Award for the Best Master's Thesis in Environmental Biology

A master student from the UNITO-Alpstream group won the award for the Best Thesis of the 2021–2022 Academic Year, in Environmental Biology at the University of Turin.

*Maria Cristina Candellero* received the award for her outstanding Master’s thesis, carried out in collaboration with the Alpstream group in the Monviso Park. Her thesis, titled “Distribution of Species and Analysis of Epilithic Diatom Communities within the Framework of the Network Position Hypothesis: A Study in the Upper Po Valley,” was supervised by Prof. Francesca Bona and co-supervised by Dr. Elisa Falasco.

The thesis focused on river benthic diatoms inhabiting streams colonizing the Po River hydrographic network. The research aimed at evaluating differences in terms of community composition based on the type of mesohabitat colonized and the position of each sampling site within the hydrographic network.

The results contributed to understanding the influence of local factors and spatial components in the biological communities living in alpine rivers, acknowledging their complexity. Furthermore, the research emphasized the importance of protecting river habitats and preserving the hydro-morphological integrity of watercourses. This is essential to maintain connectivity within the hydrographic networks and improve the management of riverine environments.