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.

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Knowledge and understanding

Knowledge of the foundations in ecology and the basic languages of the discipline and the scientific method. Knowledge of phenomena and processes related to abiotic and biotic components, their interactions and functions.

Knowledge and understanding of ecological processes and mechanisms of interaction between natural functions of ecosistems and human influences for the conservation of the natural capital and improvement of the life quality. 

Applying knowledge and understanding

Knowledge and recognition skills of ecosystems at different scales and abilities of analysis of biotic and abiotic components, their interactions, their functions and relationships with anthropic actions.

Ability to identify and realize educational paths based on the basic foundations of the discipline. Expected results are achieved through frontal teaching activities and supplementary seminars. Use of the knowledge and skills acquired to identify and design educational paths to contribute to the primary education of the child's environmental culture in the primary and secondary schools.

Making judgements

The student must be able to critically evaluate the role of the biotic and abiotic elements that make up an ecosystem and the actions that compromise it. The student must have acquired the basic knowledge for the development of the teaching methods presented. 

Communication

The student should be able to describe the fundamentals of the ecology learned during the course by expressing it clearly, with the acquisition of an appropriate scientific language.

Lifelong learning skills

The student should be able to build his or her discipline knowledge pathway in a critical and autonomous way, being able to use the study material as indicated by the teacher or who will be able to obtain it. 

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

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Teaching

Frontal lectures

Attendance

NO

Course books

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

Thomas M. Smith, Robert L. Smith, 2017. Elementi di ecologia. Ediz. mylab. Con eText. Con aggiornamento online. Pearson Ed., XXI-817 p., ill.

Assessment

The learning objectives are verified through two types of tests.

1. A formative evaluation (self-assessment) test, performed at the end of the course and optional, consisting of a written test with at least 8 multiple choice questions.

2. An oral interview. This method of assessment is indispensable for evaluating the acquired knowledge, in particular concerning the willingness to verify both the student's synthesis capacity and communicative and expressive skills, as well as the acquisition of the appropriate bio-ecological scientific language.

The evaluation criteria are as follows:

• the relevance and effectiveness of the responses in relation to the contents of the program;
• the level of articulation of the answer,
• the adequacy of the language used.

The final evaluation is expressed in 30ths.

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.

Teaching

Non-attending students are invited to consult the teaching material uploaded on Moodle (slides discussed in class, examples of didactic situations, etc.) through which it will be possible to deepen the study of the volumes indicated in the section "Study Texts".

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

The learning objectives for non-attending students are the same and they are verified through two types of tests.

1. A formative assessment test, carried out at the end of the course in the first January exams, consisting of a written paper generally consisting of a structured part with at least 8 multiple-choice questions.

2. An oral examination in the subsequent exams.

These assessment methods are essential for assessing the acquired knowledge, in particular relating to the desire to verify both the student's ability to summarize and the communicative and expressive abilities, as well as the acquisition of an appropriate ecological vocabulary.

The evaluation criteria are as follows:

• the relevance and effectiveness of the responses in relation to the contents of the program;
• the level of articulation of the answer,
• the adequacy of the language used.

The final evaluation is expressed in 30ths.

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.