The course aims to provide basic knowledge, skills, legislative and regulatory tools so that the students can develop the ability to evaluate environmental quality through reading and assessing the composition and articulation of animal communities. In this regard, the course consists of lectures and theoretical/practical initiatives to be carried out in parallel, such as excursions aimed at observing and sampling animals in their environments, practical laboratory experiences related to the identification of taxa, the application of animal indices for the evaluation of environmental quality. Regarding the expected knowledge and understanding, students must be able to classify freshwater environments, determine the most important environmental parameters, identify the structuring communities, identify the sampled organisms, describe their main adaptations. They must also know the main theories on the zoning of running waters and be able to apply environmental quality evaluation indices. Regarding terrestrial ecosystems (especially forests), the student must be able to recognize structuring communities and taxocoenoses, identify the main taxonomic groups and be able to evaluate environmental quality through the application of simple indices. Regarding sandy and rocky marine communities, the student must be able to evaluate environmental quality through the application of specific microbiological indices, based on algae, phanerogams and macroinvertebrates. Based on this acquired knowledge, the student must be able to apply the main biotic indices for evaluating environmental quality and derive, autonomously, judgments on the main interventions to remove the disturbing causes. Finally, the student must be able to communicate these results and their evaluations through the acquisition of specific languages. These skills and the ability to learn will be the subject of evaluation.