MAJOR GOALS OF THIS COURSE ARE: TO ACQUIRE AN APPROPRIATE KNOWGLEDGE OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF ECOLOGY INCLUDING ECOSYSTEMS, COMMUNITIES TO POPULATIONS, TO PROPERLY APPLY ELEMENTS FROM FORMER BIOLOGY COURSES (SUCH AS BOTANY AND ZOOLOGY) IN AN ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT, TO ANALYSE ECOLOGICAL ISSUES BOTH IN FIELD AND IN LAB, AND TO DEVELOP A THOROUGH INTEREST TO ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS DISCUSSING THE RELATIOSNHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND NATURE. MOREOVER, THE COURSE IS ALSO INTENDED TO DEVELOP BASIC INSIGHTS TO RECORD, ORGANIZE AND INTERPRET ECOLOGICAL DATA.
teacher profile teaching materials
Ecosystem ecology: factors related to distribution of biomes, biomes and climatic changes, the flux of energy in the ecosystem, trophic structure, production and productivity, ecological pyramids, biogeochemical cycles.
Community ecology: community structure, aims and methods in community analyses in an ecological perspective, successions, methods in successional studies, biodiversity, diversity measures, factors influencing diversity in different ecosystems, alien species, diversity and conservation. Bioindicators.
Population ecology. Population structure and dynamics, r and k selection, interactions, intraspecific relationships, interspecific competition, ecological niche.
Environment-organisms relationships, ecological factors, response of organisms to environmental factors, stress and disturbance, c-s-r strategies
Ecosystems conservation and management. Introduction to conservation biology, management of protected areas.
Introduction to landscape ecology. Landscape structure and landscape dynamics, landscape and ecosystem management.
Introduction to urban ecology. Major features of urban ecosystems.
CAIN, M. BOWMAN, W. & HACKER, S. 2017. ECOLOGIA. PICCIN
The material will be indicated by the teacher during the lessons
Programme
Looking at nature through different perspectives: ecological principles from ecosystems to populations, origin and development of ecology as a science. Ecology as a group of subdisciplines.Ecosystem ecology: factors related to distribution of biomes, biomes and climatic changes, the flux of energy in the ecosystem, trophic structure, production and productivity, ecological pyramids, biogeochemical cycles.
Community ecology: community structure, aims and methods in community analyses in an ecological perspective, successions, methods in successional studies, biodiversity, diversity measures, factors influencing diversity in different ecosystems, alien species, diversity and conservation. Bioindicators.
Population ecology. Population structure and dynamics, r and k selection, interactions, intraspecific relationships, interspecific competition, ecological niche.
Environment-organisms relationships, ecological factors, response of organisms to environmental factors, stress and disturbance, c-s-r strategies
Ecosystems conservation and management. Introduction to conservation biology, management of protected areas.
Introduction to landscape ecology. Landscape structure and landscape dynamics, landscape and ecosystem management.
Introduction to urban ecology. Major features of urban ecosystems.
Core Documentation
SMITH, T. & SMITH, R. 2017. ELEMENTI DI ECOLOGIA. PEARSON-B. CUMMINGSCAIN, M. BOWMAN, W. & HACKER, S. 2017. ECOLOGIA. PICCIN
The material will be indicated by the teacher during the lessons
Reference Bibliography
COTGRERAVE, P. & FORSETH, I. 2004. INTRODUZIONE ALLA ECOLOGIA. ZANICHELLI. TOWNSEND, C., HARPER, J. & BEGON, M. 2000. L'ESSENZIALE DI ECOLOGIA. ZANICHELLI. CHELAZZI, G., PROVINI A, & SANTINI G. 2004. ECOLOGIA, dagli organismi agli ecosistemi. Ed. Ambrosiana BULLINI, PIGNATTI & VIRZO DE SANTO. 1998. ECOLOGIA GENERALE. UTET. The material will be indicated by the teacher during the lessonsType of delivery of the course
Classroom exercises: students bring laptops to carry out exercises on ecological sequences, on biological forms, on diversity and on animal and plant populations. The results are subsequently projected and discussed. Monothematic seminars on current ecology issues: Biodiversity, threats and responses; Air quality in the territory of Roma Capitale: results achieved and critical issues still existing; Communicate in ecology ?; Biodiversity and global climate changeType of evaluation
Learning verification takes place through a written test lasting 2 hours. The writing is organized through open questions aimed at verifying the level of effective understanding of the concepts and the students' ability to apply them in real contexts. The teacher then analyzes and discusses the task with each student.