADING-OF FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY AND HYDROPOWER IN A UNIQUE BALKAN HOTSPOT (VJOSA RIVER WATERSHED, ALBANIA)

Inland waters and freshwater biodiversity in Albania constitute a valuable natural resource, in economic, cultural, aesthetic, scientific and educational terms. Amongst them Vjosa River watershed represents a unique feature, while its conservation and management are critical to the interests of local population, national and regional one. This review explores the special features of Vjosa River as one of the last living wild rivers in Europe. Along more than 230 kilometers in Albania it is untamed and free flowing, characterized by beautiful canyons, braided river sections and meandering stretches. Together with its tributaries, the Vjosa River creates a dynamic near-natural ecosystem, a true regional natural heritage. However, eight dams are foreseen along its course in Albania. These dam projects would destroy the unique river system. The river itself, from delta to upland flows, is migration corridor for European eel (Anguilla anguilla Linnaeus, 1758) and many other marine species

Drinking water quality determination through the water pollution indicators, Elbasan district

Today's drinking water supply in the Elbasan district continues to be an issue of concern. The population growth nowadays is accompanied by the increase of request for water use. To complete their needs, people have chosen to use groundwater by opening wells. Having their personal well does not guarantee water safety. The aim of this paper is to determine the quality of drinking water through coliform bacteria indicators, in Elbasan district. There are three groups of coliform bacteria, total coliform, intestinal enterococci and Escherichia coli. Each of these is an indicator of drinking water quality and each has a different level of risk. In this study are analyzed many water samples taken from villages Labinot fushë, Gjergjan, Papër, Shushicë, and Bradashesh. In some of these villages, the water samples are taken from wells and pipes. The total coliform, E. coli, and intestinal enterococci in drinking water of these villages are reflected in this study. The data recorded shows which of the analyzed water sources are within the international standards to be used as drinking water. The coliform pollution levels are higher in the wells water than in the pipes one. The distant areas from the city of Elbasan are more polluted than those nearby

An inventory of invertebrate fauna of Albania and Macedonia Lakes

The results of faunal studies carried out in the last 13 years (2005-2017) are reported, regarding 52 different water sites in Albania and Republic of Macedonia. Lakes (natural and artificial), and ponds (temporary and perennial) have been investigated. A total of 155 taxa have been identified in the plankton, and a particular detail has been devoted to Crustacea, which were subdivided in 101 taxa. Many Cladocera (31 species) and Copepoda (36 species) were new at least for one of the two Countries. Eight genera are here reported for the first time for the whole geographic area. The present investigation contributes to fill in the gap existing among Albania and Macedonia due to a different attention paid to the fauna of the two Countries, with Cladocera more studied in Albania and Copepoda more studied in Macedonia. High mountain lakes, however, have been scarcely considered in the past faunal studies, and their faunal assemblages contributed noteworthy to the knowledge of the regional biodiversity

TRADING-OF FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY AND HYDROPOWER IN A UNIQUE BALKAN HOTSPOT (VJOSA RIVER WATERSHED, ALBANIA)

Inland waters and freshwater biodiversity in Albania constitute a valuable natural resource, in economic, cultural, aesthetic, scientific and educational terms. Amongst them Vjosa River watershed represents a unique feature, while its conservation and management are critical to the interests of local population, national and regional one. This review explores the special features of Vjosa River as one of the last living wild rivers in Europe. Along more than 230 kilometers in Albania it is untamed and free flowing, characterized by beautiful canyons, braided river sections and meandering stretches. Together with its tributaries, the Vjosa River creates a dynamic near-natural ecosystem, a true regional natural heritage. However, eight dams are foreseen along its course in Albania. These dam projects would destroy the unique river system. The river itself, from delta to upland flows, is migration corridor for European eel (Anguilla anguilla Linnaeus, 1758) and many other marine species

Raporti paraprak baze: Monitorimi i zbatimit te Planeve te Pergjithshme Vendore ne Shqiperi

Ky raport është hartuar nga Agjencia Kombëtare për Planifikimin e Territorit (AKPT) dhe Projekti i USAID-it për Planifikimin dhe Qeverisjen Vendore (PLGP), i cili u zhvillua gjatë periudhës Nëntor 2017 – Dhjetor 2018. Raporti synon të paraqesë monitorimin e zbatimit të Planeve të Përgjithshme Vendore (PPV) të territorit dhe ndikimin e tyre në këtë të fundit si dhe në zhvillim ekonomik. Ky raport, vjen pas një periudhe intensive pune që lidhet me procesin e planifikimit të territorit në Shqipëri. Në 5-vjeçarin e fundit janë hartuar e miratuar 3 plane të rëndësisë kombëtare, përkatësisht: Plani i Përgjithshëm Kombëtar i Territorit (PPKT), Plani i Integruar Ndërsektorial për Brezin Bregdetar (PINS Bregdeti), si dhe Plani i Integruar Ndërsektorial për Zonën Tiranë-Durrës (PINS Tr-Dr). Në nivel vendor, 34 bashki kanë Plane të Përgjithshme Vendore të miratuara, 10 bashki janë në proces miratimi, 16 bashkitë e tjera janë në proces hartimi dhe vetëm 1 bashki nuk ka filluar ende procedurat për nisjen e hartimit të PPV-së. Procesi i hartimit të PPV-ve është mbështetur nga Qeveria e Shqipërisë (për 50 bashki), PLGP (për 5 bashki) dhe Programi për Decentralizimin dhe Zhvillimin Lokal (dldp) (për 5 bashki)