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 Italian Invertebrates and Vertebrates 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 and Vertebrate communities of the various terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems will also be assessed.
teacher profile teaching materials
The taxonomic groups selected for study can be found in the electronic documents distributed by the lecturer. Among them, the student will delve into the most conservationistically or economically significant species of the European fauna, with identification of cyclostomes, chondrichthyes, osteichthyes, amphibians, reptiles (with birds) and mammals of the fauna of Italy or their own country (for Erasmus students).
number of credits: 5 credits of lectures (40 hours) + 1 credit of zoological field laboratory (10 actual hours of wildlife exploration in three selected environmental types).
- Field guides to mammals, birds, reptiles, sharks and fishes, cyclostomes of the European fauna
- Fauna in Italy, Touring Club Italiano
-PDF sent by professors.
Programme
The course is an introduction to the study of animal biodiversity in time and space through an evolutionary, ecological, behavioral and phylogenetic reading. The taxonomic groups most investigated are those of Vertebrates (cyclostomes, chondrichthyes, osteichthyes, amphibians, reptiles (including birds) and mammals), analyzed in terms of evolutionary history, systematics, distribution, ethology, ecological niche and conservation aspects, also in relation to climate change and human impact on ecosystems. A comparative study of the Invertebrate communities of the major terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems will also be investigated, as will the study of the fundamental ecological role they play in natural trophic networks.The taxonomic groups selected for study can be found in the electronic documents distributed by the lecturer. Among them, the student will delve into the most conservationistically or economically significant species of the European fauna, with identification of cyclostomes, chondrichthyes, osteichthyes, amphibians, reptiles (with birds) and mammals of the fauna of Italy or their own country (for Erasmus students).
number of credits: 5 credits of lectures (40 hours) + 1 credit of zoological field laboratory (10 actual hours of wildlife exploration in three selected environmental types).
Core Documentation
-Hickman et alii. 2008/2012. Diversità animale. McGraw-Hill, Milano (iv/xv edizione) (last five chapters on vertebrates).- Field guides to mammals, birds, reptiles, sharks and fishes, cyclostomes of the European fauna
- Fauna in Italy, Touring Club Italiano
-PDF sent by professors.
Type of delivery of the course
lessons in the room and possible poctical activities in the field and in labType of evaluation
Questions on the whole programme