The course provides an introduction to the main ecological concepts, from individual adaptations to ecosystem processes, through populations and communities.
The last part of the course is devoted to the analysis of applied problems and biodiversity conservation issues.
Smith T.M. and Smith R.L., 2017 Elementi di Ecologia, Pearson
CHELAZZI et al., 2004 Ecologia dagli organismi agli ecosistemi. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano
Primack, Boitani, 2013 Biologica della conservazione, Zanichelli
Learning Objectives
Knowledge: understanding of the foundations of ecology from individuals to communities and ecosystems, relevant to applications to biodiversity conservation.
Competences: understanding of the complexity of ecological phenomena and processes at the various organizational levels addressed, and of the main approaches to quantify them.
Skills: skills to analyze ecological problems, and ability to interpret ecological measures.
Prerequisites
Basic zoology and botany.
Teaching Methods
Lectures and seminars: 64 hours
Laboratory activities: 12 hours. These consist into exercises, in class and divided in groups, of relevant scientific publications and plenary presentations of the summaries.
Further information
Attendance to class lectures is highly recommended, and attendance to laboratories is compulsory for 75% of them.
Study materials: lecture handouts and lab materials will be provided.
Type of Assessment
Written test (open questions).
Course program
1) Introduction.
Brief history of Ecology. Fundamentals of ecology and relevance to global issues.
2) Ecology of organisms.
Effects of environmental factors on the survival and distribution of organisms. Environmental conditions. Energy budgets of organisms. The ecological niche. Environmental resources. Functional responses.
3) Population Ecology
Basic principles and definitions. State variables of populations, sampling and examples of field methodologies. Static and dynamic methods in population ecology, small populations and risk assessment, population growth models: intra- and inter-specific interactions.
4) Community and ecosystem ecology.
The structure of ecological communities. Species richness and diversity. Methods to measure biological diversity. Direct and indirect gradient analysis. Ecological succession: autogenic and allogenic, primary and secondary. Ecosystems, energetics of ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles. Anthropogenic changes of biogeochemical cycles.
5) Biodiversity: spatio-temporal patterns: how many species, distribution, biodiversity hotspots, the value of biodiversity, extinctions, local and global threats to biodiversity, climate change. Conservation strategies. The Anthropocene.