The environment track embraces the study of abiotic and biotic components of marine and coastal ecosystems, focusing on the understanding of short and long term interplays between physical processes and marine organisms, with emphasis on climate changes.

It includes a broad range of topics, such as marine geology/geomorphology, geobiology, applied geomorphology and sediment dynamics, palaeoecology, chemical and physical oceanography, offshore and coastal resource management, GIS, seafloor and habitat mapping.

The environment track combines marine geosciences and latest developments in geotechnologies, to offer a comprehensive understanding in geological, geochemical, oceanographic and ecological environment. Attention is given to natural and human-induced controls on the development and fate of bio-constructions, and to the multiple stressors produced by climate change and human activities on the ecosystem.

Students will have the opportunity to practice in the field, combining theoretical data with applied research and hands-on experience, with application of geoinformatic systems. Moreover, you will learn: (1) team work and team building basic principles for interpersonal regulation and (2) conflict resolution in high-stress environments management.

On these topics, we offer the following courses:

• Fundamentals of Marine Physical Geography
• Physics of the Sea
• Geobiology
• Biofacies
• Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology
• Applied Geomorphology and Habitat
• Ocean monitoring and data analysis
• Coastal Risks and Dynamics
• Applied Marine Geology