The elements characterizing the profile of the course are aimed to provide learning professionals with theoretical knowledge and applied in a position to deepen the themes of ecosystems through their analysis aimed at a teaching translation. Thematic objectives shall be addressed to the understanding of ecological dynamics in relation to the changes of the environmental system, to the different spatial and temporal scales, and the deepening of the problems related to environmental sustainability, the use of resources and the evaluation of environmental quality. The knowledge themes are also related to the evolution of the ecosystem, the major environmental change (eg. Climate change), the retention policies of natural resources in relation to the modifications and alterations of the environmental system. This approach aims to offer professional tools for the proper communication and environmental awareness.

• Sustainable development, concepts and applications; Basics of economic ecology.

• The ecosystem: definitions, structures, functions, controls.

• The energy in ecosystems: productivity and measurement mode; quality and energy metabolism; trophic structure of environmental systems; bearing capacity.

• Bodies: concept of the individual; unitary and modular organisms; species concept.

• Habitat and ecological niche;

• Population size, structure and dynamics; home range, territoriality, isolation; mode of aggregation; areal distribution; migration; density and dispersion models; parameters of population descriptors; the logistic equation; Optimization and energy distribution (r and K selection);

• interactions: intra- and interspecific competition, coexistence; parasitism, mutualism. • predator-prey systems: type and nature; diet, trophic spectrum, feeding behavior, herbivory, parasitism, and decomposers detritivores; Optimal foraging; concept of ecological niche

• Community: static and dynamic. Complexity and stability; Model diversity and genetic diversity; parameters of community descriptors; succession; ecotones and edge effect;

• Development and evolution of ecosystems: micro- and macroevolution; natural selection; speciation; coevolution and selection of the group; the development of ecosystems theory;

• Biodiversity: distribution, bio-geographical regions and hot spots;

• Biodiversity and ecological functions: ecosystem services;

• Monitoring: General principles; ecological indicators; fields of application.

• Landscape ecology principles: hierarchical theory and scalar properties of environmental systems; structure and dynamics of the landscape; metapopulation; Theory of island biogeography and source-sink systems; fragmentation of habitats and ecological networks.

• Principles for the protection and conservation of nature.

In relation to the student discipline must show possession:

- Mastery of the knowledge of specialized disciplines;

- The understanding of the advanced concepts of the discipline;

- The ability to use knowledge and concepts to reason independently on issues of discipline

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

pdf/ppt of the lessons and supplementary seminars

Teaching

frontal lectures

Attendance

no

Course books

Eugene P. Odum, 2000. Ecologia un ponte tra scienza e società. Piccin Ed. Padova, pp 316

William P. Cunningham, Mary A. Cunningham,  Barbara W. Saigo, 2004. (a cura di: A. Basset - L. Rossi). Fondamenti di ecologia. McGraw-Hill, Milano, pp 234

Assessment

periodic writing test and/or oral exam

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.