This course is aimed at completing and consolidating the basic zoological knowledge acquired by students within the framework of the Bachelor's Degree courses in biological, natural and environmental sciences. The primary educational objective is to provide students with a detailed knowledge of animal biodiversity, with particular reference to Vertebrates, through an evolutionary, adaptive, ecological, behavioural and phylogenetic approach. A comparative study of the Invertebrates communities of the main terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems will also be studied in depth, as will the study of the fundamental ecological role they play in natural ecological networks. This knowledge will be useful to students both for direct professional application in the management and protection of animal biodiversity (e.g. in natural parks, public and private agencies responsible for the census and monitoring of wildlife, exotic and invasive species), and as a cultural background for a post-graduate training in advanced zoological research. At the end of the course, the student must demonstrate his ability to identify the main orders and families of Vertebrates, with examples of species of the European fauna (especially those of conservation or economic interest), describing their morpho-functional features, the ecological role and phylogenetic relationships. Knowledge of the composition, relationships, adaptations and ecological role of the invertebrate communities of the various terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems will also be assessed.
teacher profile teaching materials
- Guides to the identification of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, cartilaginous and osseous fishes of the European fauna.
- Electronic documents distributed by the teacher.
Programme
The course is an introduction to the study of animal biodiversity over time and space, through an evolutionary, ecological, behavioural and phylogenetic reading. The most investigated taxonomic groups are those of Vertebrates (cyclostomes, cartilaginous and osseous fishes, amphibians, reptiles (including birds) and mammals), analyzed in terms of evolutionary history, systematic classification, distribution, ethological and ecological aspects, rarefaction and extinction in relationship to phenomena of interspecific competition, climate change and the impact of man on ecosystems. A comparative study of the invertebrate communities of the main terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems will also be studied in depth, as will the study of the fundamental ecological role they play in natural trophic networks. The taxonomic groups selected for the study are found in the electronic documents distributed by the teacher. Among these, the student will explore the most significant species from the conservation or economic point of view of the European fauna, with recognition of cyclostomes, cartilaginous and osseous fishes, amphibians, reptiles (ncluding birds) and mammals of the Italian fauna or of their country (for Erasmus students). Number of credits: 5 credits of lectures (40 hours) + 1 zoological laboratory credit on the field (10 actual hours of fauna exploration in three selected environmental typologies).Core Documentation
- Hickman et alii. 2008/2012. Diversità animale. McGraw-Hill, Milano (iv / xv edition). (study the last five chapters, those on Vertebrates).- Guides to the identification of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, cartilaginous and osseous fishes of the European fauna.
- Electronic documents distributed by the teacher.
Type of delivery of the course
The course will be given as follw: 5 credits of lectures (40 hours) + 1 zoological laboratory credit on the field (10 actual hours of fauna exploration in three selected environmental typologies).Type of evaluation
Questions on the arguments of the course and on the activities performed during field excursions